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"They're a good side," says 98% of managers and coaches after almost every game, either to explain a disappointing draw or loss, or to buff a win. In the 70s, managers (although not Alan Dicks) were big gob gobshites rubbishing anyone and everyone, like they were Muhammed Ali.

They're not the club though, are they mate? They're just ships that pass in the night, so to speak. It's, er, us, we're the club. Can you get enthusiastic about us?

Had Arsenal drawn at Anfield in May 1989 it is my firm opinion they would not have concurred with you there, Dave

Yeah, the further away an away game is, the more you take an away draw. Every day of the week, including Saturdays.

They still seem to have enthusiasm, our charming/naive West Country cousins; whilst we last had any of that about 1977 (three successive relegations take their toll; we truly do not believe). There's been the occasional flowering, outbreak, of colour and enthusiasm amongst our support over the last 40 years but it's only ever very short-lived. We are jaded, and numb; the miracle is that people still come to AG in the numbers they do

Bigbury Nige, as he's known down them parts ...

If we want promotion from this division then I would think rather a greater percentage of our support than ever before now understand that that is only likely and can only be hoped for with a change in ownership (whilst acknowledging that such a change does not guarantee anything of the sort). We are, currently, stuck between a rock and a hard place, treading water. It would seem. Hardly surprising that people are agitating for something more, something new or fresh, in the circumstances (whilst being ever so careful what we wish for).

There's three slots for going up, not even the mighty ("we are not worthy") Leeds United can fill all of those; and four play-off spaces, to give you a shot. We're not a Leeds? We're not even a bloody Luton, for crying out loud.

We've had our nice little trip down there now, quite happy for them to tootle off back down to L1 and resume playing the Few et al, whilst we crack on with yer Leeds's, yer Leicesters'ss, and yer Sunderlands (ie the big boy's)

So will be sold before he gets to 200 150 appearances?

... unless someone fancies buying him, of course ....

Merry Christmas, great; Happy Easter, fine; what about Ascencion Day?

It was great stuff around 79 - 81 but you could see why Tez wanted to move on and do something else/less lively, he was never going to be doing Skinhead Moonstomp for 30 - 40 years and into his middle age. He spent quite a bit of last night's show sitting down a la Val Doonican.

Cheers, mate. Where were you with all this 39 years ago (yesterday)? What would you advise if they slow the thing up to a crawl on its approach into the station and then they don’t want to let us get off and get to the game, and put a chopper up overhead?

"You will always find him in the toilet at parties .... do,do,do,do do"

Don't fret, mate, they was equally as "big" when they went down. Sheffield Wednesday are bleedin' massive, whether they're going up or down. Next season is not so much about how "big" the other teams are - although, having said that, I'd like Rotherham in this division every time we're in it - it’s about us and what we do with what we've got. Look what we've done today. One of the three coming up will likely struggle in the bottom 4 or 5. The bigger they are, the bigger the muddle they can get themselves in.

Wedged between Wycombe and Exeter in the bottom half of the L1 table: a sh1t sandwich, if ever there was ....

Vale 2 No Avail 0

We got ten lads to do the simple stuff, do we need eleven?

Liam Manning is clearly a coach for a higher standard (see West 'am, Forest, Southampton) than Bristol City and middle of the Championship and the worthy squad of players we have at our disposal, it's just a question of: can Bristol City reach the level Manning is at, and destined to be.

Larry also picked up a medal when losing the 1971 Cup Final to Arsenal. I think he might just be the most medalled Bristolian footballer. Those European medals are going to take some beating by any future Bristol kiddies playing the game

Are we counting Anglo-Scotch cup?

Most decorated - medalled - Bristolian footballer, must be?

Next step for Southgate: set team up to play not to win and see how we go with that ...

Three World Cup finals on foreign soil, mind. No home WCs. And one of the Top Ten of all time.