Malcolm Allison

[westbaygull]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 096162.stm

Died at the age of 83.
I never for a moment thought he was over 70 - a real larger than life character.

[Bomber]

Here's a piece on his connection with South West Football, including TUFC.

http://southwestfootball.blogspot.com/2 ... -2010.html

[steve wareing]

Big Mal was a brilliant coach way ahead of his time. He turned Man.City into a top class side and his brand of football was a joy to watch. I know because I used to watch them in those days. R I P MAL ,gone but not forgotten.

[arcadia]

In 1964 I played at Home park for Swindon against Plymouth Youth and from the game I can remember Malcolm Allison in the tunnel with his trilby on and smoking a cigar. A Plymouth supporter who was on this forum sent me a copy of the program which was a brilliant gesture.

[Glostergull]

I had the pleasure of seeing the influence he had on a team when in the 92/93 season. rovers had been struggling a little and I think it was Dennis Rofe a former Southampton Player was cutting his teeth managing Rovers after the Previous manager had been given the sack.
Rofe didn't last long with Allison around. Indeed Allison had been brought in without Rofes Knowledge. and he duly resigned in a few weeks.Leaving Allison in full charge. It was his very last appointment. and in a way completed a full circle for Malcolm as he had started His managerial career at Twerton Park with Bath City.
He came in with far reaching ideas of changing the coaching style at Rovers which the players struggled with. there were brief glimpses of what could have been including a win at Leicester city who were bound for promotion to division one at the end of the season and a superb draw with Aston Villa managed by Ron Atkinson. He touted Marcus Browning as a future star. and indeed Browning scored a great goal in that match and went on to a big money move. But Most rovers fans of that era and i was in that crowd that day still remember the best match in the history of Rovers-City Derbies when they both met at The Twerton Azteca. dubbed that by Bobby Gould. This was and in my mind still ranks as one of the best footballing lessons i have ever seen a team give another team. Rovers were up against a City side that had much more quality and class and money. yet they ripped them apart and all four of the goals were great goals.. Rovers had gained from the services of Gerry Francis even after he left as he took 3 really quality players and sold them to Rovers. Justin Channing. Andy Tilson and Chris Waddock. (Torquay Fans will remember Waddock as he is manager of Aldershot) the three cost Rovers less than the Half a million City Paid for Andy Cole who went on to a big money deal to Arsenal. Indeed they had players of the calibre of Gary Shelton.Jacky Dziekanowski, Bob Taylor (leeds Utd) and Leroy Rosenier. The style of play was enthusiastic and effervescant. Something like Leroys team at Torquay years later. They swamped City and you could see the effect Allison had on the team. But they were inconsistant and Rovers suffered relegation at the end of the season along with City. I think that was the first time two teams from the same city had been relegated together certainly from the same division.

[arcadia]

We might have been at the same games as I managed Keynsham Town when Dennis Roffe was manager of Rovers. Also Marcus Browning Played in the same side as my son under Peter Aitken and Tony Pullis was the coach you could see that he was going places then.
In the days that Rovers were at Bath they hired our ground The Crown Field at Keynsham for their Reserve games.

Allison was good with Joe Mercer as he needed someone to keep him in order. Remember he took Tony Book with him we all thought he was mad.