Lansdowns play thing

[BigAl&Toby]

When boys become men and have some spare time or cash they often like to have a hobby or something to play with.

I’ve got an allotment. I’ve had classic cars since I passed my test 35 years ago. The current one is a VW camper. The whole family loves it.

She’s called Barbara. She’s taken us to the South of France - twice. She doubles up when I need to take rubbish to the top. She’s great.

But she’s very rusty. She drinks petrol like it’s going out of fashion. But we love her and can’t see us ever being without her.

When I need to get somewhere fast or comfortably or economically I take the Audi. Barbara is my plaything.

BCFC is Lansdown’s Barbara. He gives absolutely **** all to the interests of our football club. For him it’s simply his plaything. Or investment.

Why should he care? Why should he get rid of Lee? He’s got his rugby club to look after his interests. Or his basketball. Or the soon to be built hotel that so many of us football fans will get the benefit of.

And if that’s not enough let’s rejoice that the great man has pulled it off by securing Take That and the Spice Girls.

God help us all. We’re ******* doomed.

[BCFC Grim]

Just look at the numerous clubs that have passed us by and reached the premier league. Grateful for what he's done off the pitch but on it the premier league is just a pipe dream. I'm not even sure he wants it? The two chances we've really had in the last 30 years and he completely failed to back the manager in the January window. 

If I'm honest I'm past caring. Sad but true. I'll always love City but I feel the passion is slowly dwindling. Not just City but football in general. It used to be a day out with friends, with 90 minutes of shouting/singing and just letting off steam after a hard week at work. It's now just feels a bit of a souless experience.

Shame really.

[AppyDAZE]

Not happy about LJ seeming to be pretty much unsackable, but this is well harsh imo

SL has done much, much more good for BCFC than bad.

 

[reddogkev]

21 minutes ago, BigAlToby&Liam said:

When boys become men and have some spare time or cash they often like to have a hobby or something to play with.

I’ve got an allotment. I’ve had classic cars since I passed my test 35 years ago. The current one is a VW camper. The whole family loves it.

She’s called Barbara. She’s taken us to the South of France - twice. She doubles up when I need to take rubbish to the top. She’s great.

But she’s very rusty. She drinks petrol like it’s going out of fashion. But we love her and can’t see us ever being without her.

When I need to get somewhere fast or comfortably or economically I take the Audi. Barbara is my plaything.

BCFC is Lansdown’s Barbara. He gives absolutely **** all to the interests of our football club. For him it’s simply his plaything. Or investment.

Why should he care? Why should he get rid of Lee? He’s got his rugby club to look after his interests. Or his basketball. Or the soon to be built hotel that so many of us football fans will get the benefit of.

And if that’s not enough let’s rejoice that the great man has pulled it off by securing Take That and the Spice Girls.

God help us all. We’re ******* doomed.

Completely disagree with this, and I have to ask, you don't actually believe it, do you?  I mean, really believe it?  I'm not going to argue against your words, because that would take too long.  I just want to know if you really, truly feel BCFC to Lansdown is like an old VW camper van to your family?

 

[BigAl&Toby]

49 minutes ago, reddogkev said:

Completely disagree with this, and I have to ask, you don't actually believe it, do you?  I mean, really believe it?  I'm not going to argue against your words, because that would take too long.  I just want to know if you really, truly feel BCFC to Lansdown is like an old VW camper van to your family?

 

Yep. Completely.

When Lansdown came to BS3 he was riding his Trojan horse. Not a white charger to save our football club.

That was how it appeared but all he wanted was a plaything. And a return on his investment.

Look at it like this. If he had a fund manager who had performed as woefully as LJ has do you think he’d still be in shiny glass office in Canons Marsh?

Would he bollocks.

As LJ said the buck for performances on the pitch stops with him. The buck for employing him stops with Lansdown.

Need to find a cause? Christ alive.

 

[Wrongagain]

City has to be like a fund to SL and he must expect that fund to achieve a profit eventually- Beggars belief that he still supports LJ! 

Cant possibly help Hargreaves Lansdown attract new investment when his personal portfolio underperforms!

I know FA about football management but I am a better Man Manager than LJ will ever be  - personal favourites have no place in management! Success is king which means little lee is in the wrong job! 

[Bryans Left Peg]

What a ridiculously hysterical post.

Lansdown has done more for this club than you or I will ever do.

 

By the way, did it make you feel happy to get out that you owned an Audi? 

[Bris Red]

9 minutes ago, Bryans Left Peg said:

What a ridiculously hysterical post.

Lansdown has done more for this club than you or I will ever do.

 

By the way, did it make you feel happy to get out that you owned an Audi? 

Well obviously, hes a billionaire. Has he got the fight or desire to reach the topflight though or is it all just talk is the question ? The persistence with LJ would suggest otherwise. The facilities have improved yes, but was that solely with the football club in mind? I beg to differ.

[INCRED]

Perhaps he needs to take a lead out of the book of the sadly departed Leicester owner & Chairman. Significantly backed the club financially both on and off the pitch and achieved the impossible. Supported local charities and good causes as well as looked after the fans both home and away.

Let that be a lesson to you Mr Lansdown, yes you have invested heavily in the club and done a fantastic job in rebuilding AG as well as a new training ground in the pipeline but us long suffering fans need someone who we can see is serious about progressing on the pitch. We aren’t and patience is wearing thin, LJ has had sufficient time to build “his” team and we are average at best.

Get a coach in who can inspire the players, want to walk through walls and give every ounce of energy to succeed - I didn’t see that today and have only seen it in one game this season

[Bryans Left Peg]

3 minutes ago, bris red said:

Well obviously, hes a billionaire. Has he got the fight or desire to reach the topflight though or is it all just talk is the question ? The persistence with LJ would suggest otherwise. The facilities have improved yes, but was that solely with the football club in mind? I beg to differ.

I didn't mean financially. I'm pretty sure he's put more time, effort, sweat and tears into the club than we have.

I know you're pissed off with the current results/situation but I fail to believe anybody is this simple.

[KeepUpLino]

1 hour ago, BCFC Grim said:

Just look at the numerous clubs that have passed us by and reached the premier league. Grateful for what he's done off the pitch but on it the premier league is just a pipe dream. I'm not even sure he wants it? The two chances we've really had in the last 30 years and he completely failed to back the manager in the January window. 

If I'm honest I'm past caring. Sad but true. I'll always love City but I feel the passion is slowly dwindling. Not just City but football in general. It used to be a day out with friends, with 90 minutes of shouting/singing and just letting off steam after a hard week at work. It's now just feels a bit of a souless experience.

Shame really.

This is exactly how I feel... it’s almost feels worst than going to work for me driving an hour from Frome to watch the Shit LJ serves up!! Entertainment zero!!

[Guest]

1 hour ago, BCFC Grim said:

Just look at the numerous clubs that have passed us by and reached the premier league. Grateful for what he's done off the pitch but on it the premier league is just a pipe dream. I'm not even sure he wants it? The two chances we've really had in the last 30 years and he completely failed to back the manager in the January window. 

If I'm honest I'm past caring. Sad but true. I'll always love City but I feel the passion is slowly dwindling. Not just City but football in general. It used to be a day out with friends, with 90 minutes of shouting/singing and just letting off steam after a hard week at work. It's now just feels a bit of a souless experience.

Shame really.

100% agree wont go back with LJ in the chair, died a bit of a death with the EE but they could at least give the fans back something, is it really just a job now for the players is there no love for the club, our club at all. We have paid for many years for what...this load of utter contempt for us and our club........harseholes

Those clubs that have passed us by had/have a decent manager something we lack; will cost a load of dosh in the prem something I wouldn't trust LJ with for a second.

[Dr Balls]

My belief is that SL is not going to gamble everything to get to the Premier League, and believes that we can grow our way there, just like any other business. And in the meantime crowds of 20k+ for most home games will still keep things ticking over.

The problem is that football is not like any other business.  It is not so predictable, and it is dependent on different dynamics. Plus to a very large extent you get what you pay for, particularly when it comes to wages. And our wage structure is not going to get us the "star players" needed to get us promotion. We might get lucky and find a lower division, foreign player or academy striker who can make it at the highest levels, but it's not exactly a foolproof strategy, and if that is what we are all waiting for to move us forward, we could be waiting for a very long time again. We found Kodjia in France but sold him. LJ converted Bobby Reid into a forward, but we sold him too. Could Eisa or Adelakun be another? Who knows but if they are who we are pinning our hopes, that says it all really.

I would suggest that relegation is more likely than promotion, given our current strategy as a club, our coaching team, and current squad. SL seems worried about Financial Fair Play, but if he really wants promotion, he will have to move out of his comfort zone, including investing even more to accumulate in the longer term. Remember parachute payments would dwarf our current turnover & losses, but is SL willing to take a punt? My impression is he is not a gambler in the real sense, and that is likely to work against him in football.

[BigAl&Toby]

11 hours ago, Bryans Left Peg said:

What a ridiculously hysterical post.

Lansdown has done more for this club than you or I will ever do.

 

By the way, did it make you feel happy to get out that you owned an Audi? 

Firstly nope. Much happier with Barbara thanks. Just stating facts. 

Tell me.

What has Lansdown done for the benefit of BCFC and for where it matters? On the green stuff.

Many might enjoy “the match day experience” of being able to have a pizza or hog roast whilst listening to some second rate “singing”. They might even enjoy a sheep pie with their 2 Pinter of Haze.

Then ladies and gentlemen the main event. Take your seats because you’re now going to watch a veritable feast of football.

Remember that? Football. The F in BCFC. Not Bristol Sport and all of that. Not a pizza or hog roast, sheep pie or Haze.

Football.

And all you want to bitch about is a make of car. ******* hell.

And tell me. When you sat down to watch MOTD - like I will in a minute - did you enjoy watching Cardiff? Or Burnley? Or Fulham? Or Bournemouth? Or any of the others who were once in the same league or lower than us?

Those who have progressed. Whilst we in BS3 have to be grateful to the Lansdowns for all they’ve done “to make Bristol proud”.

[Major Isewater]

12 hours ago, BCFC Grim said:

Just look at the numerous clubs that have passed us by and reached the premier league. Grateful for what he's done off the pitch but on it the premier league is just a pipe dream. I'm not even sure he wants it? The two chances we've really had in the last 30 years and he completely failed to back the manager in the January window. 

If I'm honest I'm past caring. Sad but true. I'll always love City but I feel the passion is slowly dwindling. Not just City but football in general. It used to be a day out with friends, with 90 minutes of shouting/singing and just letting off steam after a hard week at work. It's now just feels a bit of a souless experience.

Shame really.

The Prem may be a pipe dream but  the bigger worry is staying in the Championship with the inconsistency of our team. 

[Guest]

11 hours ago, Bryans Left Peg said:

I didn't mean financially. I'm pretty sure he's put more time, effort, sweat and tears into the club than we have.

I know you're pissed off with the current results/situation but I fail to believe anybody is this simple.

I didn't see him on the coach to Blackpool in the league cup about 50yrs ago when we had about 2 seats each in the only coach or watching every home and most away games either.

Just because he as an individual has invested more money in a stadium and its managers than others, doesn't make him better or definitely not put in as much "effort and sweat and tears" as many, many fans.

We are not nothing we are vital more vital to this club than any one person with "money"

[BigAl&Toby]

40 minutes ago, Badger08 said:

Can't manage a minute's silence, and now this. This club really does have a fair few belter "fans".  You sir, are a complete and utter weapon (not in a good way). 

 

Thanks Badger.

Let’s go back to 2002. When Lansdown took over from Laycock.

Swansea finish 4th from bottom of 3rd Division.

Bournemouth are promoted through the play offs.

Cardiff and Wigan are promoted from 2nd Division.

Brighton are relegated.

Burnley, Palace and Watford finish mid table in the 1st. 

Leicester finish 2nd and are promoted.

All are or have been in the Premier League. BCFC? We’ve yo yoed. Up and down. Moments of brilliance overshadowed by showers of shit.

But hey. We’ve got Little Lee. I’m starting to think I’d rather have Colin. We’ve got a shiny stadium with a hotel on the horizon.

Zippidee ******* doo dah.

[Bristol Oil Services]

I think it's time for Steve to buy every fan a pint, a fizzy/hot drink and or a pie/obesity snack of our choosing like that poor chap at Leicester! Mine's a watery Bristol Sport hot chocolate, cheers!

[Alan Dicks]

7 minutes ago, BigAlToby&Liam said:

Thanks Badger.

Let’s go back to 2002. When Lansdown took over from Laycock.

Swansea finish 4th from bottom of 3rd Division.

Bournemouth are promoted through the play offs.

Cardiff and Wigan are promoted from 2nd Division.

Brighton are relegated.

Burnley, Palace and Watford finish mid table in the 1st. 

Leicester finish 2nd and are promoted.

All are or have been in the Premier League. BCFC? We’ve yo yoed. Up and down. Moments of brilliance overshadowed by showers of shit.

But hey. We’ve got Little Lee. I’m starting to think I’d rather have Colin. We’ve got a shiny stadium with a hotel on the horizon.

Zippidee ******* doo dah.

Spot on

[cidered abroad]

13 hours ago, BCFC Grim said:

Just look at the numerous clubs that have passed us by and reached the premier league. Grateful for what he's done off the pitch but on it the premier league is just a pipe dream. I'm not even sure he wants it? The two chances we've really had in the last 30 years and he completely failed to back the manager in the January window. 

If I'm honest I'm past caring. Sad but true. I'll always love City but I feel the passion is slowly dwindling. Not just City but football in general. It used to be a day out with friends, with 90 minutes of shouting/singing and just letting off steam after a hard week at work. It's now just feels a bit of a souless experience.

Shame really.

After sixty eight years supporting City, that's how I am feeling.

I don't care which league we are in, I'd prefer higher than lower, but I became a football and rugby fan because I loved the buzz of the game.

Johnson is killing that buzz, so maybe time to sit in the Rocking chair til I die.

[Guest]

13 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

After sixty eight years supporting City, that's how I am feeling.

I don't care which league we are in, I'd prefer higher than lower, but I became a football and rugby fan because I loved the buzz of the game.

Johnson is killing that buzz, so maybe time to sit in the Rocking chair til I die.

We can sit at home (have done for 2yrs now) but can never forget, stop following or get this OUR CLUB out of our blood. New injection of life required as the club and fans need it and now. 

[JBFC II]

Let's say Lansdown does sell up. 

We are bought by a foreign owner, who puts a lot of money into the squad and gets us up. After a couple of years in the prem we come back down again, he gets bored and stops investing. Slowly but surely we begin to slip back down the table and end up fighting relegation until the owners sell up, with crowds down to 12k and the club in financial turmoil. 

Exactly the sort of thing that has happened with Blackburn, Coventry, Hull, Charlton, Portsmouth, Reading etc

Unfortunately I think some fans would happily take that situation just so we can have a couple of years in the premiership 

[Toffee dog]

14 hours ago, BigAlToby&Liam said:

When boys become men and have some spare time or cash they often like to have a hobby or something to play with.

I’ve got an allotment. I’ve had classic cars since I passed my test 35 years ago. The current one is a VW camper. The whole family loves it.

She’s called Barbara. She’s taken us to the South of France - twice. She doubles up when I need to take rubbish to the top. She’s great.

But she’s very rusty. She drinks petrol like it’s going out of fashion. But we love her and can’t see us ever being without her.

When I need to get somewhere fast or comfortably or economically I take the Audi. Barbara is my plaything.

BCFC is Lansdown’s Barbara. He gives absolutely **** all to the interests of our football club. For him it’s simply his plaything. Or investment.

Why should he care? Why should he get rid of Lee? He’s got his rugby club to look after his interests. Or his basketball. Or the soon to be built hotel that so many of us football fans will get the benefit of.

And if that’s not enough let’s rejoice that the great man has pulled it off by securing Take That and the Spice Girls.

God help us all. We’re ******* doomed.

She’s called Barbara! No wonder she’s drinking so much petrol.

[Mr Popodopolous]

16 hours ago, BigAlToby&Liam said:

When boys become men and have some spare time or cash they often like to have a hobby or something to play with.

I’ve got an allotment. I’ve had classic cars since I passed my test 35 years ago. The current one is a VW camper. The whole family loves it.

She’s called Barbara. She’s taken us to the South of France - twice. She doubles up when I need to take rubbish to the top. She’s great.

But she’s very rusty. She drinks petrol like it’s going out of fashion. But we love her and can’t see us ever being without her.

When I need to get somewhere fast or comfortably or economically I take the Audi. Barbara is my plaything.

BCFC is Lansdown’s Barbara. He gives absolutely **** all to the interests of our football club. For him it’s simply his plaything. Or investment.

Why should he care? Why should he get rid of Lee? He’s got his rugby club to look after his interests. Or his basketball. Or the soon to be built hotel that so many of us football fans will get the benefit of.

And if that’s not enough let’s rejoice that the great man has pulled it off by securing Take That and the Spice Girls.

God help us all. We’re ******* doomed.

What should he do differently then? To put it another way, what would YOU do differently bearing in mind financial regs? Get rid of LJ would clearly be top of your list but anymore?

@BCFC Grim 2008 I'll grant you though there is an argument that bringing in Adebola moved us away a bit from our excellent 4-4-1-1 with Noble as the '1' however Adebola did us well, but we could have taken a bigger risk.

Season just gone, have you analysed the accounts and financial regs when putting your views about Jan 2018? Totally different context- admittedly we should have made better suited signings than Kent and Diony in particular- but an alternate strategy would be interesting to hear.

[paulcityfan]

2 hours ago, JBFC II said:

Let's say Lansdown does sell up. 

We are bought by a foreign owner, who puts a lot of money into the squad and gets us up. After a couple of years in the prem we come back down again, he gets bored and stops investing. Slowly but surely we begin to slip back down the table and end up fighting relegation until the owners sell up, with crowds down to 12k and the club in financial turmoil. 

Exactly the sort of thing that has happened with Blackburn, Coventry, Hull, Charlton, Portsmouth, Reading etc

Unfortunately I think some fans would happily take that situation just so we can have a couple of years in the premiership 

Bugger that.  None of us are getting any younger.  Glory now.  Lets please have an owner who wants to go for it.

[Mr Popodopolous]

3 hours ago, BigAlToby&Liam said:

Thanks Badger.

Let’s go back to 2002. When Lansdown took over from Laycock.

Swansea finish 4th from bottom of 3rd Division.

Bournemouth are promoted through the play offs.

Cardiff and Wigan are promoted from 2nd Division.

Brighton are relegated.

Burnley, Palace and Watford finish mid table in the 1st. 

Leicester finish 2nd and are promoted.

All are or have been in the Premier League. BCFC? We’ve yo yoed. Up and down. Moments of brilliance overshadowed by showers of shit.

But hey. We’ve got Little Lee. I’m starting to think I’d rather have Colin. We’ve got a shiny stadium with a hotel on the horizon.

Zippidee ******* doo dah.

Let's go through each example individually you provided. League position then v now is a simple indicator but doesn't tell the full picture at all.

Swansea moved to the Liberty in 2005 I think it was. Was there council involvement? Maybe. Anyway it pushed up their commercial income significantly from the Vetch. Plus they had the foresight to change direction- Martinez set the ball rolling and the 'Swansea way' was set into being. They recruited in a variety of places, hired managers to fit the structure- as in manager/head coach enters and if he goes the plan doesn't go with him- they had a coherent structure, plan and ethos which they used to progress over time- ended when Laudrup and then a lot of his signings went.

Bournemouth somehow got lucky with a Russian plus had Eddie Howe who only seemed to flourish there- his stint at Burnley was nothing to write home about. I know, because I work with a Bournemouth fan! He saved them from relegation in League 2, under administration and then with help from Russian investor came back and finished the job. Great manager, great investment and weaker FFP rules did the job.

Wigan were at JJB, more commercial revenue PLUS no FFP rules, Dave Whelan and Paul Jewell helped them kick on. Cardiff again heavily invested at that time.

Brighton we were above until 2011 overall, yes I know they went up a couple of times but never sustainable- the move to Falmer changed everything for them! Suddenly their gates soared from about 7,500 to 20,000 maybe? Something stupid, throw in extra commercial revenue and they go from moderate League One to solid Championship overnight! Tell me that wouldn't have a big impact, nearly trebling your gates overnight- plus the other associated revenue!!

Burnley went up at right time, sold and reinvested well- had a Cup run 10 years ago much like ours and momentum helped see them into the playoffs and up. Combined with a sensible financial model, that one year in PL set them up for years! Palace have always been a bit of a yoyo club so that doesn't surprise and Watford to an extent, but again their model was unique- because of the Pozzo's they got players on the cheap, switched between them, Granada and Udinese- dunno how much they paid for Vydra for example.

Leicester had moved to Walker's Stadium- much bigger revenue base than Filbert Street, plus Pearson used it wisely. Finally at that time, points deductions and rolling 3 year analysis for FFP didn't exist at that time.

You're technically right about the League positions, but those clubs differ wildly in back story and context.

[JamesBCFC]

5 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

The Prem may be a pipe dream but  the bigger worry is staying in the Championship with the inconsistency of our team. 

It really isn't.

We are a mid table side currently in mid table.

[Mtimmy11]

4 minutes ago, JamesBCFC said:

It really isn't.

We are a mid table side currently in mid table.

And this time last year we were in the playoffs with a better squad

[Mr Popodopolous]

6 minutes ago, Mtimmy11 said:

And this time last year we were in the playoffs with a better squad

What's your point exactly?

The churn factor and departures meant a frustrating season was always a distinct possibility. Expected midtableish with a lot of ups and downs.

[JamesBCFC]

2 minutes ago, Mtimmy11 said:

And this time last year we were in the playoffs with a better squad

Not sure what point you are trying to make.