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Pay him as you would do one of your top tier earners. 27 years old (28 in Dec), get him signed up for 3 years (at worst 2+1). Treat it like a free transfer, because that is what it is. He’s a top half championship performer. I don’t think you’ll bring in as guaranteed a performer for the overall cost. At his peak years.

Well, I have succumbed to renewal for City and Bears but I'm still unsure about City being able to do well and manage to get into the top six after 46 games. However, as I'm coming up to 81st birthday, still fit and able enough to get to the matches. I have done so because this life isn't a rehearsal, I am keeping all my interests going as long as I can. So it's dog walking twice a day, model railway construction any spare time, City and Bears for entertainment(?) keeping the garden alive and still doing all the cooking as wife is useless at that. But I still want to see running, flowing rugby and a football team that will provide entertaining matches, win, lose or draw. PS. Can we please arrange for Rebecca Welsh to referee all of our matches, the best and impartial, referee I have seen in many years.

No matter any single persons opinion on the NP sacking and irrespective of whether we improve going forward and the decision being right or wrong - you cannot defend the manner in which he was sacked and the boards actions in the summer window (timing of the Scott sale, lack of reasonable replacement, etc) and later (lack thereof) communication with him. There was no common sense or courtesy in the clubs actions at the time, nor was it a footballing decision - we've only just got back to one position off where we were when he was sacked. Just like your chip-on-shoulder comment in the context of common sense, the club deserve said criticism - I'd be surprised if NP airs it however. Has more class than JL or BT. You seem to think we're being vindictive - there's a difference between the former and valid genuine criticism(s).

Happy St George's Day!!

Well fair play to him, he does a ******* brilliant impression of one.

No shock one bit, we all knew it. There’s not an ounce of class, real experience or professionalism between any of them, let’s be real.

Cardiff City - not their player when there’s a transfer fee to play Cardiff City - is their player when they want compo

The irony in all this is, for me, if they would’ve just said something pretty cutting like “we appreciate all he’s done, but the working relationship became untenable, we weren’t going to renew his contract as a result and so we wanted to make a change” it would’ve actually made things easier for them as we are now. It would’ve been a shock, made them seem harsh and very savage, but wouldn’t have meant anywhere near as much flack and toxicity for them as they’ve ended up receiving in the long run. Whats the saying, if you tell the truth you’ll never need to try and remember what you’ve said?

I don't think Nige would fire shots at SL even if he's entitled to. I reckon he'll say things like, "We felt that we'd laid the foundations for success", "Year on year improvement", "Confident that we could have acheived given time", "Chairman/board saw it differently", "Fans and players believed in what we were doing", "Nothing surprises me in football these days."

For me, it's the fact that VAR allows for a level of fussiness you (rightly) could not get with the naked eye. Offside was ultimately created to stop players gaining an advantage by just hanging around the goal waiting to score. Pre-VAR, a player needed to be far enough offside to gain an advantage in order for a decision to be correctly given. Otherwise the referee or assistant simply could not possibly see it, and there was a clear rule the attacking team was given the benefit of the doubt if it was not obvious. Now you've got several minutes of studying camera angles to establish a player was marginally ahead in a way that a) could not possibly confer an advantage to the attacking player b) an attacking player could not be expected to notice and correct themselves against. I agree that, by the letter of the law, Haji Wright was offside. I do not believe anyone could possibly argue that Wright gained any kind of advantage by being offside or that, had he been onside, the goal would not have bene scored. I also don't think anyone could claim Wright was at fault for being offside to such a fractional degree that he could not possibly have noticed and corrected without the aid of a replay and video cameras. So what you get in practice is a player who has made no correctable error and gained no possible advantage getting penalised for an infraction that nobody could have been expected to notice without watching multiple replays of the decision. By the letter of the law, it's the correct decision but I don't see how anyone could argue it's a decision that makes football better or a fairer game. I think the whole "a play is offside if his right testicle is fractionally ahead of the defender" is a nonsensical law, especially once you apply cameras and slow things down to check the testicular configurations. To my mind, the only way to make offside and VAR compatible with the spirit of the game is either to a) only correct decisions that the Assistant or Referee could reasonably have spotted b) change the law so a player's whole body needs to be ahead of the defender for an offside to occur.

I have been blown away recently with his performances. He has settled so well into the back 3 and him Dickie and Tanner were a really solid back 3 today. This kid is something special, he has got potential to have a really top career and picking him up on a minimal fee (I think it was a bit of compensation to Brighton) was incredible business just like Dickie. I remember right at the start of the season there was glimpses of what he could do before he picked up that injury and I remember reading a month ago about how he asked Manning to go out on loan in January. Our upturn in form has come with Haydon Roberts has been playing in this back 3. What a brilliant defence and goalkeeper we have, dare I say next season I am really excited to see what could happen if we do some good summer transfers on the other end of the pitch!

My two Penny… Sykes’ comments re Manning needing a window and not being able to play his way with the current group, is just yet another clear example and statement from someone who isn’t JL or Tinns showing just how ridiculous and naive their comments and approach back in October was.

Any decent employer would’ve given him the time and space to get better if that is what was needed. We had cover and could’ve got more if needed. Let’s not pretend City have done him any favours whatsoever here.

Amazing that Pearson wasn’t told that he was sacked for results and he wasnt told about the fear the players were being de-conditioned. Shows what slime balls we have running this club

Not his job. Korey Smith only scored one league goal in his time at City, he was still very good.

A very good cause. My son was one of the first children to enter Charlton Farm when it first opened. The support they provided was brilliant and even in his passing they provided comfort at a very difficult time for us.

To be fair, so did I and I probably didn’t articulate my last post as well as I could have. What I meant was that as fans we can accept a decision being made to change manager even if we don’t agree with it. I had an issue in that I didn’t think we should have done it, but I have no issue in the hierarchy making a decision as to whether they feel someone is the right man - that’s literally their job. So it’s not the decision for me, although I did disagree with it. It’s the lying, bullshitting and cack handed way of handling it, in tandem with withholding funds in the summer because they didn’t have the balls to sack him then. We’ve effectively wasted a year because of these clowns - and although people may be pro or anti the Pearson decision, whether they may believe in or have doubts over Manning, I think the thing that unites 99% of this forum is that we feel the hierarchy is inept at best and willingly undermining the club at worst.

On 20th April 1976 we were promoted to the top flight after an absence of 65 years. I remember it being a humid evening at Ashton Gate, with City needing a win against already relegated Portsmouth, managed by Ian St. John. Clive Whitehead scored in the third minute in front of the open end (now the Atyeo Stand), but it was a nerve jangling 87 minutes to follow, especially in the second half when Geoff Merrick's sliced clearance nearly ended up in his own net. 27,000 fans went bonkers at the final whistle, there was a huge pitch invasion and City management and players took their bow in the directors' box. Alan Dicks ended up fully clothed in the players' bath, and the sports page headlines in the next day's Sun read "Splash! Bristol jump back". The two games before the Pompey game had seen City at home to Chelsea, drawing 2-2 in front of 26,000, and most surprisingly a 0-0 draw at Eastville against the Rovers, watched by a now unbelievable 26,400! What are your memories of that evening 48 years ago? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk8VE4BrlqU Norwich are still hoping to secure a play-off place and are currently 6th so will be well up for this. They have three matches to secure their spot in the play-offs, as they lead seventh-placed Hull by six points but with the Tigers having played one game less. The game pitches together the division’s two best teams over the last five games; City have taken 11 points and scored eight goals, conceding once, during that time whereas Norwich have 10 points with seven for and six against. Fan’s view Few saw operation play-offs coming in late 2023. ‘What a weird old season this has turned into. And not just because Norwich City have gone from something the dog passed to genuine promotion contenders in the space of four months. The Carrow Road crowd has also done a full 180 – transforming themselves into Portsmouth’s finest (a Delia joke) when, for the first half of the season, our spiritual home was the place to go on a Saturday afternoon if you needed some quiet time. (It’s only fair to point out that those who follow City on their travels have been admirably steadfast throughout). But it doesn’t end there. In November, David Wagner – nice chap that he is – was, in a footballing sense, Norfolk’s public enemy number one. Even some of those for whom the cup is usually half-full had to reluctantly admit that his useful life at Carrow Road appeared to be nearing its end. At the time the debate was around who would pull the trigger and when. There appeared to be no 'if'. But here we are, four months hence and Wagner’s star is rising. While he still may not be everyone’s vision of a Norwich City head coach of the future, in the here and now he’s earned the respect of just about everyone of a yellow and green hue for what has happened in 2024. That, in doing so, he’s recently overseen a win over Ipswich certainly did his street cred no harm. And there’s more. All of the angst around our majority owners and their questionable ability to run the club has been shelved for the time being. Even their most vociferous critics have put on hold their gripes and concerns while a promotion charge is ongoing. Delia’s “20 per cent of our fanbase are whingers” rant has also been temporarily overlooked. All of these positives are, of course, related. Little would have changed without the transformation on the pitch but, as things stand, we are all currently in the grip of operation play-offs. An 'operation' that's been a while coming. Not since back in 2001-02 – when we sneaked into the play-offs and lost in the final to Birmingham (in Cardiff) – have we been in this position. Since then, it’s been either automatic promotion, just missing out on the automatics, or missing out on the top-six altogether by some considerable margin. This is different. From being outsiders for the top-six, this good run has gradually hauled us into the play-off picture and, thanks to all of the above, we’ve stayed there… so far. There is still work to be done, but even if we somehow conspire to miss out, few expected this season to still be ‘alive’ when we reached game 46. And it will be. Like I said, weird old times.’ On the first Sunday of December at Ashton Gate we witnessed a very poor game with us conspiring to throw away a one goal lead, thanks to Knight’s first league goal for us, with George Tanner putting through his own goal and then Norwich stealing a winner in the 94th minute. Highlights: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/video/highlights/highlights-bristol-city-1-2-norwich-city/ Guide to Carrow Road: https://footballgroundguide.com/leagues/england/championship/carrow-road-norwich-city.html PotD is available, https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/pay-on-the-day-at-carrow-road-2/ Their forum: https://forum.pinkun.com/index.php?/topic/156283-bristol-city-saturday/ Match preview: https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/norwich-city/championship-promotion-race/preview/preview-norwich-vs-bristol-city-prediction-team-news-lineups_541569.html LM grew up in Norwich. Here he is with Mark Sykes, pre the game: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/manning-and-sykes-preview-canaries-trip/ Rob Dickie is expected to be in the squad, https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/bristol-city-receive-timely-injury-9224257 Their manager David Wagner grew up in West Germany. He made his professional debut with Eintracht Frankfurt in 1990 and played as a striker for several clubs in the first and second division of German football. Son of an American stepfather and German mother, Wagner played for the United States national team, earning eight caps from 1996 until 1998. From 2011 to 2015 Wagner managed Borussia Dortmund II. In November 2015 he took the manager's position at Huddersfield Town, whom he led to the Premier League via the 2017 EFL Championship play-off final. He left Huddersfield in January 2019, and then had brief spells at Bundesliga club Schalke 04 and Swiss Super League club Young Boys. Their nine most successful managers: https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/norwich-citys-best-managers-in-order-of-games-won-ranked/ In this fixture last season they came out on top, https://youtu.be/-ibCyMnAw6I Interesting Radio 4 food programme looking at Delia’s impact on food at NCFC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001jbx9 Head-to-head record Won: 21 Lost: 39 Drawn:18 They lay claim to the oldest football chant in the world - On the ball, City! Which is 121 years old. Talking of ages https://www.onthisday.com/people/adolf-hitler Hitler was born on 20 April. Officials Referee: Sam Barrott Assistants: Jonathan Hunt and Greg Read Fourth official: Ollie Yates Defender Dimitris Giannoulis is out having picked up a hamstring injury last month. In March Ashley Barnes was banned indefinitely from attending horse racing meetings in the UK. Barnes, 34, was placed on the British Horseracing Authority's excluded list because he did not co-operate with an ongoing BHA investigation. Norwich nonsense From Medieval times right through to the Early Modern Age, Norwich was second only to the capital in terms of population. Immigrants came from all around to partake in the city’s wool trade and weaving industry. NORWICH IS THE ONLY ENGLISH CITY LOCATED IN A NATIONAL PARK. The Norfolk Broads is designated an Area of Outstanding Beauty – all 125 miles of navigable lock-free waterways, beautiful countryside and picturesque towns, villages and cities. It’s also mentioned in David Bowie’s hit song Life on Mars. NORWICH WAS FIRST TO BE PEDESTRIANISED. The city had the first-ever pedestrianised street back in July 1967. At the time giving people priority over traffic was a bit of novelty – so ubiquitous and much-loved had the car become – but other cities caught on to the benefits of restricting traffic and well, the rest is history really… Pubs ++++ Back in the day (or rather the 17th century), Norwich had 600 pubs. But the 1904 Licensing Act, Second World War and slum clearances in the 1960s saw many forced to close. King Street was the worst hit, with the number of pubs there falling from 58 to one. And the name of that one pub? It’s the Last Pub Standing, of course… NORWICH CITY FC’S CLUB SONG IS OLDEST IN UK. Today’s footie fans still sing the song ‘On the Ball City’ at Carrow Road Stadium today. It was written for another team in Norwich back in 1890 before the city’s football team claimed it in 1902. ALAN PARTRIDGE IS FROM NORWICH. OK, the self-promoting Alan Partridge may be a fictional character, but his creator Steve Coogan is real enough. Partridge is a DJ on Radio Norwich in the series, spouting his ‘words of wisdom’ to the city’s general population. COLMAN’S MUSTARD IS FROM THE CITY. Jeremiah James Colman started producing mustard at his factory back in 1814 and it’s been going strong ever since. Some of today’s farmers who supply the mustard seeds for the condiment are fifth generation of the original family suppliers. NORWICH HAD THE FIRST-EVER POSTCODES. Yep, today there are more than 1.8 million postcodes in the UK – every street has one. But, at one time, only streets in Norwich were recalled by a series of letters and numbers. That’s because the GP decided to trial it here back in 1959. Looks like it proved successful then. SALE OF THE CENTURY WAS FROM NORWICH. One of the most popular programmes on TV from 1971 to 1983, Sale of the Century began every show with “And now, from Norwich, it’s the quiz of the week!” Quizmaster was Nicholas Parsons. It had the same kudos as today’s The Chase with Bradley Walsh. Pubs There is no designated away team pub in Norwich. This is due to one too many issues of damage being caused to the Compleat Angler that means they no longer accept away fans. Furthermore alcohol is not served in the stadium to away fans. Sometimes the Waterfront pub or Stadia (both close to the ground) permit away fans but this is very hit and miss. Places to consider are: The Wildman, 29 Bedford Street, Norwich, NR2 1AG, https://www.wildmannorwich.co.uk Prince of Wales, 8-14 Prince of Wales Road, Norwich, NR1 1LB, http://www.inapub.co.uk/venues/the-prince-of-wales/norwich/nr11lb/1937 The Coach and Horses, 82 Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1BA, https://www.facebook.com/thecoachthorperoad and http://www.thecoachthorperoad.co.uk Light and airy tap for Chalk Hill brewery (tours available) with eight own brews plus guests, food from baguettes up including lunch deals, Sat brunch and imaginative weekly specials, friendly staff, L-shaped bare-boards bar with open fire, pleasant back dining area; sports TVs, gets very busy on home match days; disabled access possible (not to lavatories), front terrace, open all day. Revado Hotel, Restaurant and Bar, 2 Stracey Road, Norwich, NR1 1EZ, https://revadohotels.com The Rose Inn, 235 Queens Road, Norwich, NR1 3AE, https://www.facebook.com/RoseInnNR1/ Adam and Eve, https://m.facebook.com/theadamandevenorwich/?locale2=en_GB 17 Bishopgate, NR3 1RZ Norwich (a 25 minute walk from the ground) The oldest pub in Norwich dating from at least 1240 when used by workmen building the cathedral, has a Saxon well beneath the lower bar floor and striking Dutch gables (added in 14th and 15th c); old-fashioned small bars with tiled or parquet floors, cushioned benches built into partly panelled walls and some antique high-backed settles, well kept ales such as Adnams and Wolf, Aspall's cider and around 40 malt whiskies, traditional pubby food (not Sun evening) from baguettes up, friendly service; background music; children allowed in snug till 7pm, no dogs inside, picnic-sets out among pretty tubs and hanging baskets, open all day. Duke of Wellington, http://www.dukeofwellingtonnorwich.co.uk 91-93 Waterloo Road, Norwich, NR3 1EG (8 minute drive from the ground) Rambling corner local with huge range of well kept quickly changing ales including Fullers, Oakham and Wolf, many served from tap room casks, foreign bottled beers too, no food apart from sausage rolls and pies (can bring your own, cutlery is provided) and weekend summer barbecue, real fire; live music and traditional games; well behaved dogs welcome, small back terrace, open all day. Edith Cavell, https://www.stonegatepubpartners.co.uk/run-a-pub/pubs/Pages/edith-cavell-norwich.aspx 7 Tombland, Norwich, NR3 1HF (6 minute drive to the ground) Corner pub-restaurant named after the gallant World War I Norfolk nurse; popular if not especially cheap food with emphasis on steaks cooked on hot rocks, three real ales including a house beer from Wolf, friendly helpful service, smallish bar, upstairs restaurant (and loos); diagonally across from Erpingham Gate leading into cathedral green, open all day (till 1am Fri, Sat). Fat Cat, https://www.fatcatpub.co.uk 49 West End Street, Norwich, NR24NA (10 minute drive from the ground) Heaven for real ale lovers, this cheerful town pub lies tucked away in a residential area just west of the city centre. With bare floor boards throughout, the no-nonsense furnishings include plain pine tables and simple solid seats, lots of brewery memorabilia, bric-a-brac and stained glass; board games. The knowledgeable Mr Keatley and his hospitable staff can help guide you through the extraordinary choice of 32 perfectly kept and quickly changing beers. On handpump or tapped from the cask in a stillroom behind the bar ' big windows reveal all ' are their own beers (Fat Cat Bitter, Honey Ale, IPA, Marmalade Cat, Tom Cat and Wild Cat), as well as guests such as Adnams Mosaic, Crouch Vale Yakima Gold, Dark Star American Pale Ale, Fullers ESB, Green Jack Mahseer, Greene King Abbot, Oakham Bishops Farewell and Citra and Timothy Taylors Landlord ' and many more choices from across the country. You'll also find 15 draught lagers and craft ales, over 20 international bottled beers, ten malt whiskies, ten rums and 22 ciders and perries. There are pavement tables outside. No children under the age of 16. Kings Head, http://www.kingsheadnorwich.com 42 Magdalen Street, Norwich, NR31JE (7 minute drive from the ground) Traditional Victorian local with good friendly atmosphere in two simply furnished bare-boards bars (front one is tiny), up to 14 very well kept changing regional ales, good choice of imported beers and a local cider, no food except pork pies; bar billiards in back bar; dogs welcome, open all day until late. Plough, https://www.grainpubs.co.uk 58 St Benedicts St, Norwich NR2 4AR (9 minute drive from the ground) Small city-centre pub owned by Grain, their ales and guests kept well, good wines and cocktails, food limited to sausage pie, cheeseboards and summer barbecues, simply updated split-level interior with bare boards and open fire; background music, occasional DJ; good spacious beer garden behind, open all day. The Ribs of Beef, https://ribsofbeef.co.uk 24 Wensum St, Norwich NR3 1HY (7 minute drive to the ground) Comfortable and welcoming riverside pub; nine real ales including Oakham, two traditional ciders and good wine choice, generous well priced food such as burgers and wings, roasts on Sun (no food Sun evening), quick cheerful service, traditional carpeted bar with river views, smaller downstairs room; live music Sun, quiz every other Thurs, sports TV; children welcome, limited seats outside on narrow waterside terrace, open all day. St Andrew’s Brew House, https://www.standrewsbrewhouse.com 41 St Andrews St, Norwich NR2 4TP (7 minute drive from the ground) Interesting place visibly brewing its own good beers (can tour the brewery), also plenty of guest ales, craft kegs and bottled beers, utilitarian bare-boards interior with exposed ducting, rough masonry walls and eclectic mix of seating including some button-back booths, popular sensibly priced food from British tapas and sharing boards up including special theme nights, busy efficient staff, upstairs function room; background music, sports TV; children and dogs welcome, pavement tables, open all day. Wig and Pen, http://www.thewigandpen.com 6 St Martin-At-Palace Plain, Norwich NR3 1RN (6 minute drive from the ground) Popular 17th-c beamed pub close to cathedral; half a dozen well kept local ales including Adnams, Wolf and Woodfordes, well priced wines and good value food from sandwiches up, Sunday roasts, prompt friendly service; background music, sports TVs, spring beer festival; metal café-style furniture on large terrace at front, open all day (till 6.30pm Sun).

This for me is what I'm really annoyed about. Forget about Liam and Nige for a second. We have the likes of Tony Wilkins and his followers saying how fantastic it is that we've done as well as last season and could maybe slightly improve upon that (ignoring the fact the gap to the play offs is wider) Absolutely none of us expected us to do the same as last season. Each and every one of us expected progression. We all felt that the ship had been stabled and that we would push on this season. We have not pushed on. I'd argue we've slightly regressed. So why do we have an element of our fan base celebrating matching last season? This season we have under achieved with what we had available. We have under achieved in a number of games this season without a doubt.

Bristol City 1 (Whitehead) Portsmouth 0. What a night.

I think when we post mortum our season that will be (ahem) the “biggest bit” of Liams reign. I go back to the QPR game. There is nothing wrong with getting defence right first - but he came in somewhere where the defence wasn’t (barring injuries) really an issue and went ultra negative first. It was almost as if what was at the club before him didn’t matter and he had to follow a set pattern of how you build things. Fast forward through the season up until Easter and he dogmatically tried to impose a style on the team they weren’t suited to. I don’t think there’s any coincidence the better performances were more counter attacking as opposed to what we class as “Manningball” of heavy retention of possession, often for possessions sake. Post Easter, he’s changed tack in how we play. It’s more than a “tweak”, it’s a fundamental in terms of intent and suitability to the squad. And shockingly, it’s getting better results. I don’t care how he got to the conclusion - whether it was the risk of the sack, an epiphany or taking tactical advice from Tinnion. But I don’t think it’s an unfair conclusion that prior to this run, Liam had caused most of his own problems by how he was setting us up. Do I think we could have made the playoffs under either? Only if we replaced Scott properly which we didn’t try and do until January. Do I think Liam lessened our chances of an unlikely top six finish this season by the way he set us up, and managed the game “in match”? Absolutely.

I thank god daily that I’m not as thick as you.

Seems the case!

Just to prove it doesn’t only happen when things are bad. I’ll take a wild guess as to which bullet will get the most attention…! - Vyner has a chance but very unlikely to be fit - Doesn’t see it as a specific test of playing a lower team, more about how we play - Unsure what expectations were post break. Definitely feels there is progress, more resilience and fight - really enjoyed a lot of us with the ball against Norwich and started post second half well, playing with purpose - Noted matched points from last season so want to beat that with two to go. Referenced he thinks we’ve been good defensively consistently, pointing to QPR, Cardiff, Ipswich - Looking forward to time on grass in pre season, heavy schedule post Christmas. Happy with where group are at and now about fine tuning - Conversations with OOC players haven’t happened as yet (I’d say that’s a lie…!) - Thinks Joe Williams has done well recently but been helped by those around him, credit to the staff and coaches as that’s what they do in improving players and most have - Haydon Roberts not seen as backup. Had to be patient but has done well. Didn’t answer question as to what he’s seen as (fullback or centre half) - Medube - looked decent in training and might get an opportunity (I think that’s the second lie) - Thinks Norwich goal offside, Cornick onside - Watched 21s yesterday - were some decent bits, attitude good, Brian’s done a great job, behaviours were right. Didn’t name a specific player. Watching 18s later - Knight-Lebel comment - taken off after 60 minutes as back injury as opposed to plans for first team - Need more goals from across the team - “People misread what I say and don’t listen properly at times. I want players to be emotional but recognise you need to be in control and not make rash actions” In training gave bad decisions in game to work on reactions (I do that with 12 year olds so wholeheartedly back it!) - Psychology plays a big part in recruitment- need to understand the whole package, sometimes don’t understand that until they’re in the door. Look at recovery, positioning as these tend to be focus and desire behaviours - the team are very good at that - Knights current position; has done a great job there, the group understand how to play positions now. Asked if it was a long term plan or had developed - said it wasn’t a plan long term and LM is adaptable and likes to tweak things. Knight is now running less/smarter. - Conway - no update. Want to keep him, he has an offer. Loves working with him. Thinks Conway has improved this season and should score 15+ a season, Twine helps that. - Body alignment coach visiting the club. Wasn’t Liams decision. End of season need each department needs to review how they work. - Every day of pre season is planned already in terms of session, running distance etc. Again, pretty relaxed (as expected). The comment of people not listening was a bit barbed - but it’s also no coincidence he’s got better at communicating as he’s got more relaxed and it was a large part of he wasn’t articulating as well. (And tbf I had noted I think he said emotion when he meant focus and he’s using it in a different context here). That whole section was pretty interesting and is worth a listen.

Yet still not above where we were when he (himself, or those he put in place) were sacked or left just as we were coming out the other end of an injury crisis. At least keep things in context or at least how about addressing that point? For this season, Manning has only just effectively recovered from his own hapless management (props for finally adjusting his 'process' eventually to be more direct and quicker) from being way too strict in adhering to his own philosphies with no flexibility. Perhaps understandable in view of his own inexperience as a manager with this being effectively, what, his third season as a manager with regards to number of games managed? You cheapen what already nonexistent foundation for your argument when you merely belittle others when your apparent counter argument is to simply blame the forum at large as some sort of insult. Ultimately, the jury will be out until next season and seeing how the squad shapes up over the window - we're under no pressure at the moment, momentum now means naught unless its carried through the summer. We still have to navigate what will be nothing fixtures against Stoke and Rotherham - I'd like to see one or two academy players be given an opportunity to start. My one major concern so far under Manning is the sheer lack of academy throughput, which understandable early in his reign is now gone due to the same lack of pressure mentioned - i.e. was surprised to see Tanner at CB instead of Knight-Lebel for instance. The integration (and man-management) of academy players was one of the areas Nige undoubtedly got correct, would be a shame if thats pushed to the wayside the same way it was under LJ.

As we are talking renewals, I have just renewed my forum membership. For a fiver, it's a bargain!

Manning shouldn’t be the debate in this thread. He was the one chosen to take the reins after Pearson, that’s not his doing. Whether you think we have progressed under him, if you are content/happy with the football on offer, that’s to be debated elsewhere. What should be discussed on this thread is what was suspected all along, which was the total lack of respect and appreciation those running the show had for Nige. The man who was tasked with getting this club back on track following years of reckless ownership and blind faith in poor managers. He achieved this and more in my book. A togetherness between players and fans we hadn’t seen since Cotts. It was one of those rare situations where fans were on the managers side yet the board wanted rid. At the end of the day, if it was results, personality clashes, Nige’s health… the reason becomes almost redundant. What is clear is the way in which SL, JL and BT made an absolute shitshow of things and why Nige shouldn’t even give them the time of day.

On the bit about us: - Learnt afterwards that it was about results - Heard in an “interview” afterwards that players were in danger of being deconditioned and the chairman should have talked to the technical director - Didn’t know City would make “reasons” public - Allardyce opined that City may have broken confidentiality clause and Nige could just respond and reply - Nige “Yeah but you don’t need to do that” - Nige said he was concentrating on his health at present mentioning back and neurological problems but he was getting better. Said he was a football manager not a coach - but he could coach - and he’s not a head coach - “The fad appears to be at the moment get a young coach. Is football suffering with ageism” - Doesn’t sound as if he’s retiring “Sure they’ll be another opportunity and when it comes I want to enjoy the challenge” - “Success can be relative. It can be avoiding relegation and cutting a wage bill” - Keeps an eye out on us. Enjoys living down here, beautiful area, bought some woodland. Thinks he had a good connection with a lot of the people. Some really good people here, keeps in touch with people at training ground - Fanbase here are patient and knowledgeable - results weren’t always great but they could see past that. Complex job in reshaping the squad. It’s a good club in the sense of academy catchment area, academy tries to develop players. Circumstances in where had to reduce wage bill means fortunate that academy was producing - - Although didn’t end amicably the staff worked the best they could. Thinks Liam inherited “a very decent situation, let’s put it like that”

As someone who has suffered 3 ACL/PCL (2 in right 1 in left and a re-rupture in the final stages of recovery as he did) which forced me to call it a day at an academy at 20, I can tell you this, its a unfortunate domino effect and we can say or blame the medical department but drawing from own experiences with it, if or when complications and setbacks happen they will just happen; the trauma to that part of the body makes it unpredictable and will never recover. Depending on how he had his repairs (There is various methods depending on the individuals needs). He will continue to suffer hamstring injuries as they are the most common and potentially further knee complications (tendonitis will be one) and will have to manage that along with his playing time for the rest of his playing career additionally that will also be impacted by how significant the potential acceleration of knee osteoarthritis could be in his situation. He will suffer a shift in performance in areas of his game which is to no fault of his own. I would have realistic expectations of him never being the "same" player.

Don't agree at all, imo Seagull's a good poster who goes out of his way to explain his views and responds patiently to others who are aggressive towards him just because they don't agree with his posts.

No need. Most of us could get through a Pearson presser without falling asleep.

I put as much trust in Ian Gay to perform as I do with my Missus after 6 Jagerbombs

So the questions are .... "How well are those back-stabbing pains healing?" and "do you remember how and when they first started?" I'm no doctor. but I'd suggest he was suffering from a severe case of Tinnionitus

Do what? What would have impressed you in any manager having to take over a Pearson (basket) case 6 months ago? The summer will go well because the club (ie owners & senior, respected managers will back Liam) so you have no reason to have a bad feeling. And what the hell do you mean by regression? Since when, since Cotts or since Johnson? There has been zero regression since Pearson lef; the players are happier, the cup run, we beat or draw with top teams, we smash poor teams etc etc - sometimes the negativity of you (and others) posts is simply baffling. What regression can you possibly mean?

I don’t care. Accept the element of human error to preserve the wonder of the game and the joy of the moment. This is what happens when the rules matter more than the game.

From 8:40, makes me bloody proud of this club more and anything else. That young man will never forget that. Well done lads.

Nope, he's a good poster imo and that you, or others, don't agree with his posts is beside the point. You are notable for the number of posts you make super, but also the brevity of the vast majority of those posts, more often than not confined to 1 line. When challenged WSM goes out of his way to explain his views in some depth, to me that's a good poster whether you agree with him or not.

But the issue is that you don’t debate. You’ve brought up a few times “The Truth” and when asked to expand have said “It’s something you deny” as opposed to giving any kind of coherent argument. You get the memes and facepalms not because others have lost - but because you can’t, or won’t, give coherent points. In respect of being sick of snidey posts, I’d argue you’re equally as guilty - across multiple threads in the last 48 hours you’ve referred to “Nige Groupies” and brought him up unprompted on at least one thread. You’ve then just gone on a bizarre rant at @GrahamC when a valid point has been made about the providence of signing Medube (where Tinnion was very vocal on Twitter as to how good the signing was, so the player not playing is very relevant criticism). Supporting a team isn’t assuming Brian Tinnion is infallible- in fact, evidence in senior roles is very much the contrary. I’d argue that supporting a team is very much not just blindly shouting how awesome everything is - in fact, we often mock the other lot because of their lack of ability to critique, so it’s actually the opposite of your final sentence. You blindly not questioning and “FFS showing a bit of support” is actually the meat and drink to other fans. If you want to avoid the facepalms, debate. Or keep shouting at clouds and think something’s happening that isn’t. And for everyone else I apologise if this makes the Medube thread “hot” - we’re not signing him (we hope!) (Aside on DM - I saw a theory earlier that we weren’t playing him so we didn’t alert teams to him. Utter nonsense. We’ve agreed a fee. If we want him he’s our player. He’s not playing because he was pony when he did play and because the coaching staff have seen him for 3 months and concluded he’s not good enough).

Why are you laughing? We've gone from 14th to 12th with this little run! Storming. The. League.

So Gavin Marshall has come out and said they should have "communicated this move better". He's the one who said communication needed to improve afer NP was sacked. Bristol Sport.Run by clowns.

Gas are leaving their promotion push late. 17 points from play offs with 1 game left. I fear their goal difference may be their undoing.

Strange how so many of us on here are renewing a football season ticket DESPITE the football not because of it

Then the club should have been honest. It’s the lies that have pissed me off since he was sacked & was the clincher in me not renewing my season ticket. Always love the club but I detest Jon Lansdown & his old man’s attitude to us as fans (sorry customers) only qualification he has to run our club is being born with a silver spoon . He’s a bafoon

Backstabbing little slime balls. I’m no lover of Liam Manning or the football his team plays, but I pity any City manager that has to deal with them.

It wasn't just the process of removing Pearson Phants. It was the whole communication from the club where they clearly lied to us. There is a lot of unrest within the fanbase about how the club is run and a few decent results on the pitch doesn't mean the club is now well run. They promised us communication would improve and I'd say by large it hasnt. We are still getting lied to by the club every now and then and I think even if results are good, it's still important to highlight these issues. Otherwise it would be fickle of me to only highlight these issues when we're doing badly. One min the club were saying we had the ability to get top 6/challange and now they're saying "we're about where we expected to be" I can't remember who once said this, maybe Ashton, maybe Jon but they said "when results on the pitch are good we get less complaints about issues" and I kinda get that people will complain more if they are pissed off. But the attitude at the club seems to be "if we can get results on the pitch then everything else will be ok" and im not sure that's the correct way to run a football club.

Stopped reading after 3 words..

See you have the book “Derby Days”. For the benefit of our younger subscribers, perhaps you’ll be kind enough to answer their natural question, wtf is a derby?

The club is good at this. Still remember CHSW arranging for Joe to spend a day at the training ground, happened to end up being the day after LJ was appointed. LJ could’ve easily postponed it, but he was “nah, bring him in, we’ll make sure he has a great day”.

You said you were in the Lansdown? People behind you a bit annoying, knew very little about football and chatted shit constantly? Wasn’t these guys was it?

What I was told: No compensation, was free…as Brighton didn’t offer him a deal, they weren’t entitled to any. Why didn’t they offer him a deal? Madness, surely! Because he wasn’t gonna sign and they realised that any compo might be entitled to might put clubs off…and they felt it was in the players interest to have as wide a choice as possible. Fair play to Brighton, he wasn’t gonna make it there, so why make it harder for him.