1998-99 videos Parts 1 & 2

[1960maaan]

Thought I'd stick them together , first part up to December then second part from Jan to May. It doesn't get any better, there is an nice piece with Benny in the 2nd part though.

EDIT: The missing team seems to be Stockport, not sure if whoever does the stats sight hates them or something , but it's not listed in the results page either.

So that's how it stood after beating Swindon, not great but like any supporter I thought we'd make a push at some stage. Didn't take into account just how weak and brittle we were.

Makes sad reading, and it doesn't get any better. From Ward to Benny, but you know what's coming .............

Thought I'd include @22A's season review as this is now the whole sorry season in one thread.

8 hours ago, 22A said:

At the start of the 1998-99 season, City, Rovers, Bournemouth and Cardiff all had their reserves expelled from the Combination as clubs in the South East didn’t want to travel too far. The clubs set up their own league with Bath, Yeovil and the three Devonshire clubs. City won it, but the competition was poor. To enhance the prospects of attracting youngsters to the Youth team, City formed a partnership with Clifton College and Bath University so that teenagers would have the benefit of a good education by joining Bristol City.

                To prepare for a higher division, City spent more in the summer of 1998 than ever before. 7,500 season tickets had been sold, a third of the ground’ s capacity. Forwards Ade Akinbiyi came from Gillingham for £1.2 million, Tony Thorpe from Fulham for £1 million and Danish International Soren Anderson was secured for £700,000. Other International players to arrive were midfielders Moldavian Ivan Tistimetanu and Hungarian Vilmos Sebok. This proved to be a dubious advantage later in the season. One night as defender Brennan played for Canada and Sebok scored a hat trick for his country, City were losing a vital game against fellow strugglers.  It was to be a season where they scored in nearly every game, but with Sean Taylor missing through injury and other stalwarts absent every few weeks, the defence was just not strong enough. Watford visited in August and won 4-1, in late Autumn City lost consecutive matches 5-0 and 6-1. The first win had not occurred until late September, 5-2 against fellow strugglers Crewe. In four consecutive games City had been winning, but conceded an equaliser in the last minute. After 16 matches, Benny Lennartson was brought in as a specific defence coach. John Ward felt this undermined his position, so he departed leaving Lennartson in charge. He had the worst start of any manager in the club’s history, just two wins in the first 22 games. Keith Welch was replaced in goal by Phillips, a local lad. Bo Anderson had been signed but Phillips kept him out for two months. Welch was released at the end of the season. Dyche, Torpey, Crambe and Thorpe all finished the season on loan to other clubs. The first three because they had not regained their places following long injuries, Thorpe because he was a disappointment. Hope had emerged at Easter when three consecutive victories were recorded, but then City slipped up as the others around them achieved shock results. City finished bottom of the division.

            There had been bright moments though; Akinbiyi scored 23 goals, Sunderland had been running away with the division, but were held to a 1-1 draw at Roker by City. Aaron Brown and Matthew Hill progressed from the Youths into the first team, attendance’s never dropped below 11,000 and many managers stated they wished they could have the support at home that Bristol City had at away games. After the game that saw City relegated at Sheffield United, several thousand fans stayed to salute their heroes and their efforts. At home a set of Samba drummers in the Atyeo Stand maintained a great atmosphere throughout all games. It was suggested the reason for the great atmosphere was due to “fair weather” fans staying away and only the true fans still attending.  The aim for the coming season was immediate promotion therefore to reward these stalwarts. Frustratingly, the next few seasons ended in promotion near misses.

 

[Clevedon Red]

Love watching these thanks.

[22A]

Looking at that table from less than 20 years ago, four of the teams have since been down to League 2, four have dropped out of the League, but two have Oxford & Grimsby got back in.  I think 10 have since played in the Prem and next season we play 9 or 10 of them again.

[1960maaan]

If you count Rosenior,Fawthrope and Burnside individually,  that's 6 managers in 3 years , although I accept it's really 4. Ward was an ok manager that lost the plot, Benny inherited a basket case and Pulis was one of the worst decisions ever. Really didn't enjoy his time here. 

                                     From     Until    W    D.    L     Total            Win%
John Ward                   1997     1998    38   19    27.    84             45.24 

Benny Lenartsson       1998     1999      6     9    16      31             19.35

Tony Pulis                     1999    2000     10   14    9      33              30.30

the 3 Amigos               2000     2000     11     9     6     26              42.31

Benny had the worst win % in our history bar one. Any guesses , in charge for 20 games , 3 wins. I don't count Coppell.

[1960maaan]

9 hours ago, 1960maaan said:

Benny had the worst win % in our history bar one. Any guesses , in charge for 20 games , 3 wins. I don't count Coppell.

As no one bit , I'll tell you . Roy Hodgson with a win % of 15.

Stay tuned for the Pulis era, or wait until later and watch it as a sleeping pill .