Boston Red

When Lansdown was asked about Pearson in an interview, there was a long pause. Then he said, in a nervous and frightened voice "Well, we don't always agree". Then he changed the subject to Mark Robbins and started to shower praise upon him. Pearson's two great crimes are 1. Having a Championship promotion on his CV. 2. Therefore not bowing down to the great "Get promoted to the Premier League the Lansdown Way" master plan. You can get away with 1. at BS3. But not 2. The purpose of the manager at City is not to win football matches. It is to flatter Steve's ego. Why else do you think, in Dec 2017, he sought out a national media outlet and said, quite unprompted, "I prefer Lee Johnson to Jose Mourinho"?

This from the Post. Clearly all is not well between manager and ownership, and perhaps the level in between which is where the primary bridges of communication are. As it stands, he’s not being offered a contract extension and unless there’s a significant change of opinion by the powerbrokers in BS3, that won’t change. If the Post are genuinely in the know on this one and not speculating, and if what they are saying is true, that Pearson is not going to be offered a new contract, then that is worrying.

Yep. And to back that up, Lansdown admitted on this forum that he was actually in the dressing room before a crunch tv match against Colchester when Tinnion was in charge, and under pressure. Then, after an away game at Hull on the last day of the season, Lansdown said of Sean O'Driscoll "Well, we are still getting used to Sean. He just likes to be left alone to get on with the job." ie I am not getting the access I want.

This was all after an interview with Sky Sports in which the City manager also revealed that certain members - without naming them - of the club hierarchy have previously questioned Andy King’s inclusion in the starting XI. The veteran produced a fine performance in the Robins initial back three and then when City reverted to a four-man defence as Knight replaced Roberts, with his partner Dickie also hugely influential. Pearson revealed he had wanted to match Coventry’s own 3-5-2 and also ensure they had two strikers on the pitch, in Tommy Conway and Sam Bell, to pressure the Sky Blues defence, but that never really transpired. “It’s pretty obvious that was a game-changer,” Pearson added, of the formation switch. “But that would have meant having two players in the backline that aren’t defenders. We adapted to it better but, as there always are, there are always armchair critics, fans and such like, who would make judgements on that but we had worked this week on trying to match them up and we wanted two up front against their back three. Are the Post barking up the wrong tree here? Can you really say for certain that members of the club heirarchy criticised his team selection all on the basis of the words "fans and such like"?

"I’m in the last year of my contract here and I intend to honour my contract. The club may or may not decide to offer me a new contract, and I may or may not decide to accept it." Pearson, Athletic interview.

Tinnion said on Radio Bristol that "Scotty will be available next week" so if he is telling the truth the injury looks genuine.

RB. Opening day of the season. Does that bring back memories for you as a player? There's nothing like it, the excitement, the thrills, the uncertainty, the expectation. BT. Very much so. The pre-season was always really tough, and you knew what was coming, but you always had one eye on the first game of the season. Pre-season really is about getting players fit. and getting everyone available to be selected. We are a few short today, but overall they are fit and ready to go. RB. Do you have a favourite opening day memory over the years? I remember Tony Thorpe's hat-trick at Northampton. You were part of that team. Do you have a favourite? BT. Not really. There are so many. I can't remember them all, to be honest. It was always a game where the fans had expectations, everybody is looking forward to a new season, and I think with a full house at Ashton Gate today there is a lot of expectation. We have signed some good players, and we are building a squad that can be competitive, RB. With sell-out season tickets, hopes are really high at Ashton Gate amongst the fan base. BT. We are recruiting into a style of play now where we know what we want, we know the sort of players we want, we have got some real competition. If we had Alex and Kal Naismith and Ross McCrorie today, plus Rob Atkinson coming back, if we had those four involved the bench would be unbelievably strong, and that's what we want. We want two players fighting for every position, and if one's not doing it we know the other one can come on and play well. RB. Has the summer in terms of Alex Scott gone as you expected it to? An awful lot of national and local interest in Alex Scott. Are you surprised, pleasantly surprised, that he is still at Ashton Gate? BT. I'm not surprised at all the speculation. I'm not surprised Premier League clubs want him. But there has been a figure put on his head by the owner, and until somebody hits that figure then he will be here, and we are happy he is here. RB. And in a way City are in a no-lose situation. If you get 25 million pounds plus great, but if you don't then you have got an EFL gem at the club this season. BT. Yeah, 100%. And we are really comfortable with that. If he is here, brilliant. If we get 25 million plus, then it is pretty good too. It gives us a real platform to build if we get that money in, but ultimately while he is here our team is stronger. RB. And fact from fiction, we read every day of a bid. Where are we at in terms of interest in Alex Scott at the moment? BT. It has been well documented about the clubs who have been in contact about Alex, but they have not got to the valuation of the football club, and until they do it's all just talk and speculation. He has trained unbelievably well this summer. He has come back and he has gone again, to be honest. He is a better player again. So if he is here for us, fantastic. RB. You were sat here with Geoff for the Manchester City game and you talked about summer recruitment. Has it gone exactly as you expected, right to plan? BT. Yeah, it did. We had four players earmarked to come in, and we had one to go out which was Kane Wilson, because he did not fit in with the way we played now, without the wing-backs. Kane was a specialist wing back so he did not fit that. The four players in were a centre half, a right back who can play centre-half very well, a really attacking midfield player, and a left back to cover Cam Pring. So really pleased, and really pleased with all four of them, how they have settled in and worked so far. RB. Someone with an interest in younger players like yourself, Haydon Roberts, I have heard so many good things to the point where maybe he was brought in as a young up and coming player at the start of the window, and I would not have been surprised if he had started today. BT. He has impressed everyone since he came walking through the door. He has got a real hunger. He said he wants to get back to the Premier League. He was with Brighton but they did not take up his option. That gave us a real opportunity to get him to the football club. We had a good chat with him. Myself and Nige told him the plan and where he fitted in. He has to get Cam Pring out of the team. And he is really determined to do that. And as you said it was probably a little bit of touch and go for this game who was going to start. RB. Nigel described Rob Dickie as almost a bonus, a surprise signing. Just tell me how that transfer happened. BT. He has been one that we like for about the last four years, since he was at Oxford. Mark Sykes was sat in the restaurant and said "I have been speaking to Rob Dickie. He is available." And then as soon as we knew that he wanted to come here, within two days we contacted QPR, and it started moving very quickly. It was pretty easy because he was desperate to come here. He is a better player than I thought he was, for sure. RB. As a footballer? BT. He is massive from the back, outstanding. He gives us a new dimension. He is 6 foot 4 or 5, so he is dominant in the air, but his passing has been unbelievably good in pre-season. He is talking, he is a communicator, he has played alongside young Raph and Jamie Knight-Lebel through pre-season. He is talking them through the games. Really good communicator. He has been brilliant. RB. I haven't seen Jason Knight in the flesh, but a lot of people are comparing him to Josh Brownhill. Do you understand the comparison? BT. Yeah, 100%. He is really athletic, he likes to get forward, he lets to get around people, he is always on the front foot, he will drive forward with the ball. He needs to get more goals and assists, which we spoke about when we were talking to him about coming. So I think he will be a really exciting signing for us. I think the fans will love him. RB. And you don't ever typecast a player in a position, but Ross McCrorie when fit, is he a right-back predominantly? BT. He will fight, and if there is a position at centre-half he has played there in the Scottish Premier League so he is comfortable there. He is dominant in the air, he wins headers, and defends set-pieces well, so he can play in the central midfield as well. He will be a really good player, Ross. It is unfortunate he has picked up a little niggle but he is desperate to get out here and start. He is a powerful boy and he will run, and he will run all day for us. RB. Nigel referenced maybe one more new face. Are we talking defender, goalkeeper, or do we have to wait and see.? BT. I didn't know that, so that's news to me. (both laugh). We are really happy with the squad. Kal Naismith trained fully yesterday so should be involved next week. Scotty will be back next week so I think we are all right. If everyone is fit I think the squad is really competitive. We have two players in each position really fighting for that position. RB. And is it unfair to say that maybe that competition does not exist in goal? I mean, Harvey Wiles-Richards, how much potential does he have and is he ready to step up to the plate if needed? BT. Well he'll have to. If Max gets injured or he's not available, then Harvey's there. We are banking on Max to be our number one, and I think he's earned that right. I think he has worked ever so hard. He has had loans. He has had to fight and prove his worth. I think he has come on a lot in the last six to eight months. RB. And thanks to Alex Scott, it takes a bit of the spotlight off Sam Bell and Tommy Conway. What are your hopes for them this season? BT. Oh massive. I think they will both kick on again. They have both come back well in pre-season. They are both fitter. They are both stronger physically. I think you will see the difference in Tommy and Belly. They have done the work in the gym. They could be anything this season. It wouldn't surprise you if they both got a load of goals. RB. A few fans have been asking me about Raphael Araoye. You are probably a better judge than me, what kind of a prospect do you have on your hands in him? BT. Well, he's 6 foot 3, left-footed, centre-half. He is young, and Jamie Knight-Lebel is the same age, They are just 18/19 years of age. It is probably a little bit earlier than we would have expected, with Kal and Ross not being available, but they are the future of the football club. In two or three years time - I said it with Belly two years ago and Tommy - they could be a centre-half partnership here. RB. You have been in the role since November. How much are you enjoying your role at Bristol City? BT. Yeah, it's been fantastic! I think everybody has really pulled together as a football club now. There is a clear identity, there is a clear progression from the academy into the first team. Everybody is working extremely hard together, so yeah, I have loved every minute, and I think the football club is in a good place. RB. And bearing in mind twelve months ago Nigel said his expectation or ambition was the play-offs, is that the ambition again this year? BT. I think he is more realistic, and I think he thinks it's more realistic this season. I think obviously he had to show last summer that we want to do that because that is what we want to do, but I think deep down in Nige's mind he is happy with the squad and he thinks this squad can improve again this season. RB. And finally a word on Chris Garland. City really do honour their former players and sadly he passed away, and the club will be honouring him today. BT. Yeah, very much. Well deserved. Fantastic servant for the football club, and the reception he gets today will be thoroughly deserved. RB. Have a great season, Brian. Thank you very much for coming up to talk to us, and we will catch you soon, hopefully. BT. Thank you. Thank you. 14.19 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_bristol

Bryan has always been a left midfielder/left wing back. He is good at crossing and shooting, but no good at defending. He is too weak physically at heading and tackling. It was Lee Johnson who played him as a specialist left back but he got found out defensively at Fulham. They conceded 100 goals twice with him in their team as a defender and relegated twice. But him at left midfield with Pring behind him is a tasty prospect.We have eight attackers at the club and they are ALL right footed ( Wells Bell Mehmeti Cornick Weimann Conway Wilson Sykes) A talented left footed attacking midfielder would give us serious options to play 4-4-2. Bryan wide left with Pring bombing forward in front of him would be very difficult to stop.

Wilson was unlucky because 1. He got injured. 2. His temporary replacement Sykes did well and kept him out of the team. 3. We signed him for 5-3-2 and then stopped playing 5-3-2. 4. He is now competing against seven other right footed forwards (TC AM SB AW HC NW MS) for the right footed slot on the right of a front three. Isn't it more a case of bad luck than bad attitude?

Some great interviews on Radio Bristol pre-match last night. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0f19sh8 The best was Brian Tinnion on recruitment. 01:09:00 He said the club had a recruitment meeting last Thursday. They know exactly who their targets are, exactly who they want to sign, and exactly which positions they want to fill. As soon as the final whistle for the season goes, they will go straight after their targets. There are three definite, perhaps a fourth if we sell, and we will spend money. They will all be young, hungry, fast, athletic players on the upward path of their career, because that is our profile target. Sounded like they were from the English lower leagues. SCOTT MURRAY 17:08 Says he is not expecting any shirts back after the game. Looks back at his FA Cup games against Kingstonians, Leicester, Middlesbrough. JONATHAN PEARCE 21:05 Said that if he was given a live City game to commentate on, he would refuse it. He was commentating on highlights tonight. Pretty much admitted he liked to shoehorn as many Bristol City references into his commentary, including one for Fammy in the World Cup when he was 30 yards away and not on the ball. AARON WILBRAHAM 29:00 He is a die-hard lifelong Man City fan who even goes to games in the away end, but is supporting Bristol City tonight. Said that when Cotts was in hospital, he would ring him and say "Has the Shrewsbury gym floor been cleaned?" and Aaron would say "Gaffer, you are in intensive care. Don't worry about the gym floor." Said that he, Reid, Ayling, Bryan, Williams, Flint, Pack, Freeman, Smith were still on a groupchat, still were close, still went on holiday to Vegas together. JON LANSDOWN 36:53 Said that he had not started talks with Nige on a new contract yet, and really did not want to be drawn on the issue. MARK KELLY MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ASHTON GATE 49:25 Said that we sold all our seats, but Man City did not quite sell out. The women hold the record for seats sold at the new Ashton Gate because lack of segregation means they can sell an extra 60. DAVID JAMES 55:00 Openly admitted his time at City was not the best, but strongly praised the loyalty Steve Lansdown showed to his employees. MARLON PACK 01:21:40 Still lives locally. Talks about the 2017 cup run. Says that whenever he goes to a new club and has to sing the initiation song, he just plays through the speakers Guardiola saying "Pack is a good player". After the game Guardiola pinched his cheek, which has been made into a Valentine's card. DAVE BARTON HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS 01:35:30 Said that 100 media outlets were all jammed in tonight.

Here are some more interesting questions they could ask. 1. Tomas Kalas played right-back for Middlesbrough and Fulham, could he play right back for City? 2. Would you be willing to give your own brief account of fighting off Romanian wolves? I'm sure the City fans would love to hear it. 3. After being sacked in appalling and unfair circumstances at Leicester, Derby, and Watford, is it a pleasure to work for an owner who just does not do that? 4. Is there a danger that signing two forwards in the transfer window will block the pathway for the likes of Marlee Francois and other young forwards? 5. Did you ever consider moving Jay Dasilva on in the transfer window and just risking it? 6. As Cornick and Mehmeti are both predominantly right-footed, do you want them on the right going down the wing or on the left cutting inside and shooting? 7. As it is 7 forwards for 3 places, is our captain Weimann even sure of his place in the team? 8. You have often spoken about how you like to go walking to get away from football. But as you are out walking, don't you find that you just end up thinking about football anyway? Add your own questions..............................

We've made 17th place our own.

Tinnion said recently in an interview that as Bell and Conway went up the age groups together, everyone thought that it would be Sam Bell who would break through first. Injury set him back, but you can see why here. Watch Bell as Wells goes down the wing. The defender is always in perfect position to block out the cross, until the very last second when Bell accelerates past him to get ahead of him and tap in. Real centre-forward's instincts and makes it look easy.

I make that eleven touches of the football all in quick succession to get out of the space and get the ball to Wells, but it is almost too fast to count.

Portsmouth 1-0 Barnsley. Marlon Pack assist. Towler and Morrell playing.

I make that eleven touches of the football from Alex Scott, but it is almost too fast for the eye to count them.

Sykes, Bell, and Wells under pressure from the new signings. Goal for Sykes, goal for Bell, assist for Wells.

And the winner of the internet for posting in-game goal clips is, for the 256th week running, IAmNick.

Don't forget how much credit Nige deserves for bringing on and developing Antoine Semenyo. Before Nige arrived at the club Semenyo had never scored a league goal for us. Nige is the one who has got him up to being a 9 million pound player, and so in that sense he fully deserves that money to spend in the transfer market, having played a major part in earning it for the club himself.

AND Gustav Engvall, Liam Walsh, Adam Nagy, Milan Duric, Han Noah Massengo. Let's have a royal flush and aim for eight figures of money wasted.

This week we sold a keeper and a forward. Our two best players today? Replacement youth product keeper and replacement youth product forward.

Everything is starting to leak now. "In football 6 people can keep a secret if 5 of them are dead." Jimmy Greaves.

Is it definite that it was Jon Lansdown's decision, KITR?

He was offside in relation to the defender he was next to, but there was a centre back in the box playing him on.

Nigel was asked whether there was anything in the fact that HNM is stuck on 99 league appearances. (20.33) As soon as he hears "99", he shoots the reporter a black look, and quickly looks away and starts fiddling with his cup. Then he acts all bluff and genial, saying he does not know anything about that, and he wouldn't know about contract details like that. Sorry, but that is nonsense. If a manager picks a player for the 100th time that triggers a payment to their former club, it would be the most appalling dereliction of duty on behalf of the club if the manager just did that by accident because he had not been told about that detail. Of course a manager knows whether there is such a clause in the contract, as he is the one picking the team. And considering how careful the club is about money, to pretend he knows nothing about whether the clause exists or not is nonsense. Then he pretends he does not even understand the relevance of the question, all the while being overly bluff and friendly and genial. It all looks as if he is dodging the issue, so I reckon there is such a clause.