headhunter

Not a good look though to finish 17th-19th though is it and unless there's a marked improvement in form that's where we could finish?

Uncalled for comment

Of course I would. DM me.

That's fair enough Graham but on current form, unless there's an improvement, we're on course for a 16th-19th finish which is below the majority (?) view of 10th-12th reflecting a modicum of success this campaign. Will the owner, JL & BT fess up to perhaps getting it wrong in their assessment of NP not getting the most out of a "top 6" squad? I think not!

We need to get in the habit of winning league games. At current PPG we'll struggle to reach last season's points tally which points towards a 14th - 17th final placing

What is top dollar in your view come summer when he has just 12 months left on his contract? BTW, @frenchred & @REDOXO , "critical" for you enough this episode??

DaveP, Mark, Ian & The Suttons debate a disappointing night at Ashton Gate. One can't ignore the fact that Leeds were technically far superior to us but the crowd had the right to expect more than the leaden-footed showing dished up by the players who looked a pale shadow of the side that competed against West Ham & Forest. That being said, Leeds looked better all round than both of them. This is a link to a live podcast recording at 09.00 Saturday and viewable thereafter as well as being on Spotify etc.

@cidercity1987 "Dave , great host and a laugh a minute on the football knowledge" - never professed to be all knowing on football knowledge! I have a life outside of FBC @frenchred " it's just another 3piap now, and they used to ridicule that one! - I hope not and don't believe we have. @REDOXO "FBC is as edgy as a Tesco add" [I think you mean ad !] - ouch, that hurts! I see it like this, when we win yet attempt to be objectively critical we are accused by some of being moaners and when we lose or like Tuesday take a seemingly balanced view we're deemed as being "soft" - can never please all of the people all of the time. I know most seem to view Ian Gay as a complete cockwomble but he stuck to his guns on transfer activity and would appear to be vindicated. Surprised we haven't got any stick yet for being part of the TalkSport fan network which for some seems as popular as The Sun is on Merseyside; we have a national ad break at the start and in the middle as you may have noticed if you're a listener; have noticed a fair number now seem to have started watching the recording on You Tube

Ian, Mark, Neil & DaveP debate a game which was a case of "after the Lord Mayor's show" in comparison with the sparkling FA Cup win over West Ham. There was to be no repeat of the 4-1 hammering of the Hornets on Boxing Day. They were a lot more enterprising than some sides seen at home this season but for all their neat play MOL in goal was rarely threatened. Nice for Twine to score on his debut but we still have a problem at that end of the pitch Ian, Mark, Neil & DaveP debate a game which was a case of "after the Lord Mayor's show" in comparison with the sparkling FA Cup win over West Ham. There was to be no repeat of the 4-1 hammering of the Hornets on Boxing Day. They were a lot more enterprising than some sides seen at home this season but for all their neat play MOL in goal was rarely threatened. Nice for Twine to score on his debut but we still have a problem at that end of the pitch

Sykes is a starter for me but where does Naismith now fit in a first X1? If you are labelling Atkinson as a starter when fit then what is your best picks line up and in what formation [accepting that the matchday squad is 20 which offers plenty of scope for change]?

This is an open invitation from me now right here for anyone who'd like to be a contributor to just DM me.

Regarding Ian and related comments from @2015 , @frenchred , @Bernard Lerring , @TomThumb84 , @luke_bristol , @The turtle , YES Ian did cross the line in his rudeness towards Mark in the latter stages of the podcast and I will have a quiet word. As you know, we do a pod after every game and I've never had a late withdrawal from Ian in the 200+ episodes we've done so on that basis he's become a permanent fixture. It is often not what Ian says but how he says it. His delivery, I acknowledge, often comes over as superior, belligerent, arrogant, aggressive or similar adjectives you might choose to describe him but for all his detractors there are many who comment that he doesn't talk *hit all the time! He is like Piers Morgan in that he generates reaction and personally I wouldn't want to lose him to a podcast equivalent of GB News

You have to go back to 1981 for the "original" when Norway beat England 2-1. Hardly a "helluva beating" but part of commentator folklore!! Here's the original:

A night to remember at Ashton Gate! Match review episode also on Spotify etc.

DaveP, Mark & Ian try to take some positives from a performance that was in stark contrast to that which City produced at the London Stadium last weekend. Once again missed chances early on proved to be City's undoing with under pressure Ryan Lowe pulling a rabbit out the hat and probably saved his job with a triple half time substitution which caught City out big time. Will Keane grabbed two goals, the first after a rare MOL error. For the final 20 minutes one could only describe City's performance as ragged and they will have to do a lot better on Tuesday if that game isn't to end in disappointment against David Moyes depleted side. We also talk transfers - the window is half complete, will there be a flurry of activity in the next two weeks?

A bit of context here - people were calling for Nige's head 8 months before he left; the pro-Nige feeling is driven by deep rooted antipathy towards the owners for not spending, say, no more than another £5-£7 million of the Scott fee. In my day job over the years I've seen several "family" companies bring in outsiders to turn their business around and in the majority of cases it ends in tears. They [SL/JL] simply didn't like Nige as he told them a few home truths!!

Here is a link to the Joe Royle interview that @Davefevs referred to: https://foreverbristolcity.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-joe-royle/ We [FBC] have done quite a few one-to-one interviews including Alan Dicks & Gary Shelton to name just two. Here are links to their interviews: https://foreverbristolcity.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-former-city-manager-alan-dicks/ https://foreverbristolcity.podbean.com/e/in-conversation-with-gary-shelton-89-94-150-apps-24-goals/

Assuming these guys had the fitness levels of the players today, which they didn't, then based on ability and watching every week at that time then Merrick would be a starter in defence, Kellard in midfield and a Galley / Garland partnership up front.

No place for Dickie, shame on you On the basis of starting your best X1 when all fit means a back three of Vyner, Dickie, Atkinson. Wing backs Sykes & Pring. Knight,TGH, McCrorie in middle Conway & Wells up top. Naismith does not make my starting line up. Re. signings, if the Irish lad Murphy is one for the future, any additions have to be better than what we have which means Knight level fees, i.e. £1.5-£2M

Of course, never confuse us with somebody else!

The full value of the sale, like for any business, is taken credit for in the year the transaction takes place. If the fee is paid in instalments each one is offset against the balance owing at the end of each financial period. The full Scott fee of £25M will be in the accounts for 23/24. It is irrelevant that they may be paying in instalments of £6.25M over four years. That said the £25M could be a "total" sum with elements triggered by certain events, for example, let's say the base fee was £18M but £4M on achieving 40 appearances and £3M when he reaches 80 appearances then in those circumstances £4M would be triggered some time in 24/25 and therefore in that years accounts and similarly £3M in 25/26. Highly likely if Scott performs he won't be at Bournemouth in 25/26 so highly likely that years accounts would have the balance of the original fee [assuming he hadn't got to 80 appearances] plus any sell-on clause. @Davefevs will correct me if any of these assumptions are incorrect

This is live at 9.00 AM then on all podcast platforms from 11.00 AM We discuss Friday's game, how the side that faced Man Utd 6 years ago this week compares with what we have now and that JL Senior Reds lunch - we were there.

The "pile on" of criticism towards Ian Gay just proves my point that he is our very own Piers Morgan - people love to hate him but they still listen/watch. Ignoring my own opinions, and just remember like any host, some are made to provoke debate I note no antipathy towards Neil or Mark. On the topic of loans, which was a suggestion of mine, I had to laugh at @Sir Geoff who replied, "Haha, you've all spent 2 1/2 years bashing Pearson for not making any loan signings then spend 15 minutes arguing that loan signings are not a good idea. Unbelievable!!" - @Curr Avon [Mark] has already corrected him in this thread with the reply that centred on the viability of paying unproven youngsters from the Prem a likely £25k per week and my point was that any loan signing had to be better than what we already had. For example, a "first pick" ahead of Mehmeti or Bell on the left side. 7000 downloads across all episodes in the past 30 days suggests we're doing something right!!!

I keep saying that on FBC too - the memory of the 2004 play off final still haunts me