So I met with Matt Parsons

[RedM]

3 minutes ago, Taz said:

Hull Tigers weren't allowed though when they tried to "rebrand". 

If it wasnt for that, I'd completely agree with you.

Nah, I got this. Bristol Gaters, as in Alligators...didn’t we have a Croc sighted in the river in Bemmie a while ago?*

*come on, not too bad a marketing thought as it’s not even 9am yet is it?

[exAtyeoMax]

12 minutes ago, Ohbasso said:

My thoughts on our identity -

Our nicknames’ the Robins and I know there’s a few teams that use it but surely we’re the biggest club to use it so if we pushed it more everyone would associate it with us? I think we should go back to the badge on the white away kit, it’s a great badge, I wouldn’t want a different version of it though only that one.

Ashton Gate is a stadium name other fans always seem to remember probably because we’ve played there over 100 years and have never changed it or added a sponsor to it and I hope it stays that way (sponsored stand names don’t bother me). I liked the idea of having a big sign on the back of the Atyeo saying “Welcome to the Gate” to greet the away fans as it’s an unusual name that people will remember a bit like the Den.

And lastly cider, I like the Cider Army tag, we’re well known for being cider drinkers and have lots of cider related songs which are unique to us so I think it’s a big part of our fan identity.

Yes, like this too

[InCyder]

7 minutes ago, Taz said:

Hull Tigers weren't allowed though when they tried to "rebrand". 

If it wasnt for that, I'd completely agree with you.

Very true,

I'll be honest, Other than hearing about it, I didn't take the time to read too much about Hull's situation. Just read an article on it and it sounds like any dramatic change would be near on impossible without sufficient supporter backing. 

I guess we should start to be worried if we see another Twitter poll...

[Bristol Oil Services]

35 minutes ago, JulieH said:

The views from travelling police spotters tends to link Bristol city to wurzels and cider !

most football police officers who visit  city  are impressed than the fans have a song dedicated to cider!

not sure if this is what was meant by an identity but away fans also tend to link city to cider also !!

 

 

 

Identity!

22 minutes ago, RedM said:

The Preston and Blackburn fans I randomly met at Glastonbury one year were fascinated we sung a song about Blackbirds in a tree, and I had to teach them the lyrics!

Identity!

 

So, there we have it. Question now is: is this Matt Parsons fellow paying attention?

[Matt Parsons]

Thanks to @Bristol Rob for starting this thread. As Rob mentioned it was something that was discussed at an EFL meeting I went to back in April and something I have been asking lots of fans about to get others views. When I asked the question at the Supporters Club & Trust meeting back in May the responses I got ranged from West Country & cider to The Wurzels & farming.  

It was great to meet Rob on Saturday and put a face to the name. If anyone else would like to have a chat on a match day or come down to the coffee shop during the week, i'm always happy to meet anyone for a coffee... or cider! 

Matt

 

[Bristol Oil Services]

10 hours ago, miser said:

Do we play at Ashton Gate. Always known it as the City ground. Started when we had the covered end, the uncovered end, the enclosure and the grandstand. All down to Bristolian understatement. Only in recent years have we gone flamboyant and got ourselves a South stand. Maybe our identity should be an introvert.

We are a bit on the quiet side, relatively undemonstrative, certainly not sentimental/histrionic/emotional as Scousers or Geordies, not as regionally prowed as some other parts of the football country (we don't sport our colours that much), we never travel to away games if it involves 2 hours travel or more (or parking is difficult, making a quick getaway impossible), we moan more than any other fanbase (source: OTIB, Oct 2018) and we don't even sing every time we are winning (thus rendering at least one opposing fans' song redundant and irrelevant). And we do like to nip out early before the end, just to "beat the traffic" (this will apply even when the Europa League comes to AG, which can't be long now).

In short, we do apathy. We are apathetic. Apathy is in our DNA. If we have an "identity," can we really be arsed to make anything of it?

It is time we embraced the apathy, owned it, maybe even celebrate it. But not too enthusiastically, of course.

[Nogbad the Bad]

The Robins as a nickname is not distinctive, nor is a football.

The Suspension Bridge is synonymous with Bristol and the 3 together shout 'Bristol City'.

When we had the Robin and Bridge on our badge it was instantly recognisable as 'Bristol City' to fans around the country - the crest is anything but.

It's unique to us and should be a big part of our identity.

Bring back the Robin and Bridge on all shirts, merchandise, and on big signs round the ground, job done.

I like 'Welcome to the Gate' or 'This is Ashton Gate' too.

[Bristol Oil Services]

8 minutes ago, Matt Parsons BCFCSLO said:

Thanks to @Bristol Rob for starting this thread. As Rob mentioned it was something that was discussed at an EFL meeting I went to back in April and something I have been asking lots of fans about to get others views. When I asked the question at the Supporters Club & Trust meeting back in May the responses I got ranged from West Country & cider to The Wurzels & farming.  

It was great to meet Rob on Saturday and put a face to the name. If anyone else would like to have a chat on a match day or come down to the coffee shop during the week, i'm always happy to meet anyone for a coffee... or cider! 

Matt

 

Farming can be found across the country. Amazing, but true.

Not unique to us.

[cidered abroad]

7 hours ago, TBW said:

City ground is where Nottingham Forest l play. Yes we play at Ashton Gate. You can get it wrong all you like, that's all it is though, you getting it wrong. 

The poster who said "City Ground" is correct. We all referred to it as that, just the same as Eastville being the Rovers Ground. And that was in spite of Forest's "City Ground". Remember these were times without mass media by internet and much more parochial.

Can't remember when City fans started referring to it as Ashton Gate.

[Rudolf Hucker]

9 hours ago, Rinkadink said:

My take is Gate is a strong one, as is the image of the suspension bridge. Cider isn't bad either but can't market that as much. 

As Fulham's ground incorporates its eponymous cottage, perhaps an actual gate should be included somewhere around the outside of the ground? It could be at the entrance to a small memorial garden remembering all of the players, officials and supporters who have 'gone through The Gate'.

[phantom]

14 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

I think that’s utter bollocks. What aspect of our identity did we have before Bristol Sport that we don’t have now? I mean something that a supporter of another club would think of when they think of us, that they no longer would?

I can’t think of a single thing.

@ChippenhamRed

When you approach the ground how can you identify who is playing there?

[ooRya]

No other team is called "Bristol City", that's enough of an identity for me..............

[Major Isewater]

12 hours ago, Bristol Rob said:

Maybe I miss placed the question, it seems to be rapidly turning in to a debate that never happened.

It was more about how other clubs perceived us, rather than how we project ourselves.

But of course, how we protect ourselves is how we are perceived.

Cider?

 

Thank you , mine's a pint.

[Major Isewater]

38 minutes ago, Moments of Pleasure said:

We are a bit on the quiet side, relatively undemonstrative, certainly not sentimental/histrionic/emotional as Scousers or Geordies, not as regionally prowed as some other parts of the football country (we don't sport our colours that much), we never travel to away games if it involves 2 hours travel or more (or parking is difficult, making a quick getaway impossible), we moan more than any other fanbase (source: OTIB, Oct 2018) and we don't even sing every time we are winning (thus rendering at least one opposing fans' song redundant and irrelevant). And we do like to nip out early before the end, just to "beat the traffic" (this will apply even when the Europa League comes to AG, which can't be long now).

In short, we do apathy. We are apathetic. Apathy is in our DNA. If we have an "identity," can we really be arsed to make anything of it?

It is time we embraced the apathy, owned it, maybe even celebrate it. But not too enthusiastically, of course.

Going back to the seventies our fans were accused of being ' fickle ' by none other than Alan Dicks himself.

Dicks out .

 

[bpexile]

14 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

I thought the QPR nickname was the " Rs " ? 

Our identity ? 

West Country , Wurzels , Cider, Purple and Lime , Underachievement. Red Robin bobbin along. Ashton Gate . 

 

[Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan]

Interesting thread.

How other clubs see us?....appears to me that we are seen as a Westcountry club followed by supporters who sound like farmers. But then Rovers, Plymouth and Yeovil are viewed the same way.

As far as ‘identity’ is concerned, we are Bristol City from Ashton Gate who play in red and white. Nothing has changed since we joined the Football League over a century ago, that’s a pretty solid identity. It might be a bit boring to some but I didn’t need a quirky kit or silly nickname to make me love my club.

Judging by the large numbers of youngsters we get at Ashton Gate these days as well as the number of city shirts I see being worn all over North Bristol, it would appear that many kids feel the same way as I did.

The only thing I would change is that Ashton Gate still feels unfinished and will do so until the club take some of the history we see on the walls in the concourse and put something identifiable to us in an area visible to opposing fans.

[ChippenhamRed]

1 hour ago, phantom said:

@ChippenhamRed

When you approach the ground how can you identify who is playing there?

Whilst I agree there is a lack of City branding on the stadium (though it is not entirely absent), that is a very different question to the one I asked.

I would also argue that the stadium pre-redevelopment wasn’t exactly plastered in City branding either, an inconvenient fact for some:-

https://goo.gl/images/3Qzyuo

I’ll ask the question again because still no one has given me an answer: 

What aspect of our identity did we have before Bristol Sport that we don’t have now? I mean something that a supporter of another club would think of when they think of us, that they no longer would?

[Reigate Red]

13 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

I would also argue that the stadium pre-redevelopment wasn’t exactly plastered in City branding either, an inconvenient fact for some:-

https://goo.gl/images/3Qzyuo

 

Wow - in such a short space of time since the redevelopment that looks so dated.

Mind you in terms of branding the stand is painted in a Boro kit!

[Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan]

29 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

What aspect of our identity did we have before Bristol Sport that we don’t have now? I mean something that a supporter of another club would think of when they think of us, that they no longer would?

There’s nothing.

We have a redeveloped stadium which has improved our spiritual home. The best of both Worlds as far as I’m concerned, a stadium fit for the top flight with all the history of our club connected to it.

The whole ‘losing our identity’ thing was started by fans of club nearby who are well known for their bitterness, especially when our owners have always just got things done instead of talking shit. Anything to help them sleep at night.

A lot of our fans worry about losing our identity or our identity changing, which is slightly different. Every club should have fans who feel strongly about this but equally we shouldn’t see bad changes that aren’t really there.

I would’ve been very concerned if AG had neutral colour seating for example after the Rugby club arrived, that didn’t happen. If anything it looks as if Bristol Rugby are being moulded to fit a red AG. Something jealous Gasheads and some Rugby fans told us definitely wouldn’t happen.

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 hours ago, Moments of Pleasure said:

Farming can be found across the country. Amazing, but true.

Not unique to us.

Indeed- but how many Football League clubs play the Wurzels at the end of each game? (Drink up The Cider if we win, Blackbird if we don't). 

At a guess, the only other one might- might- be Yeovil.

[Merrick's Marvels]

1 hour ago, ooRya said:

No other team is called "Bristol City", that's enough of an identity for me..............

No other team was called "Bristol Rugby" and look how they desecrated that...........

[Norn Iron]

The TV documentary about Admiral Sportswear was fascinating. It explained how Leeds came to wear the all yellow kit in the 70's.  I am sure many will still associate any team wearing yellow today as Leeds away. It was their identity.

That's why I like the Purple and Lime kit. It created national press stories when it was worn a few years ago as the kit was different. It was our identity. However, we identified the Purple and Lime as the kit that beat Liverpool in the cup nearly 25 years ago. I was there and that is what I think of when we wear those colours. 

Now living in Northern Ireland, it is accepted that you are allowed to be a 'fan' of two teams, a local and one on the mainland. I have lost count the number of times when I say I'm from Bristol that they think I'm a Rovers fan. Rovers is an unusual name for a team. There aren't many so it's more memorable. That's why it is the first team they think of when the word Bristol is mentioned. Ashton Gate is more forthcoming as our ground but it's not part of an initial conversation.

There are too many teams playing in red or called City. Other football fans can't identify ourselves, therefore, with those words.

Ipswich when managed by Bobby Robson were not known nationally as the Tractor Boys until they reached the Premier League. It is a farming area and whilst you might see tractors in the greenbelt around Stoke, it's not known for its agriculture. Suffolk is. That handle has now stuck. Whilst other towns in England and make cider, it's long been associated with Bristol and not just because of the Wurzels. Cider is identifiable with Bristol and as Julie has already said, her Police colleagues make that connection as well.  

Cider Army has a ring to it. It's even more PC than Tractor Boys. We are gender neutral! I first saw Cider Army on a homemade flag when Marco Van Gavin played for us all those years ago. Cider Army hasn't really taken off but a few more flags, more TV exposure and maybe a decent FA Cup run could see that title stick into the memory banks of other footy fans, just like Tractor Boys, Reggae Boys or Barmy Army or even to a lesser extent, The Gas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan]

17 hours ago, Bristol Rob said:

Wednesday unique suffix of a name and of course being The Owls. QPR, their name is on their badge and if you are thinking EFL and 'the hoops' chances are, first thought QPR.

 

Likewise, if knowledgable* supporters from around the country hear ‘the Robins’ chances are most would think Bristol City. That’s without having one on our badge for two decades.

*by knowledgeable I mean proper football fans who support their local clubs. Not glory hunting children who spend the whole day on Facebook and don’t realise football wasn’t invented in 1992.

[hoxton casual]

2 hours ago, Matt Parsons BCFCSLO said:

Thanks to @Bristol Rob for starting this thread. As Rob mentioned it was something that was discussed at an EFL meeting I went to back in April and something I have been asking lots of fans about to get others views. When I asked the question at the Supporters Club & Trust meeting back in May the responses I got ranged from West Country & cider to The Wurzels & farming.  

It was great to meet Rob on Saturday and put a face to the name. If anyone else would like to have a chat on a match day or come down to the coffee shop during the week, i'm always happy to meet anyone for a coffee... or cider! 

Matt

 

Great thread. We are a club with over a 100 year history but we could take a few pointers from other successes around the world. As you say it is difficult to nail down our identity but we have good foundations. 1. We are based in a city with a great history and with a real buzz about it. Lots of new young people from all round the world think Bristol is a great place to start a career and raise a family. We are no longer a backwater. cultural history. Massive Attack, trip hop, drum and base, graffiti are all urban trends we can be pride of . Banksy, the coolest artist on the planet  is a regular supporter ! 2.We have a great history and architecture with a one of the greatest views in an urban area anywhere in the world with Ashton Vale, The Avon Gorge and Clifton and Hotwells. This should be on our badge. 3. We have a great new stadium with a great name. 4. We are in a distictive and beautiful region which is the home of world famous drink in Cider. it amkes use stand out 4. We have a local owner who has invested in a great Community programme and a women's team (hopefully) holding its own in the WSL. We have a strategy based on local talent and many of them are getting a chance. We will have a basketball stadium next to us. iWe need to bring all this together and create a buzz that young people in Bristol and the surround region want to be part of. For me that is further improving the work on the match day experience. A real day out. The fanzone, S82 are all great starts but we need more. It should be a massive party every home game like tailgate parties at NFL games. More unique identifiers in the ground with flags and signs. I love the Welcom to The Gate sign idea for instance.

Take a look at Atlanta and what they have built from nothing in few years. What can we learn from how they did it? 

 

 

 

[Red7]

17 hours ago, Bristol Rob said:

But what is OUR identity? What makes us unique?

The club is obviously unique to most of us on here. But in terms of what others think when they hear the words "Bristol City FC", I don't think there is much that makes us stand out. Aside from the goal-scoring GIFs that we pioneered but have since been copied by others.

Nearby Forest Green Rovers has already done the vegan thing and has this as its USP. Maybe we could become a meat-only club to counter this and give ourselves a USP at the same time.

 

[Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan]

27 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Indeed- but how many Football League clubs play the Wurzels at the end of each game? (Drink up The Cider if we win, Blackbird if we don't). 

At a guess, the only other one might- might- be Yeovil.

I don’t think Yeovil do? I could be wrong.

That’s another interesting point. We have embraced our Westcountry identity with ‘drink up thy zider’. We may not sing it every 3 minutes like the Gas sing their dreary ‘anthem’ (a song that’s set in the Deep South of the USA and was nicked from another club) but then it doesn’t have to. 

Our flags carry references to ‘zider’ or ‘zider army’.

I bet that if you conducted a word association game around the country asking football supporters to say something they think of when they hear the name ‘Bristol’...the word Cider is mentioned far more often than the word Pirate.

[Mr Popodopolous]

10 minutes ago, Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan said:

I don’t think Yeovil do? I could be wrong.

That’s another interesting point. We have embraced our Westcountry identity with ‘drink up thy zider’. We may not sing it every 3 minutes like the Gas sing their dreary ‘anthem’ (a song that’s set in the Deep South of the USA and was nicked from another club) but then it doesn’t have to. 

Our flags carry references to ‘zider’ or ‘zider army’.

I bet that if you conducted a word association game around the country asking football supporters to say something they think of when they hear the name ‘Bristol’...the word Cider is mentioned far more often than the word Pirate.

Agreed.

Yeovil- reason thought maybe them with it as they are in or around deepest Somerset, but reckon you're right and it's unique to us. Definitely Cider is far more associated with Bristol tbh.

Just another reason why they are always and always will be in our shadow.

[Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan]

14 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Agreed.

Yeovil- reason thought maybe them with it as they are in or around deepest Somerset, but reckon you're right and it's unique to us. Definitely Cider is far more associated with Bristol tbh.

Just another reason why they are always and always will be in our shadow.

I know they used to sing ‘drink up thy zider’ in their non league days, I don’t know if they do now. It’s such a good Westcountry song that Rovers tried to nick it...standard for them, obviously they didn’t succeed.

I’ve been to Wurzels gigs with Gasheads and it’s funny to hear them say “yeah but Adge followed Rovers as well” as if they’re worried about being labelled traitors for being there. I bet there’s a few of the older ones who, deep down, prefer our anthem to theirs. A song about Cider or a song about a depressed yank falling in love with a much younger woman? I know what I prefer.

[RumRed]

1 hour ago, Norn Iron said:

The TV documentary about Admiral Sportswear was fascinating. It explained how Leeds came to wear the all yellow kit in the 70's.  I am sure many will still associate any team wearing yellow today as Leeds away. It was their identity.

That's why I like the Purple and Lime kit. It created national press stories when it was worn a few years ago as the kit was different. It was our identity. However, we identified the Purple and Lime as the kit that beat Liverpool in the cup nearly 25 years ago. I was there and that is what I think of when we wear those colours. 

Now living in Northern Ireland, it is accepted that you are allowed to be a 'fan' of two teams, a local and one on the mainland. I have lost count the number of times when I say I'm from Bristol that they think I'm a Rovers fan. Rovers is an unusual name for a team. There aren't many so it's more memorable. That's why it is the first team they think of when the word Bristol is mentioned. Ashton Gate is more forthcoming as our ground but it's not part of an initial conversation.

There are too many teams playing in red or called City. Other football fans can't identify ourselves, therefore, with those words.

Ipswich when managed by Bobby Robson were not known nationally as the Tractor Boys until they reached the Premier League. It is a farming area and whilst you might see tractors in the greenbelt around Stoke, it's not known for its agriculture. Suffolk is. That handle has now stuck. Whilst other towns in England and make cider, it's long been associated with Bristol and not just because of the Wurzels. Cider is identifiable with Bristol and as Julie has already said, her Police colleagues make that connection as well.  

Cider Army has a ring to it. It's even more PC than Tractor Boys. We are gender neutral! I first saw Cider Army on a homemade flag when Marco Van Gavin played for us all those years ago. Cider Army hasn't really taken off but a few more flags, more TV exposure and maybe a decent FA Cup run could see that title stick into the memory banks of other footy fans, just like Tractor Boys, Reggae Boys or Barmy Army or even to a lesser extent, The Gas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have to agree with this, having been to Liverpool Uni many moons ago everyone assumes it was 'John Moores' due to the distinctive name.

[Shtanley]

I hope we don't change our badge. We're one of the few teams to have an old school crest style. Sick of simplistic dull badges like Wolves, Brighton and Derby.