Clevedon Red Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/ashton-gate-eight-revisited-bristol-2453188 Well worth watching Gerry Sweeney give his account of what happened and how he bears no bitterness to the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTRFTG Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 Been done to death. The 8 have nothing to be bitter about as they had Hobsons. They were given their registrations and allowed a free reign to continue their careers. Some did, others discovered they were nowhere near as in demand as the foolish contracts we'd given might indicate. Sweeney, undoubtedly a great servant and talented player was very late 30's I think when released. Not sure how much was left on his contract but however much remained it was too much for what he then had to offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 Gerry Sweeney is a gentleman and I had the pleasure of working with him sometime in the eighties and we played 5 a side football together. A very fit man. We talk many times about his time with city and he always talked with compassion and passion for city. Found memories. Certainly no bitterness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dolman Pragmatist Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 Did any of the Ashton Gate 8 play more than a handful of games for lower division or non-league clubs after leaving us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpaul Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 20 minutes ago, BTRFTG said: Been done to death. The 8 have nothing to be bitter about as they had Hobsons. They were given their registrations and allowed a free reign to continue their careers. Some did, others discovered they were nowhere near as in demand as the foolish contracts we'd given might indicate. Sweeney, undoubtedly a great servant and talented player was very late 30's I think when released. Not sure how much was left on his contract but however much remained it was too much for what he then had to offer. Whilst it may have been done to death, it's something that should never be forgotten. The events of late '81/82 are still fresh in mind. Regardless of age or ability, their ultimate sacrifice allowed a new generation to support this great club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Popodopolous Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 11 minutes ago, arpaul said: Whilst it may have been done to death, it's something that should never be forgotten. The events of late '81/82 are still fresh in mind. Regardless of age or ability, their ultimate sacrifice allowed a new generation to support this great club. Wouldn't be a club, certainly not in current configuration if not for AG8. Said it before, perhaps they should/could have ambassadorial roles at the club or something. I know it wasn't as simple as a pure sacrifice, there was the element of Hobson's as @BTRFTG said and it could portray a bit of a false narrative but AG8 ambassadorial roles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REDOXO Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 For every AG8 conversation I am always reminded that we had a board of directors that were so stupid and lacking in business acumen that we gave out those sort of contracts. Of All the clubs that have gone under or close how many had negotiated contracts that paid players for up to ten years in advance! SIGH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTRFTG Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 If there's thanks to be given it should be to Les Kew who ultimately masterminded our escape. His plan to secure the ground at all costs kept us going. That and those who bought shares ( still awaiting that first dividend.....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchred Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 4 minutes ago, REDOXO said: For every AG8 conversation I am always reminded that we had a board of directors that were so stupid and lacking in business acumen that we gave out those sort of contracts. Of All the clubs that have gone under or close how many had negotiated contracts that paid players for up to ten years in advance! SIGH! Never got paid ten years in advance! To me and many my age they will always be heroes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpaul Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 2 minutes ago, BTRFTG said: If there's thanks to be given it should be to Les Kew who ultimately masterminded our escape. His plan to secure the ground at all costs kept us going. That and those who bought shares ( still awaiting that first dividend.....) Derryn Coller and Ken Sage were as much a leading force, if not more than Les Kew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTRFTG Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 It's all well detailed in For The Good Of The Game (an official history of the PFA.) Gordon Taylor, yes he, was only days into his new role. Tainton and Merrick shunned the club for some time afterwards, though later softened. Merrick in particular wasn't that old for a player of his unquestionable talent and the fact he never played in earnest again ( think a trial in Hong Kong or suchlike didn't last long) was a major surprise as one would have thought he had a few years left. Perhaps his heart went from the game. Note Taylor was quite proud of the compensation he achieved for those who failed to find other clubs and think some of the bitterness arose as a result of some who did sign elsewhere might have been better off had they not done so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTRFTG Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 38 minutes ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said: Did any of the Ashton Gate 8 play more than a handful of games for lower division or non-league clubs after leaving us? Good point, well made and often overlooked through rose tinted glasses. Most were mid 30s plus but Marshall was supposedly a young talent (he wasn't.) Doubtless someone has the stats but I'd be amazed if the 8 of them amassed 50 league games between them during the remainder of their careers. People also forget that the 8 received something like 1/3rd of that owed them in compensation (peanuts in comparison to today's follies but not an inconsiderable sum early 80s and certainly no excuse for the bankruptcy claims that followed.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyTonyTony Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 Can you imagine the current crop of players doing the same ? No chance. Different times Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 52 minutes ago, REDOXO said: For every AG8 conversation I am always reminded that we had a board of directors that were so stupid and lacking in business acumen that we gave out those sort of contracts. Of All the clubs that have gone under or close how many had negotiated contracts that paid players for up to ten years in advance! SIGH! Think they got spooked by the Gary Collier transfer and went too far the other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REDOXO Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 45 minutes ago, frenchred said: Never got paid ten years in advance! To me and many my age they will always be heroes Of course. I am a gent of a certain age I remember it well and better than most. How we got there was clearly the point. Unsaleable assets with ridiculously long contracts with a club that couldn’t even pay the staff. Yes they ripped up their contracts to save the club which was more than anything that could possibly expected. But the nuts attitude that brought us to our knees lays with/in the boardroom at that time. For the record I have all their autographs from back then and have spoken to many of them, just chatting, over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REDOXO Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 4 minutes ago, Davefevs said: Think they got spooked by the Gary Collier transfer and went too far the other way. Yes Dave. I think you are spot on. I’m fact I remember it being mentioned back then Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REDOXO Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 56 minutes ago, BTRFTG said: If there's thanks to be given it should be to Les Kew who ultimately masterminded our escape. His plan to secure the ground at all costs kept us going. That and those who bought shares ( still awaiting that first dividend.....) :laugh:. Yes me too. Further laughter. When I said last season that perhaps the club should comemerate that with a tie or something, some **** on here started lecturing me about his dad. Sigh! No one wanted a thing and many thousands were donated through a recession. Always remember, never forget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miser Posted January 21, 2019 Report Share Posted January 21, 2019 We should remember that the 8 belonged to a team that had been relegated 2 years in succession and was looking at a 3rd. Not exactly prime talent. It needed to be done. Gave my savings to the share issue although that was going tits up until the local business men came in. Scary times for a few years - well until Hereford away in 83. Not sure the song tells the true story. Bit like the band on the Titanic - heroes, but they didn't sink the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTRFTG Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 7 hours ago, TonyTonyTony said: Can you imagine the current crop of players doing the same ? No chance. Different times No chance because of Marc Bosman but in essence there's moot difference. Club goes bust today and like the 8 would have players become creditors save thanks to Bosman they own their own registrations (as the 8 ended up being given by City,) and are free to sign immediately for another club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidered abroad Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 Crazy contracts, a Board and non football management creaming off everything they could lay their hands on. Very few season tickets in those days, meant that large amounts of cash were there on match days with lots of fingers in the pile. 27,000 against Man U when we could all see it was close to a full house of 40,000! We turned up in good numbers and still get the blame from some for not "supporting the club in sufficient numbers". AD only had money for new recruits in the early days in Div One. After Hunter, Cormack, Garland and Royle arrived, we only signed junk from abroad and reserves like Hay from English clubs. But don't feel sorry for him as he was the main instigator of the eight/eleven year contracts. More lunatics at Ashton Gate than in Barrow Gurney! (Not intended as as insult to those in BG) The whole shambles set the club back for many many years. Those City fans who were not alive then, owe a big debt to Coller, Sage, Boyd, Des Williams, Terry Cooper and those of us who bought shares with all the cash we had at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CyderInACan Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 9 minutes ago, cidered abroad said: More lunatics at Ashton Gate than in Barrow Gurney! (Not intended as as insult to those in BG) I’m off there, for to see my brother Ernie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOTBLUE Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 1 hour ago, cidered abroad said: Crazy contracts, a Board and non football management creaming off everything they could lay their hands on. Very few season tickets in those days, meant that large amounts of cash were there on match days with lots of fingers in the pile. 27,000 against Man U when we could all see it was close to a full house of 40,000! We turned up in good numbers and still get the blame from some for not "supporting the club in sufficient numbers". AD only had money for new recruits in the early days in Div One. After Hunter, Cormack, Garland and Royle arrived, we only signed junk from abroad and reserves like Hay from English clubs. But don't feel sorry for him as he was the main instigator of the eight/eleven year contracts. More lunatics at Ashton Gate than in Barrow Gurney! (Not intended as as insult to those in BG) The whole shambles set the club back for many many years. Those City fans who were not alive then, owe a big debt to Coller, Sage, Boyd, Des Williams, Terry Cooper and those of us who bought shares with all the cash we had at the time. I was told that some of the turnstile operators had secret pockets stitched into the insides of their coats,used to see many ,many people give them half the admission price and jump over the stile.The club later installed head to toe length ones,unsurprisingly some operators were no longer interested in doing the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natchfever Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 3 hours ago, cidered abroad said: Crazy contracts, a Board and non football management creaming off everything they could lay their hands on. Very few season tickets in those days, meant that large amounts of cash were there on match days with lots of fingers in the pile. 27,000 against Man U when we could all see it was close to a full house of 40,000! We turned up in good numbers and still get the blame from some for not "supporting the club in sufficient numbers". AD only had money for new recruits in the early days in Div One. After Hunter, Cormack, Garland and Royle arrived, we only signed junk from abroad and reserves like Hay from English clubs. But don't feel sorry for him as he was the main instigator of the eight/eleven year contracts. More lunatics at Ashton Gate than in Barrow Gurney! (Not intended as as insult to those in BG) The whole shambles set the club back for many many years. Those City fans who were not alive then, owe a big debt to Coller, Sage, Boyd, Des Williams, Terry Cooper and those of us who bought shares with all the cash we had at the time. I personally don't buy into all this "eight men had a dream" nonsense. They had lucrative contracts as top flight footballers, yet these same players appeared incapable of performing at two divisions lower. They tore up their contracts because the PFA told then thats the best deal they would get. The real heroes are those you mention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchred Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 29 minutes ago, Loon plage said: I personally don't buy into all this "eight men had a dream" nonsense. They had lucrative contracts as top flight footballers, yet these same players appeared incapable of performing at two divisions lower. They tore up their contracts because the PFA told then thats the best deal they would get. The real heroes are those you mention. Oh dear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeneys Penalties Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 14 hours ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said: Did any of the Ashton Gate 8 play more than a handful of games for lower division or non-league clubs after leaving us? Sween went on to play for York for a short while before moving on to Gloucester City Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Hitler Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 I only got to see two games as a kid pre 82 and, in my entirely subjective and unrepresentative view from only seeing two games, there were two players that stood out for me: David Rodgers - a rock in the defence Gerry Sweeney - the most enthusiastic player that I have ever seen on a football pitch; he never stopped running or smiling Whether they were always like that or I just caught them on good days I don't know; but those are my particular stars of our golden era. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHIPLEY RED Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 13 hours ago, TonyTonyTony said: Can you imagine the current crop of players doing the same ? No chance. Different times I seem to remember Sol Campball chasing Portsmouth for bonuses owed when they went under and remember he was already a multi millionaire unlike the likes of the AG8. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natchfever Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 2 minutes ago, CHIPLEY RED said: I seem to remember Sol Campball chasing Portsmouth for bonuses owed when they went under and remember he was already a multi millionaire unlike the likes of the AG8. If the 8 had pursued City as per Sol Campbell at Pompey they would have had to joined a queue of creditors because the club would have gone under and probably received nothing. That was the basis of the PFA's advice to the 8, and why they tore up their contracts in return for part of what they were entitled to. A decision I fully understand and respect, but it was for the benefit of themselves and their families and not any love for the club - and who can blame them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original OTIB Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 I recall seeing the Stones play Ashton Gate in June 1982. I wonder how much money that made and what help it was, overall, if any... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Oil Services Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 7 minutes ago, The Original OTIB said: I recall seeing the Stones play Ashton Gate in June 1982. I wonder how much money that made and what help it was, overall, if any... I think The Stones made a few quid out of it, mate (even after we had deducted a fee for use of the 51 Club, with buffet) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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