Quote Dick Jones="Dick Jones"Fergie is a genius, he can handle his players and Manchini cant thats why its happened the way it has, City have got all the talent in the world, but the also have the problem of their over inflated egos, anyone crossing Fergie gets shown the door. A great Team spirit is important in any game. Our lads seem to have it again, and thats why I think we will come good.
PS I think City were stupid to get rid of Hughes when they did.'"
Just to highlight that in the late 1980's Fergie was about as popular as David Cameron is at the moment - and actually among City fans he would have been given the key to the City if it was left to them. Just a little reminder of the bad feeling and pure impatient's of the Utd fans at the time....
Quote Dick JonesIn September 1989, United suffered a humiliating 5–1 away defeat against fierce rivals Manchester City. Following this and an early season run of six defeats and two draws in eight games, a banner declaring "Three years of excuses and it's still crap...ta-ra Fergie." was displayed at Old Trafford, and many journalists and supporters called for Ferguson to be sacked. Ferguson later described December 1989 as "the darkest period he had ever suffered in the game", as United ended the decade just outside the relegation zone...'"
For Utd it was great that they had the backbone to back their manager - maybe they had no choice considering compensation etc. That simply wouldn't happen nowadays. He would have been out the door and nobody would have been any the wiser of what could have been and no supporter would have given him a second thought - that's modern day football for you.
As for Hughes, yes he was harshly treated not because it was the wrong decision but in the way it was done. But don't feel too sorry for him because he got a very nice payout that most of us can only dream of.
