While Liverpool celebrate what they hope is the beginning of the end of their recent ownership troubles, it was the end of the line for one of English football's most iconic managers.Malcolm Allison was half of the famous double act that presided over Manchester City's most successful period. Assistant to Joe Mercer then later manager at Maine Road, Allison was renowned for his flamboyance and infectious nature.
Take away the trademark Fedora hat and occasional glass of expensive champagne accompanied by a Monte Cristo cigar in one hand and a beautiful lady in the other and you find a brilliant tactician who loved football to his core. His views on player conditioning have lasted to this day with clubs' huge emphasis on a player's fitness. Under his tutelage players like Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee and Tony Book flourished as players and are idolised at Eastlands in their own right.
In his prime at Man City, Allison was up there with the George Bests of this world: footballers who lived their lives to the full. He appealed to the common man - something that is lacking in this day and age. People have described him as the original 'Special One' and his passing has reminded me of how few real characters there are in the game now. Blackpool's Ian Holloway is the only Premiership manager that keeps me glued to the post-match interviews on Match of the Day and the affect must have been similar with Big Mal.
For me, he was one of the icons of a golden era (and my particular favourite era) of English football. Sadly, with the weighty expectations of the modern game it is unlikely that we shall ever see his kind again.
(Picture: www.bbc.co.uk/sport)
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