Sandhurst Red

Hi Jerry - I hope you may be able to supply this suggestion to the club please. I actually saw you as we left the game yesterday as you were walking back up the hill from the away buses, as we left about 10 minutes early but felt it would be better to write on here. My main suggestion is around the provision for families at away games and my question is in 2 part. 1. Smarter Seat Selection Despite buying my tickets for my son and I on the first day of sale with ST, we ended up with seats in row XX - the back row. Whatever ground you are at, and in particular away games, you know that people are going to go and stand there etc. and so was a completely unrealistic place to watch the game from. With it being sold out, we had to chance by sitting in other seats, and thankfully were not asked to move. Where people sit/don't sit at away games is always a tricky issue - but with any child ticket, can more thought be considered on where the seat is, before it being allocated? 2. Creation of a family safe area at away games. Despite avoiding the back of the ground, our chosen section of being to the far right of the stand and near the front also ended up not being the best of choices. For whatever reason, this area seemed to attract a large group of individuals who just showed little care or compassion for children around them. You know what you will encounter at football, but this was on another level. Despite asking a steward to perhaps intervene, he just shrugged his shoulders and said it wasn't his concern. Quite frankly hilarious. Witnessing numerous families with children looking visibly scared and in tears, meaning they had to leave early is simply not acceptable. This is not the first time I have witnessed this either - both Reading away and Fulham away have seen similar incidents over the last 4 years or so. With this in mind, can a certain amount of tickets be allocated to create a family area for any away game - meaning families can enjoy an away game, and not be put-off attending due to the selfish actions of other so-called Bristol City supporters?

I totally agree with both of these comments - usually I am proud to to support the club, yesterday I was quite frankly ashamed of some of our supporters. It's becoming more of an issue over the last 4 years or so - an always at sold-out, or near capacity away games. I've absolutely no issue with people vocalising their frustration at what they see on the pitch. Yes, we are a team yet again in transition and we played a good West Brom - but where was the bottle, the bite, the passion?!. The first 65 minutes were absolutely atrocious - they would all be given less than a 2 match rating - not due to individual performances - but no cohesion as a team. We are lacking leaders in every part of the pitch. Back to our own support though - for me it was on a whole new level of poor yesterday. Far too much time trading insults to opposing fans. The amount of coked-up and pissed individuals who barely watched the actual game, and instead made certain sections of support a uncomfortable place to be was depressing. Seeing children in tears and parents being made to leave a game early due to someone else's selfish behaviour, you'd think these idiots would stop. Sadly not. Instead they just filled the seat those families were in, to get 10cm closer to a fan in another part of the ground - it's so hilariously pathetic. Would love to know if others felt the same today, I genuinely feel respect amongst supporters is hitting an all-time low, and for the first time I am now questioning whether I wish to attend away games with my 6 year old son, as I don't want to consistently expose him to these sorts of things.

TBH - my emotion of wanting something that is synonymous with the club and area got the better of me. I didn't even to stop and think that it was alcohol. Poor choice perhaps in retrospect.

https://www.sportbible.com/football/football-betting-gambling-advert-ban-is-likely-to-affect-nine-premier-league-teams-20210923 As outlined in the article, this is looking ever increasingly likely that it will get passed. From our perspective, that means an end to Mansion Bet as sponsor, so will open up new commercial possibilities - but potential a shortfall unless we find another sponsor quickly for next season. In current times, that may be easier said than done. That said - I would love to see Thatchers emblazoned across the front of our shirts tbh! Does anyone know how many years the Mansion Bet contract was for, or was it all hidden from sight and yet another fine example of machiavellianism displayed by the Ipswich Ego?

Agreed on Matty James - the guy just oozes class and confidence with the ball at his feet. As you say, what makes the above even more impressive is that most passes were forward in nature and not always taking the easy option. Back to Bakinson - although it only shows only 20% of his passes were inaccurate, it was other aspects of his game that for me, were lacking in part yesterday - and are not visible based on the imagery displayed in your post. As a Box-to-Box Midfielder - he needed to be that bit more composed (the final 3rd in particular) and there were a few occasions where he spent far too much time in possession, allowing QPR to press with a second man, and easily steal the bally away. What is also not shown was his positional play, where he tracked back (almost as a spectator, with the game passing him by) and both Willock and Chair were never threatened in having the ball taken by him. There is definitely a good player in there, and I really hope we see more of him, but yesterday was ok, and sadly nothing more. For such a pivotal role in our team, if he wants to keep his starting place, then he must show more - and hopefully that will come with more regular minutes.

The word that first sprung to mind was.... frustrating. As harsh as it may sound, I felt we carried him at times during the game. He didn't track back enough, and looked hesitant and unsure on at least 3 occasions with the ball at his feet on the edge of their box. He lost possession cheaply too (mind you, that could be applied to many yesterday). There is clearly a very good player in there, and I can see similarities with H-N-M, that if provided with the the right training and some consistent minutes we'll see the best of him. The same could be said for Semenyo, who really did make a difference from the bench, using his pace to win free-kicks and pull their defence out of shape. The above may sound harsh on Bakinson, but it was being openly discussed by many during the second half at Loftus Road. As fabulous a result yesterday was, don't lose focus that we are still in need of developing players to understand the NP system, and to use not only their footballing ability, but also a footballers brain in making better decisions.

Speaking of tickets, I'm planning on bringing a friend to the game tonight and wondered if anyone had a £10 members ticket offer that I could perhaps use etc? Can transfer money over immediately and then you send the ticket via email etc. Thanks

The only positive thing I can say is Thank **** he is out of our club. An odious, egotistical, narcissist of the highest order.

Because his reach/size was huge. If he guessed right, Donnaruma was always going to have a chance to save it. If the technique has worked for those players, before - why abolish now? This article - nicely breaks down the science that supports the players methods - https://www.ft.com/penalties

Surely your logic is flawed. The same would apply to the Italian team.... same type of wages, same professional expectation. Sports is about stepping up into a moment and using that experience to try and define the outcome. For outfield players - that is to score. For goalkeepers - that is to save. Feel free to head back to Football manager to never play this trio of brilliant young footballers, who achieve more with a ball at their feet than the likes of you, or I could ever do so. Show any player who played last night some respect, for even being in a position to play in that game, and be asked to take a spot-kick.

Reading play it in the soulless bowl that is the Madjeski Stadium For that reason alone - never do I want to hear it down Ashton Gate. We have our own unique anthems thanks to The Wurzels - why would we want to get rid of that??

Unsung hero - does so much that he does not get credited for.

Spot on. What people forget is that going back some time ago, the choice of alternatives of what to spend your money on/do were far less. With live sports so accessible, coupled with asking people to pay a sizeable premium to watch poor football - fans are not renewing by default like previous years. Added in, the last 2 years has shown the club in demonstrating disdain to a large percentage of fans on a consistent basis. Based on those elements above, 10k is better than I would have predicted.

I was very close to not doing so, as like you - the commute from Berkshire adds to the cost/time issue. For home games, I need to leave home no later than 11:30am to get to AG and parked etc, and if I get out of Bristol without too much traffic, I tend to get home around 7:30pm. I've eventually purchased (Pearson signing was a huge factor), but moving forward, my habits will change and I will no longer feel as determined to make every home game. I've barely watched and paid for RobinsTV this year, which indicates to me that my priorities are indeed changing. Will always support the club, but this season feels very much like last chance saloon for me. The club has to start to act and treat me like a fan, and not a customer. Saying it in structured Press Releases is not enough, I want to see it throughout the club's behaviour.

This has brought a lump to my throat as my own daughter turns 9 on Monday. I can't begin to imagine the pain he and his family must have gone through, and still must go through now. Huge respect, thoughts and wishes to Dean and the family.