steve lansdown to speak on local radio

[Mr Popodopolous]

There's a case to be made for joint best alongside Coates and Gibson.

However yeah, ours is right up there in many ways.

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, EnderMB said:

This is my gripe with the club, though. It's great to have a long-term plan of getting somewhere over several years, but you can't do this AND have your owner saying that the goal this season is promotion, alongside your manager saying to your players that you are a "Premier League side in training".

Yes, the fans are wrong to expect promotion, but I can't blame them for buying into what the powers that be are suggesting. At the very least, we should improve on last season, otherwise LJ should be sacked and Lansdown should bear the full responsibility of where we are now.

If we are now in the business of selling our best players to run sustainably, I am unsure how certain fans expect us to improve on last year. We will do well to get mid table imo, and anything above that will be a bonus - then we could be in another situation where 2 or 3 first teamers get sold on again at the end of this season. To bring through replacements yearly on the cheap (academy) takes some doing, but we have seen a few come through and a few glimpses of a few more on the way.

The money being thrown around nowadays makes me think we won't be getting close to the Prem anytime soon - but I certainly don't blame an owner who has put in mental money over the years to try and run a tighter ship and I do think it is the correct way to go.

[RedRaw]

https://twitter.com/KieranMaguire/status/1026701027339321344

[EnderMB]

26 minutes ago, wood_red said:

If we are now in the business of selling our best players to run sustainably, I am unsure how certain fans expect us to improve on last year. We will do well to get mid table imo, and anything above that will be a bonus - then we could be in another situation where 2 or 3 first teamers get sold on again at the end of this season. To bring through replacements yearly on the cheap (academy) takes some doing, but we have seen a few come through and a few glimpses of a few more on the way.

The money being thrown around nowadays makes me think we won't be getting close to the Prem anytime soon - but I certainly don't blame an owner who has put in mental money over the years to try and run a tighter ship and I do think it is the correct way to go.

In my view, it's an example of a gamble that has paid off. We invested in the academy, and we'll have sold two players from our academy for around £15m. Both will also be on low wages, so that means we've got a large amount of money that can go back into the club.

The reason we're selling to division rivals is primarily down to the fact that we can't afford Championship wages. With this influx of cash, we now can, so selling players this year is necessary to ensure that we don't need to sell them again - additionally, it's an investment to ensure that the next crop of players we bring into the club can be paid the wages that the likes of Bryan and Flint will command at their new clubs.

Of course, this is how it's all justified in my head. If we have a bad season, or if we continue to sell our breakout stars to our rivals, then you're absolutely right. It'll be a sign that we've peaked, and it'll indicate to any player thinking of playing for Bristol City that we're not a club with a Premier League future.

[sh1t_ref_again]

I think when people are quick to moan that we are not chucking loads of money and challenging for the prem, then they need to look back and see where we not many years ago, the stadium we had, the training facilities and what we paid for players. Is was not that long ago we were in the same division as the gas, swindle plymarth and now the gap to them looks massive. Whilst I am sure some will say we were also alongside Badiff, Brigton and Bournemouth, not every club can be promoted and for these successes they are many more failures. I am happy if we can be mid table Championship without having to look over our shoulder and chance of playoffs.

[Bar BS3]

Some people on here, not all but certainly some, really need to cast their minds back to the times of being owned by Kew & Davidson. Too far back for some...? Ok, just cast your minds back to the SOD era, compare it to how things are now and stop whining like entitled, spoilt little brats..! 

It’s only 10/11 years since we were looking back on failure to get out of league one for the 8th/9th season. Now we are an established, competitive team in one of the hardest divisions in world football. Our crowds are like nothing we’ve seen for a generation and the stadium is the envy of many far bigger clubs than us. 

Yes, we sell players, now generally for substantial profit, and each summer we are spending millions..!

Perhaps some of those who choose to criticise SL should spend a couple of months sebaticle over at the Mem, then come back and take another look at where/what we are now..! 

Some really need to get a grip, man up and realise just how far we’ve come in the last 5 (less than) years. 

[Eddie Hitler]

Full transcript here:

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/steve-lansdown-bristol-citys-season-1864970

It all sounds very sensible.

I thought this bit was interesting.  For all that it's subsequently caveated this is the reality of why the Lansdown family has taken over Bristol City: they want to see them successfully competing in the Premiership and to enjoy many years of the club being successful at this level. 

 

Quote

 

How soon does he want to the be in the Premier League?

I reminded of the players earlier that I'm not getting any younger and I'd quite like to get there as quickly as possible.

That's not to say I am expecting it this year but I'd like to say that we'd have the opportunity to and we'd be in with a shout.

Then it's just a case of whether we can get it or not, we'll keep working and building.

One of the things I'm so pleased with here is that we are making that progress. The crowd we are getting in today is a testament to what is happening here and the belief people have in what we are doing.

I don't want to put pressure on people and say it has to be this year. If it's not this year then we'll be working at it again next year.

 

 

Which is fully understandable.  Steve wants to be Jack Walker who saw his investment take Blackburn to the Premiership title in 1995 rather than Jack Hayward who only saw Wolves blip into the Premiership for one season before being relegated.

 

Of course we all want to see that as well.  I have never had a season ticket because of other commitments but there are two circumstances in which I will start and then keep buying them:  either I retire (and so have the time to attend all the games) or we get into the Premiership and I will buy even though I can't get to many games because it will be worth it for the ones I can attend.  I really hope that retirement doesn't come first.

[Bar BS3]

2 minutes ago, Eddie Hitler said:

Full transcript here:

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/steve-lansdown-bristol-citys-season-1864970

It all sounds very sensible.

I thought this bit was interesting.  For all that it's subsequently caveated this is the reality of why the Lansdown family has taken over Bristol City: they want to see them successfully competing in the Premiership and to enjoy many years of the club being successful at this level. 

 

 

Which is fully understandable.  Steve wants to be Jack Walker who saw his investment take Blackburn to the Premiership title in 1995 rather than Jack Hayward who only saw Wolves blip into the Premiership for one season before being relegated.

 

Of course we all want to see that as well.  I have never had a season ticket because of other commitments but there are two circumstances in which I will start and then keep buying them:  either I retire (and so have the time to attend all the games) or we get into the Premiership and I will buy even though I can't get to many games because it will be worth it for the ones I can attend.  I really hope that retirement doesn't come first.

No, no, NO!! That’s not true.

I’ve clearly read it on here and on social media that SL doesn’t want to get promoted to the premier league..! 

Who does he think he is, stating his actual position, without people having the opportunity to mis-quote him or twist what he’s actually saying..?! 

[Natchfever]

2 hours ago, DT The Optimist said:

We have the best owner in the championship. Fact. We are blessed to have him. When the likes of seasoned campaigners Such as Warnock comes out with little Lee had the ‘dream ticket’ he is right.

do you want a Vincent Tan or similar. It beggars belief that so many want to bash him. That said that is not the view of the silent majority 

If they are silent how do you know what their view is one way or the other ?

I think SL is ok by the way but can be questioned from time to time.

[Bar BS3]

2 minutes ago, Loon plage said:

If they are silent how do you know what their view is one way or the other ?

I think SL is ok by the way but can be questioned from time to time.

Questioned. Absolutely..! Everybody in every position of power/control should be open to questions. 

Un thought out criticism, deliberate mis-quoting, questioning his intentions and bitching.... no, I don’t think he deserves that. 

[EnderMB]

2 hours ago, DT The Optimist said:

do you want a Vincent Tan or similar. It beggars belief that so many want to bash him. That said that is not the view of the silent majority 

I don't care how reliant we are on him, or how much money he pours into the club. No owner should be put on a pedestal, otherwise we're no better than Newcastle with Mike Ashley.

We should absolutely be grateful for all that he does for the club, but he makes poor decisions with the club WE support then we have every right to criticise those decisions. Why do you think BBC Bristol gave him such a roughing-up last time he was on there? Under Lansdown we've had high highs, but low lows, and any return to what we've historically deemed as a low will incur some anger from the fans.

[Monkeh]

6 minutes ago, EnderMB said:

I don't care how reliant we are on him, or how much money he pours into the club. No owner should be put on a pedestal, otherwise we're no better than Newcastle with Mike Ashley.

We should absolutely be grateful for all that he does for the club, but he makes poor decisions with the club WE support then we have every right to criticise those decisions. Why do you think BBC Bristol gave him such a roughing-up last time he was on there? Under Lansdown we've had high highs, but low lows, and any return to what we've historically deemed as a low will incur some anger from the fans.

what poor decisions

he doesn't sign the players chose the tactics or pick the team, 

[EnderMB]

8 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

what poor decisions

he doesn't sign the players chose the tactics or pick the team, 

Here's a few:

• The rumours around David James being signed without Coppell's consent, and the shady circumstances of how we lost a manager held in high regard. I don't think anyone buys the whole "I don't like football any more" routine.
• The "five pillars" under junior, during a transitional period where the squad required investment. Rather than hire a manager to steady the ship, power was shifted upwards, and we opted to hire head coaches to operate under a smaller budget. Ultimately, switching from an expensive and bloated squad to focusing on an academy that had produced no one of note has started to pay off, but the fault of being relegated lies with Lansdown - either for making the cut too sudden, or for not hiring an experienced coach that could handle a shoestring budget at this level. There was a reason a lot of people were calling for Lansdown's head when we were bottom of League 1.
• The club going through a number of coaches, all while noises were being made about how poorly things were run. McInnes was rumoured to have been unhappy with the support he got from the owners. SOD and Millen were coaches, and after being sacked by us both achieved a decent level of success at a higher level as coaches, leaving...
• Cotterill takes over as manager at our lowest point, and when given a summer to prepare he breaks the five pillars down - signing experienced players in Wilbrahim and Elliot, and spending money on quality signings that have proven themselves in the Championship since. We win the league AND a cup, and the second we get promoted again we revert to old form. The signings he requires don't come, and Cotts looks like he wants out the second the new season starts.
• Not really a poor decision, but LJ was a huge gamble at the time. He had history at the club, but we took a League 1 manager that hadn't achieved anything of note and put him in a team looking to survive the Championship.
• "That" interview with Twentyman that angered a lot of fans.

Obviously, a lot of this is history now, but many of those decisions shaped the fortunes of the club.

[Monkeh]

1 minute ago, EnderMB said:

Here's a few:

• The rumours around David James being signed without Coppell's consent, and the shady circumstances of how we lost a manager held in high regard. I don't think anyone buys the whole "I don't like football any more" routine. He already said he didn't as did james himself, but admitted in hindsight he made a mistake with copout one that no one on the planet seen coming so I don'#t know how you expected him to do so
• The "five pillars" under junior, during a transitional period where the squad required investment. Rather than hire a manager to steady the ship, power was shifted upwards, and we opted to hire head coaches to operate under a smaller budget. Ultimately, switching from an expensive and bloated squad to focusing on an academy that had produced no one of note has started to pay off, but the fault of being relegated lies with Lansdown - either for making the cut too sudden, or for not hiring an experienced coach that could handle a shoestring budget at this level. There was a reason a lot of people were calling for Lansdown's head when we were bottom of League 1.Absolutely not, what happened needed to happen, we are now reaping the benifits from it, The fault for the relegation lays with the managers/head coaches who wanted the players 
• The club going through a number of coaches, all while noises were being made about how poorly things were run. McInnes was rumoured to have been unhappy with the support he got from the owners. SOD and Millen were coaches, and after being sacked by us both achieved a decent level of success at a higher level as coaches, leaving... Millen has never managed since being sacked and SoD has been sacked by walsall for failing and is now a coach at wolves hardly success is it,
• Cotterill takes over as manager at our lowest point, and when given a summer to prepare he breaks the five pillars down - signing experienced players in Wilbrahim and Elliot, and spending money on quality signings that have proven themselves in the Championship since. We win the league AND a cup, and the second we get promoted again we revert to old form. The signings he requires don't come, and Cotts looks like he wants out the second the new season starts. You fundamentally misunderstand the 5 pillars, Show me the links that says we will NEVER  sign older pro's, it actually says more often then not we will go for up and coming players which we have stuck to since it was announced
• Not really a poor decision, but LJ was a huge gamble at the time. He had history at the club, but we took a League 1 manager that hadn't achieved anything of note and put him in a team looking to survive the Championship. Since Johnson has been in charge we have had a season on season improvement 
• "That" interview with Twentyman that angered a lot of fans.

Obviously, a lot of this is history now, but many of those decisions shaped the fortunes of the club.

 

[View from the Dolman]

9 minutes ago, EnderMB said:

Here's a few:

• The rumours around David James being signed without Coppell's consent, and the shady circumstances of how we lost a manager held in high regard. I don't think anyone buys the whole "I don't like football any more" routine.

Strange then that he never had a proper managerial job again then. And playing fantasy football in India doesn't count.

[BCFC_Dan]

6 minutes ago, EnderMB said:

Here's a few:

• The "five pillars" under junior, during a transitional period where the squad required investment. Rather than hire a manager to steady the ship, power was shifted upwards, and we opted to hire head coaches to operate under a smaller budget. Ultimately, switching from an expensive and bloated squad to focusing on an academy that had produced no one of note has started to pay off, but the fault of being relegated lies with Lansdown - either for making the cut too sudden, or for not hiring an experienced coach that could handle a shoestring budget at this level. There was a reason a lot of people were calling for Lansdown's head when we were bottom of League 1.
• The club going through a number of coaches, all while noises were being made about how poorly things were run. McInnes was rumoured to have been unhappy with the support he got from the owners. SOD and Millen were coaches, and after being sacked by us both achieved a decent level of success at a higher level as coaches, leaving...
•  

Obviously, a lot of this is history now, but many of those decisions shaped the fortunes of the club.

I don't think anyone could argue that mistakes weren't made in the period from 2010-15 but I do think they were understandable mistakes.

• Coppell was appointed because we got carried away with how good we were and thought he'd add the final few missing pieces to complete the picture. Very few people realised then that the squad had decayed as far as it had.
• Millen was appointed because he had a good spell as caretaker before Coppell and Lansdown wants to be the guy who gives new managers their chance.
• McInnes was appointed because he'd done well in Scotland and was seen as the "next Owen Coyle", who was at the time one of the most highly rated managers in the country.
• The budget was cut because it had to be. McInnes was used to working on a smaller budget in Scotland but misjudged the quality of players up there.
• O'Driscoll was appointed because he's a progressive coach who encourages players to think for themselves and play good football. He was the right man at completely the wrong time. Even then things went fine until Jon Stead was injured, then they collapsed horribly.

All those decisions can be looked upon critically with hindsight, and no doubt some questioned them at the time, but I don't remember mass protest against any of them. Indeed the only decision I can recall from that period that caused any real disagreement was that of replacing O'Driscoll with Cotterill, which ironically turned out to be one of the best.

So, yes, Lansdown has made mistakes, but not inexplicable ones. I think they're the same mistakes that 90% of fans would also have made. And most of the remaining 10% would have made worse ones.

[ScottishRed]

18 hours ago, eric04 said:

The policy is simple.  Buy young talent, develop talent, sell talent for profit, reinvest profit. 

This will be the model until we get in the Premier League, and even then I suspect it will form the basis of our approach. 

Do you truly believe that policy is going to result in us getting to the PL?

Genuine question.

You are absolutely correct in stating that is the policy, my question is do you think it will be successful.

[downendcity]

7 minutes ago, ScottishRed said:

Do you truly believe that policy is going to result in us getting to the PL?

Genuine question.

You are absolutely correct in stating that is the policy, my question is do you think it will be successful.

By the same token would we believe that spending big money on fees and wages, to bring in the sort of "marquee", big name signings that many seem to advocate,  will result in us getting to the PL?

The reality is that there is no way that is guaranteed to give us promotion. However, one of them , if unsuccessful could jeopardise the club's financial future and threaten the club with sanctions under ffp.

The other will not,

[Monkeh]

4 minutes ago, downendcity said:

By the same token would we believe that spending big money on fees and wages, to bring in the sort of "marquee", big name signings that many seem to advocate,  will result in us getting to the PL? it didn't last time, it got us relegated

The reality is that there is no way that is guaranteed to give us promotion. However, one of them , if unsuccessful could jeopardise the club's financial future and threaten the club with sanctions under ffp.

The other will not,

 

[Merrick's Marvels]

1 hour ago, Eddie Hitler said:

Of course we all want to see that as well.  I have never had a season ticket because of other commitments but there are two circumstances in which I will start and then keep buying them:  either I retire (and so have the time to attend all the games) or we get into the Premiership and I will buy even though I can't get to many games because it will be worth it for the ones I can attend.  I really hope that retirement doesn't come first.

How old are you?

[Mr Popodopolous]

27 minutes ago, ScottishRed said:

Do you truly believe that policy is going to result in us getting to the PL?

Genuine question.

You are absolutely correct in stating that is the policy, my question is do you think it will be successful.

While I'm not convinced it will see us reach the PL imminently, Brentford seem to be on a regular upward trajectory with this policy.

I think personally we need something between the 2. That's our best chance...

[Merrick's Marvels]

1 hour ago, Eddie Hitler said:

Full transcript here:

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/steve-lansdown-bristol-citys-season-1864970

 

Thanks for posting link. Will read later but am going to assume Twentystone's first question wasn't:

"When do you think you'll be 2nd in the league at Christmas again? No time soon, right?"

[ScottishRed]

1 minute ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

While I'm not convinced it will see us reach the PL imminently, Brentford seem to be on a regular upward trajectory with this policy.

I think personally we need something between the 2. That's our best chance...

Brentford do it very well but it still hasn't got them to the PL and possibly never will.

They do seem rather skilled at it and appear to make fewer mistakes than our recruitment team.

Timing is the real issue we have however. Look at what is going on now, Forest have decided to invest, as have Leeds, two clubs with no PL money or parachute payments and I would bet that come next season another couple of clubs will act similarly with no PL money.

Before too long there will be  a much larger number of potential promotion contenders than there are now whilst we are playing 'rinse and repeat' .

There comes a point when you have to hold on to your best players and go for it - I can't see when we are going to make that decision right now.

I fear that next summer  if LK has a good season he will be gone as with Zak if he does well at Rotherham - after all that is the policy.

Let's see how many 20k crowds we get sitting in lower mid-table or worse this season.

Lets see how many SC's are sold next spring after a non- discript 18/19.

[Monkeh]

4 minutes ago, ScottishRed said:

Brentford do it very well but it still hasn't got them to the PL and possibly never will.

They do seem rather skilled at it and appear to make fewer mistakes than our recruitment team.

Timing is the real issue we have however. Look at what is going on now, Forest have decided to invest, as have Leeds, two clubs with no PL money or parachute payments and I would bet that come next season another couple of clubs will act similarly with no PL money.

Before too long there will be  a much larger number of potential promotion contenders than there are now whilst we are playing 'rinse and repeat' .

There comes a point when you have to hold on to your best players and go for it - I can't see when we are going to make that decision right now.

I fear that next summer  if LK has a good season he will be gone as with Zak if he does well at Rotherham - after all that is the policy.

Let's see how many 20k crowds we get sitting in lower mid-table or worse this season.

Lets see how many SC's are sold next spring after a non- discript 18/19.

lets wait for the season to finish before the predictions of doom (most said we'd struggle for ST this season but smashed it)

[Mr Popodopolous]

18 minutes ago, ScottishRed said:

Brentford do it very well but it still hasn't got them to the PL and possibly never will.

They do seem rather skilled at it and appear to make fewer mistakes than our recruitment team.

Timing is the real issue we have however. Look at what is going on now, Forest have decided to invest, as have Leeds, two clubs with no PL money or parachute payments and I would bet that come next season another couple of clubs will act similarly with no PL money.

Before too long there will be  a much larger number of potential promotion contenders than there are now whilst we are playing 'rinse and repeat' .

There comes a point when you have to hold on to your best players and go for it - I can't see when we are going to make that decision right now.

I fear that next summer  if LK has a good season he will be gone as with Zak if he does well at Rotherham - after all that is the policy.

Let's see how many 20k crowds we get sitting in lower mid-table or worse this season.

Lets see how many SC's are sold next spring after a non- discript 18/19.

I think Brentford should have a good crack at it in next few years myself.

Leeds have been making decent income in recent years- from transfers but other sources too. That's how they can invest and give it a go- their commercial revenue is actually higher than several PL clubs, they are a bit of an exception. Forest? If rules are applied correctly let's see what happens to them in the Spring i.e. March time...they're taking the piss quite frankly.

Look at that though- that's more than Norwich, Newcastle and Villa who were freshly down from PL!

I see what you're saying for sure, and agree at some point we have to hold on and give it a go. I rather hoped it might be this season and we might sell one of the top 3 players at most. We can't keep doing this and an advantage for us over Brentford is our gates are about 90% higher which all contributes. We're trying to do a Brentford but with some in-built advantages atm.

[ScottishRed]

I see what you're saying for sure, and agree at some point we have to hold on and give it a go. I rather hoped it might be this season and we might sell one of the top 3 players at most. We can't keep doing this and an advantage for us over Brentford is our gates are about 90% higher which all contributes. We're trying to do a Brentford but with some in-built advantages atm.

I think they average about 14k .

[BobBobSuperBob]

19 hours ago, CHIPLEY RED said:

I started listening on the way home from work. 

Anybody think we lost 0-4 on Saturday with the doom and gloom from everybody. Its the same people who get on every week and they moan whatever the score or performance. I wish they would get a grip. 1 game in, a 1-1 draw against one of the big spending favourites for promotion not the best start but not the worst.

 

So you’re basing your opinion on a bit of radio commentary and the final result ?

 

[ScottishRed]

24 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

lets wait for the season to finish before the predictions of doom (most said we'd struggle for ST this season but smashed it)

Not a prediction of doom but rather a highlighting of possible consequences of the stated policy.

I would be more than a little surprised if attendances increased.

[RedRaw]

31 minutes ago, ScottishRed said:

Lets see how many SC's are sold next spring after a non- discript 18/19.

I think that same line was dangled out there soon after January................we then went on to beat the previous season ticket sales record.

 

[Monkeh]

1 minute ago, ScottishRed said:

Not a prediction of doom but rather a highlighting of possible consequences of the stated policy.

I would be more than a little surprised if attendances increased.

Season tickets holders increased And has increased season on season (including 2 relegation battles)