City fans pay tribute to Big Mal

27 October 2010 16:13
Hundreds of Manchester City fans paid their respects to Malcolm Allison when the former manager's funeral cortege passed the club's stadium.[LNB] Flamboyant Allison, known as 'Big Mal' and remembered off the pitch for his trademark cigar and fedora, died earlier this month at the age of 83.[LNB]He enjoyed a long and colourful career as a player, coach and manager, and is best remembered for his time at City.[LNB]The cortege stopped briefly at the City of Manchester stadium before his funeral service at Manchester Crematorium.[LNB]Around 300 people had gathered to pay their respects and a round of applause greeted the arrival of the cars.[LNB]A sky-blue Manchester City scarf was draped over Allison's coffin and next to it was an ice bucket containing a bottle of Moet et Chandon champagne.[LNB]Stephen O'Neill, 51, from Gatley, near Stockport, said: "Big Mal was a Manchester City legend.[LNB]"He was an innovative coach who brought us great success.[LNB]"Some of the coaching techniques you see in football today, Malcolm Allison was doing all those years ago."[LNB]City season ticket holder Shirley Hull, 74, from Macclesfield, added: "He was a big man on the pitch and off.[LNB]"As well as bringing us success he is also part of the reason Manchester City is such a close-knit, family club."[LNB]Working alongside Joe Mercer, Allison helped transform City into one of the most exciting sides in the country.[LNB]They won the league title in 1968, the FA Cup in 1969, and in 1970 the League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup.[LNB]He went on to manage Crystal Palace on two separate occasions and returned to City in 1979 for a brief and unsuccessful spell.[LNB]His management career also included spells at Bath, Plymouth, Galatasaray in Turkey, Sporting Lisbon, Toronto City, Middlesbrough and Bristol Rovers.[LNB]Ill health was a feature of his later years and he had been living in a nursing home for some time when he died on October 14.

Source: Team_Talk