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Johnson was a joke on comms, but I have to say he wasn’t wrong in saying “I’m surprised they’ve stayed in this league for as long as they have” (thanks, Nige) and he was also right in saying we are a poor side on today’s evidence. I don’t like it but the truth hurts. Thanks, Brian and Jon.

Why is Manning persisting with Sykes on the left? Does he realise he’s a real threat down the right? Bizarre.

Exactly. West Brom have kicked on under Coberan, as I expected them to as he’s a quality coach at this level. But to barely lay a glove of them has been pathetic. I don’t expect us to win but it’s not unreasonable to expect us to compete for longer than 15 minutes. We’re a L1 club in waiting, sadly.

Employ a L1 manager, you get L1 football. And I expect us to be staring down the barrel this time next year.

Best-ever week Festival week for me. Eight sizeable bets, six winners

You’re entitled to your opinion, as we all are. However, for me, my views of him as a player are as a legend. He was a childhood hero of mine. But, as manager and now in the boardroom, he’s clearly not fit for purpose. I take your point about “it’s not his fault he’s in that position”, just like it wasn’t Holden’s fault. Once again that calls into question just WTAF the Lansdowns know about football when most appointments as nepotistic. But here’s my point: just because he was a legend as a footballer doesn’t entitle him to be sporting director, regardless of years of service, and that interview shows exactly why he should be nowhere near that role. So if he’s not up to the job, is out of touch with the fans, inarticulate in media interviews, make constant contradictions, how do you think that transcends down the entire football operation? It’s a shambles that should never have been allowed to happen.

I had a lovely start with Chianti Clasico, State Man and Lossiemouth yesterday, on top of money back from Firefox. Ballyburn landed a tasty trixie (3 doubles and one treble with State Man and Lossiemouth), and Black Bamboo returned an ew profit in the Coral Cup. If Galopin wins on Friday, that will be a four-figure payout

As with all signings under the current regime, NP was told you have £300k to spend on a forward and here are a few options in that bracket. Cornick was decent for Luton, but he ain’t the first striker to rock up at cosy Ashton Gate and regress, as a few of the current squad have under Manning.

Excellent point you make about those three goals coming in 1-0 wins (Cov, Sheff Weds, Swansea), but that’s 9 points (not 6) he's bagged us. Huge contribution, at both ends of the pitch.

Easily player of the year for me. Not even a contest. He’s been a magnificent signing, arguably Pearson’s best.

The question should be would the board back him to bring in his own players. Based on Twine, Mebude and the woeful performances, it’s a big fat no from me.

I’m sure you’re correct. But JL will have us belief he’s clued up when it comes to the medical side of it, specifically players being deconditioned.

I thought we did enquire about him in January, despite his £40k pw wages, but he was never interested in coming here? I’ve never rated him anyway and wouldn’t want him on those wages.

I can’t bring myself to watch BT or JL these days. They are both bumbling idiots. I can’t believe SL made his billions by employing idiots or making nepotistic appointments either, so how it thinks it’ll work in professional football I don’t know. I find it all pretty worrying.

Also highlights his complete lack of in-game management, in case that was in any doubt.

Exactly. Tried to invest in them first and bosum buddies with Nick Higgs. Where’s the pic of the smug **** holding a gas flag at the Euros when you need it…

SL was never a City ”fan on the terraces”, and Pearson was not a failure.

Great game for the neutrals and an improved performance, but all three goals were piss poor goals to concede from our perspective.

We shouldn’t be drawn into it, but the reality is we should lose three out of the next four on paper and if we do, we are likely to be perilously close to the bottom three and I don’t think the coach has the fight. I have a feeling a higher than usual total may be required to stay up this year, possibly 52 points, and currently I don’t see where our next point is coming from. Swansea maybe, Blackburn, Rotherham, Huddersfield and Stoke all look must-win for us. The good news is it’s in our hands. The bad news is Manning isn’t getting the best out of this honest bunch of players and I’m not sure he has a plan A let alone a plan B. With confidence low, it looks like the perfect storm for relegation. Whether it’s this season or next, time will tell. But it’s nothing more than Tinnion and the Lansdowns deserve.

The football under Wilson and Cotts was the closest to “front-foot football” we’ve seen under all those managers. And it’s no coincidence that they had control of recruitment during those times. The model Ashton built post-Cotts remains in place today. It imposes restraints on managers and sets the club up to fail IMO. As Harry said yesterday, that needs to be ripped up. As for Manning, he isn’t right for us and the issue with sacking him is I don’t trust BT or JL to get it right. Therein lies the problem, and it’s a big un.

If we were being talked of as play-off contenders when we were six points outside the top six, surely using the same yardstick we are relegation candidates now. We have a tough run of fixtures this month. Today was winnable, but I expect little from Ipswich, West Brom and Leicester, especially when we play slow, turgid football and Manning looks out of ideas. I would not be at all surprised if we’re looking over our shoulders by the end of March. It’s really not beyond the realms of possibility and Stoke away - a happy hunting ground for us in recent years - on the last day looks potentially huge.

I’m out of likes but that is an excellent post and I couldn’t agree more. Plenty of people talk about it “getting toxic” but it rarely does and that needs to change IMO.

Great minds, Dave. My opinion, and it’s only that before anyone jumps down my throat, didn’t sway during the false dawns of Watford away or the games v West Ham and Forest. It’s based on evidence over the last two decades. We are set up to fail, which makes all the talk of “PL is the aim” all the more galling as I imagine that’s what it’s like to swallow horse shit. The contempt with which SL and, more recently, JL and Tinnion treat us with would not be tolerated at any other club and shouldn’t be tolerated here.