Malcolm Allison

Malcolm Alexander Allison (5 September 1927 – 14 October 2010) was an English football player and manager.

Nicknamed "Big Mal", he was one of English football's most flamboyant and intriguing characters because of his panache, fedora and cigar, controversies off the pitch and outspoken nature.

Allison's managerial potential become apparent while in his youth at West Ham United, where he became a reliable defender and acted as a mentor to the younger players including future England World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore.

Son of an electrical engineer, Allison was born in Dartford in September 1927.

Allison was educated at secondary modern schools rather than grammar school after deliberately failing the 11-plus exam so he could play football, not rugby.

Allison started his career with Charlton Athletic but struggled to make a difference on the pitch, playing just twice in six years.

Matters off the pitch led to his transfer, after letting club coaches know that their training methods – which were normally nothing more than running up and down the terracing – were outdated.

Allison joined West Ham United in February 1951, after seven seasons at Charlton Athletic.

Here he gained experience not only as a footballer but also as a future coach, and often stayed behind after training with anyone interested in football to discuss and devise new tactics.

A promising career as a centre-half was ended prematurely by a bout of tuberculosis as he fell ill after a game against Sheffield United on 16 September 1957 and had a lung removed in hospital.

This turned out to be his last senior game for West Ham, and although he battled on in their reserve team he struggled with the inability to achieve full fitness.

For a period he left football altogether, and worked first as a car salesman, then as a professional gambler and nightclub owner.

His playing career was cut short in 1958 when he had to have a lung removed because of tuberculosis.

As a coach, he is remembered for assisting manager Joe Mercer in the transformation of the team he supported as a young boy – Manchester City.

During the 1960s and early 1970s, Allison won six major trophies in seven years with Mercer.

He came back to football to play a final season for non-league Romford in 1963.

Allison's first taste of coaching was at West Ham, where – under Ted Fenton – he took charge of coaching sessions and acted as mentor to a young Bobby Moore and was a leading figure in the establishment of the academy principles at the club.

After gaining further experience of coaching at Cambridge University, Allison moved into management at non-league Bath City.

He replaced the veteran Bob Hewson, who had retired.

One of his first moves was to double the number of training sessions.

The players, who held full-time jobs outside football, were required to train four times every week.

Allison's first season as a manager was a moderate success; he led the club to a third-place finish in the league, and to a third round F.A.Cup tie with First Division Bolton Wanderers.

City were leading 1–0 at Twerton Park until a late equaliser from the penalty spot.

They lost the replay 3–0.

At the end of the English season Allison accepted an offer to coach in North America over the summer, with Toronto City.

After a matter of weeks he was back in England.

His success at Bath had alerted a number of Football League clubs, and in May 1964 he joined Plymouth Argyle, where he had been offered a £3,000 per annum salary.

He soon returned to Bath to sign full-back Tony Book.

However, Allison knew the Argyle board would be reluctant to permit the purchase of a player with no League experience, who was approaching his thirtieth birthday.

Allison encouraged Book to doctor his birth certificate, making him appear two years younger.

Joe Mercer was named Manchester City manager in July 1965.

As ill health had hindered him in his previous job as manager of Aston Villa, Mercer sought a younger, energetic man to be his assistant.

He offered the position to Allison, whom he knew from coaching courses at Lilleshall.

Allison was due to meet Raich Carter to discuss a position at Middlesbrough, but Mercer was able to arrange a meeting the day before, and persuaded Allison to accept his offer.

They were surprise winners of the First Division in 1967–68 against the odds, some at a long 200–1 for City to win the league at the start of the season.

In the following seasons they won the 1969 FA Cup, the 1970 League Cup and Cup Winners' Cup, with a team including Colin Bell, Mike Summerbee and Francis Lee.

Allison turned down an offer to manage Juventus on the understanding that Mercer would move aside and let him become full-time Manchester City manager – however, Mercer steadfastly refused to stand down.

After Mercer left, he managed the club on two occasions whilst offering his managerial services for a third time in 1989.

He also managed several more English clubs including Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough, as well as three in Portugal and the Kuwait national team.

The Mercer–Allison era is believed to be the strongest in Manchester City's history before the 2010s.