Jerseybean

Cons: Two poor sides, not an entertaining game, we were unable to capitalize on several chances, Martin being the main culprit, limited them to hardly anything (although my heart missed a beat in the 88th minute) Pros: Three points, created more chances than usual, decent attendance.

What's the difference between a kangaroo and a kangaroot? One is an Australian animal and the other is a Geordie stuck in a lift.

Hello and welcome to December which in City’s case starts with the visit of WRDC - the Robins v the Rams. Here’s the programme: https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/cal-of-duty-in-your-free-robins-matchday-programme/ to get a ticket: https://tickets.bristol-sport.co.uk/en-gb/categories/bristolcityfchome As throughout the rest of the country the City family will have been horrified and heartbroken by the story of young Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. Many football clubs supporters are planning an applause in the 6h minute of their games this weekend. So in the 6th minute of todays game let’s hope all supporters will take part in a minutes applause for young Arthur to let him know he is loved. You may want to arrive to Ashton Gate a little earlier today because City legends Paul Cheesley, Tom Ritchie, Gerry Sweeney and Trevor Tainton will be in the Sports Bar from 12:30pm signing copies of The Four Seasons book - the story of the Robins in the top-flight from 1976-1980, https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/meet-city-legends-at-the-four-seasons-book-signing/ Off the pitch Derby County are in turmoil, however, on it they are doing pretty well - so best we are under no illusions about the task today. Let’s start with the football on the pitch. They have won 4, lost 6 and drawn 10 so have actually gained 22 points, just one less than us, however, they sit bottom of the table given the 21 points deduction that’s been imposed. As NP repeatedly and wisely reminds everyone today’s game is about what we do as a team more than it is about our opponents. Last season we won 1-0 at home and lost 1-0 away, our head-to-head record against them is lost 38, won 21 and drawn 18. This campaign the Rams have proved resilient conceding fewer goals than any club outside the top six. On Monday they faced QPR a game they lost 2-1, to a superb 90th minute goal from Andre Gray, (a case of black and white being undone by Gray) having been ahead and their recent form is LDWDL = 5 points (which includes a draw against Fulham and a victory over Bournemouth.) The day before we were woeful and I thought Ole captured our performance aptly and succinctly in the opening paragraph of his match report on here: ‘City's mini revival - and by revival I mean we won one football match - collapsed cheaply in the snow at Sheffield as the Blades under new management but with the same record as us, found it breathtakingly easy to carve open and outplay us for a comfortable 2-0 win that could really have been much more.’ Their best players over the seasons have included Archie Gemmill, Alan Hinton, Dave Mackay, Roy McFarland, Colin Todd, Kevin Hector and Steve Bloomer. Their off the field activities have instilled something of a siege mentality. There is extensive coverage on this forum about the impact of their failings re financial fair play and Mr P in particular has provided excellent information and clarification throughout this saga if you want to learn more head to the ‘Derby deserve relegation’ thread. Otherwise, here is a synopsis: In 2015 local businessman Mel Morris assumed ownership of the club. Morris initially oversaw a level of spending unprecedented in Derby's history, breaking the club's transfer record four times in his first three years, but also oversaw an equally unprecedented managerial turnover with nine managers in six years from June 2015. In this period the club endured three unsuccessful play-off campaigns, failing in the semi-finals twice and losing in the 2019 final to Aston Villa; in May 2021, the club, now managed by Wayne Rooney, narrowly avoided relegation to League One. Earlier, in October 2020, it was announced that Morris was intending to sell the club and was actively seeking new owners. A potential deal with a Middle Eastern-backed company was discontinued in March 2021, after which an agreed sale to a Spanish businessman, Erik Alonso, also fell through after doubts about Alonso's funding emerged, alongside possible EFL sanctions regarding breaches of financial fair play regulations (a deduction of nine points remained under consideration in mid-September 2021). On 8 July 2021, the EFL imposed a transfer embargo on the club, leaving Rooney with a squad of just nine contracted senior professionals; however, the EFL later relaxed the embargo but said any deals will have strict wage limits. Following a long-term injury to Colin Kazim-Richards in the early stage of this season, the club were given special dispensation by the EFL to bring in veteran defender Phil Jagielka and striker Sam Baldock. On 17 September 2021, the club’s board of directors announced that the club was to go into administration. The EFL confirmed Derby would face a 12-point deduction. Having invested "in excess of £200m" in the club, owner Mel Morris apologised to fans and staff about the administration. Relegated in May 2021, former Championship club Wycombe Wanderers considered legal action against Derby County following the administration announcement. On 22 September 2021 the club formally went into administration and were deducted 12 points leaving them bottom of the Championship, but the administrators subsequently appealed against the automatic points deduction; an appeal hearing was adjourned on 8 November. During October and November 2021, former Derby owner Andy Appleby, US businessman Chris Kirchner and Sandy and James Easdale were named as interested parties as administrators looked for a buyer for the club, planning to shortlist of three preferred bidders by the end of 2021. However, a quick sale was unlikely pending discussions with HMRC owed around £28m, and the confirmation of the full extent of Derby's liabilities. On 16 November 2021, the club had a further deduction of nine points for breaching EFL accounting rules, leaving the club on -3, 18 points from safety. A further three-point deduction, for breaches of EFL profitability and sustainability rules, was suspended. On 20 November 2021, Derby and related companies were reported to owe £29.3m to HMRC; other liabilities included a £20m loan from US investment group MSD Holdings, plus various football and trade creditors owed around £15m. The following day, administrators said they hoped to identify a preferred buyer "in the next two to three weeks", with Kirchner the only potential buyer to have publicly confirmed his interest, he was there to watch their game on Monday evening. The 34-year-old flew over for the game - the third home fixture he has attended since making his interest in the club known. Derby County suffered a trading loss of £1.2m during their first eight weeks in administration. From 22 September to 15 November the club built £2.032m in income but spent £3.278m, including £2.136m on wages. The situation would have been even worse without a £1.25m loan from investment company MSD, who as mentioned are already owed £20m by the club and will have a significant say in their exit from administration. On Thursday a media story broke which suggested that potential buyers of Derby County believe that unless HMRC agrees to quarter the £29.3 million it is owed - a deal that would risk setting a dangerous legal precedent - then the club is in serious danger of being liquidated. For more on how a dream became a nightmare see this: https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/derby-county-administration-mel-morris-5956835 Derby ditties When Derby County moved to the Baseball Ground in 1895, a stadium that would be their home for the next 102 years, they had to evict gypsies off the site.It’s believed that one of the gypsies placed a curse on the club, and it’s also believed that the curse specified that Derby would never win the FA Cup. The Rams reached three FA Cup finals in the next eight years, losing all three, including a 6-0 loss to Bury in 1903. Derby were also relegated to the Second Division in 1907 for the first time in their history, but gained promotion back to the top league four years later. In 1946, Derby County did win the FA Cup. Jackie Stamps is rumoured to have paid a gypsy to have the curse lifted before the day of the final. Stamps scored twice in the final as the Rams won 4-1. On the 8th September 1888, the first ever football league matches were played. Derby County were away to Bolton Wanderers for their first ever league game, and came away 6-3 winners. No league table was ever actually published after the first ever league fixtures, but based on modern day calculations, Derby County would’ve topped the table due to their goal difference and goals scored. In 1975, Derby County met European giants Real Madrid in the Second Round of the European Cup. The Rams ran out 4-1 winners against the Spaniards, with David Nish scoring to add to Charlie George’s hat-trick. We will be without Baker, Williams, James, King and Tanner today, given the size of the squad that pretty much means the squad for today is determined simply by who is available and who NP has decided isn’t ‘on the bus’. Derby Striker Sam Baldock (hamstring) and defender Lee Buchanan (knee) are both sidelined. Sharing this about parking for today: Some colleagues and I will be cycling from London to Paris to raise money for the Grand Appeal in aid of Bristol Children's Hospital next year. Together, we're trying to raise £20,000 for the charity. As part of our fundraising effort today we will be opening our staff car park on Cumberland Road for City fans, just a 15 minute walk from Ashton Gate. There are 50 spaces available! We are asking for £10 donation per car for the charity. Payment can be cash or contactless. The car park will be open strictly between 12:30 - 19:00. Any questions contact - 07411831381 Find out more and donate here if you'd like: https://london-to-paris.justgiving-sites.com/team/grand-appeal-london-to-paris-2022 HOW TO FIND US: 122 Cumberland Road, BS1 6UN MAP: https://imgur.com/YupJnQV Map to Ashton Gate: https://imgur.com/a/p1c97hn Street View: https://imgur.com/a/JIYk24N Think this will be a tight game wit( someone winning 1-0 just hope it’s us, COYR.

The footage of training with King and James involved shows just how small our squad is and there was no sign of Palmer.

Not read this thread carefully but I’m in the camp that wants NP and his staff to be given the time and resources that are clearly required to transform my Club. Of the players he’s added I like James, Tanner, Atkinson and King, of the players he let go there are none I was sad to see go. He has made very clear this is a task that will take time and I am 100% confident that he will turn things around - given time / resources. He has recently made clear that a number of players will be exiting ASAP. Thankfully, unlike many other Clubs, we show great patience and understanding with our managers and I trust this will be again be the case. Frustrating and poor we certainly are but I am certain that NP and his staff will change that. The priority this season is not to be relegated.

In a nutshell, we were awful and easily outplayed, fortunate it was only 2-0. Lots and lots of basic stuff to address starting with passing, marking and tackling! Well done to the remarkable 665 fans who made that trip, safe journey home.

A poor 45 minutes from us, with far too many basic - even schoolboy - errors including being unable to keep the ball, win a 50:50 tackle, deny them space, realise that the ref will book you for dissent, etc. Accordingly, we have allowed them to control the ball and the game and we are fortunate IMO it’s only 1-0. Huge improvement needed by everyone in the second half if we we are going to get anything here, the next goal is crucial and other than Martin’s header we haven’t threatened their goal. Our traveling fans deserve medals for enduring that journey, those conditions and that first half performance.

Not sure where you can buy the T (I just found the pic) you will need to do a bit of internet searching

Quite a turn of events in this game …https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59448376

Welcome fellow-Reds to a Sunday afternoon game (1230 kick off) in the steel city of Sheffield. Coverage is on the red button. This is the first of three games against teams who are at the wrong end of the table (with Derby County and Hull City next up.) Today’s opponents began the season slowly and are currently immediately above us in the table, on goal difference, we have both won six, drawn five and lost eight. They have looked dangerous from corners two of their three goals against Hull City back in September were from corners. Billy Sharpe is always a handful and Gibbs-White (on loan from Wolves) looks a really decent player. After last weekends 0-0 draw with Coventry their now ex-boss Slavisa Jokanovic said: ‘We didn't play the first 45 minutes very well, we didn't show enough quality. The second 45 minutes we played better, we created more chances and I felt we deserved more in this part of the game. But we needed to do it from the start. We were too nervous and weren't comfortable. We cannot be satisfied with this result. I can understand the crowd. I must encourage my players, I must push them, I must motivate them and make sure they trust themselves.’ All of which sounds rather familiar! On Tuesday they faced Reading away and the Blades won thanks to a goal from Jayden Bogle. During the match John Fleck received ‘urgent medical care’ on the pitch and was stretchered off after receiving lengthy treatment after going down unchallenged. He was taken to a waiting ambulance and then spent the night in hospital, he was discharged the following day. Then on Thursday they parted company with their manager, perhaps due to a combination of factors including, according to my neighbour who is a fan, some of the players still in the Wilder mindset and SJ not having the right players to play his way - does that sound familiar? They immediately appointed Paul Heckingbottom (known by some Blades fans as Finishbottom) as his replacement on a four-and-a-half-year deal. The 44 year old ended last season in caretaker charge as they were relegated from the Premier League before Jokanovic took over in May. Pre-match PH said ‘My approach will be the same as last time. I always want to see hard work. I want to see people taking responsibility and being judged on that, making people accountable for their work, their effort and their standards, but I want to see smiles on faces again, everyone across the club.’ Based on this Blades fan’s view he may struggle to put smiles on fans faces again ‘Spend a fortune on bringing a manager in with a proven track record of promotion at this level, only to sack him a few months later and replace him with the guy who had the job before him.’ Sheffield snippets Bramall Lane played host to the first ever game under floodlights way back in 1878, which is before Sheffield United were even formed! Bramall Lane is currently the oldest football ground in the world still to be hosting professional football matches. Bramall Lane was opened in 1855, a whole 39 years before the Blades were even formed. The ground was initially used to host cricket, before it was adapted later in the century to become the home of Sheffield United upon their formation in 1889. It has hosted both international football and cricket matches, making it one of only two grounds in England to have hosted such events. Sheffield United FC, was the first English football club with “United” in its name. The nickname of The Blades is gleaned from the famous and bespoken cutlery and knife industry that Sheffield is famed for. In 1904 the club became the only one to this day in the top flight of the English game to field a starting 11 of full England international players. Their match with Arsenal on January 22, 1927, was the first game to be featured in a live radio broadcast. The BBC gave live commentary of the match and the Radio Times featured a map of the pitch with numbers so listeners could work out where the ball was. The goalkeeper’s area was called square one and this was the first use of the phrase ‘Back to Square One’. They scored the first ever goal in the Premiership. Brian Deane scored the first ever Premier League goal when he headed home against Manchester United at Bramall Lane on 15th August 1992. Famous fans include Sean Bean (actor); Kell Brook (Boxer); Jessica Ennis-Hill (Olympic champion); Paul Heaton (Beautiful South, Housemartins); Joe Elliott (Def Leopard); Flea (Red Hot Chilli peppers); Matthew Fitzpatrick (golfer); Mark Labbett (The Beast, Chase); Sir Michael Palin (Actor); Joe Root (cricketer); Juan Veron (footballer). A number of films and television programmes have included references (some quite subtle) to Sheffield United including: > In 1977 Sheffield United are referenced by Brian Blessed’s character in a third series episode of the BBC post-apocalyptic drama series Survivors from the 1970s. Blessed's character also wears a Sheffield United scarf throughout. > In 1990, the BBC produced a six-part documentary series named ‘United’ that followed the fortunes of the club towards the end of the 1989-90 season, in which they achieved automatic promotion to the top flight of English football. > The 1996 film When Saturday Comes stars real-life United fan Sean Bean as a part-time Hallum FC player who is scouted by Sheffield United, who then goes on to play in a FA Cup semi-final. The 1997 British comedy film The Full Monty is set in Sheffield and the character 'Gaz' is seen wearing a replica United shirt in one part of the film, and promises his son a ticket for a game at Bramall Lane between Sheffield United and Manchester United. > The 2004 Walt Disney film National Treasure, which stars Sean Bean and Nicolas Cage as the lead character. There is a scene where Bean's character is writing on a yellow notepad. Near the top right corner of the notepad is a doodle of the Sheffield United club emblem, the crossed blades and a dot to represent the Yorkshire rose. > The 2005 film Batman Begins features a child wearing a 1990s Blades shirt. > Finally, the 2012 television drama Prisoners’ Wives also references the club. Back to the drama of this afternoon, we will be looking to keep our recent mini revival going as will they. Their form has been WLDLDW = 8 points, while our last six games have yielded 7 points LWLLDW. Our head-to-head record against them isn’t good we have lost 30, won 16 and drawn 11. However, we have won our last two league games against them 1-0 at Ashton Gate and 3-2 at Bramall Lane back in March 2019 and they beat us 1-0 (with a Billy Sharp penalty) in February this year in the FA Cup. NP has confirmed that Joe Williams won’t feature, Bakes is OK and we will need to wait to see if Matty James is ready. Would expect Sheffield United to be unchanged (aside from Fleck) following their midweek victory, although Iliman Ndiaye is apparently back with the first-team, after playing for the under-23s, he is well known to HP and might get a start today. Wrap up warm the traveling Red Army., you will need more than a tee shirt! Enjoy the game wherever you are cheering the City on.

All those below us who played today won except Barnsley v Posh which is currently all square

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/joey-barton-assault-trial-details-6260982?utm_source=bristol_live_newsletter&utm_campaign=daily_newsletter2&utm_medium=email&pure360.trackingid=6aa798b2-7ec3-4c5d-a749-21168f8393e4

This reflects the mood among their fans: Spend a fortune on bringing a manager in with a proven track record of promotion at this level, only to sack him a few months later and replace him with the guy who had the job before him.

Media account suggests he could be gone later today….https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/slavisa-jokanovic-verge-leaving-sheffield-22270309

Reinforced by their performances against Stoke.

FNQ don’t worry he’s had a proper double-barreled onslaught from me…..after taunting me throughout the second half about late goals and Campbell coming on to win it, etc a great result and the bragging rights are mine! We certainly did hammer em 1-0

To be totally honest I’m in Malta atm and my Sky coverage crashed at 30 minutes so my ‘outplayed for 45’ was really based on what I saw in the opening half an hour. Second half the coverage was restored what a great result!

Funny old game ain’t it? We have been totally outplayed for 45 minutes and go in one up