Twentyman vs. Ashton Match Thread

[Rossi the Robin]

Thought 20p asked the right questions and Ashton answered as well as he could although don’t get the scanning at Solihull etc 

He kind of admitted that he disappears when things aren’t going great as we thought 

[Major Isewater]

23 minutes ago, Phileas Fogg said:

How would you define ‘managing the club well’? In his time we’ve seen clubs with equal or fewer resources out perform us. We’ve done fairly well, but probably about minimum for what you’d expect considering expenditure. 

Also, how would you define ‘comes out on top’? Whilst we’ve received some good fees for our players, we’ve also had many slip through our net and go elsewhere. 

The club, whilst having eye watering losses , are on a pretty even keel .
 

We aren’t in danger of busting the FFP rules and losing points.

We aren’t gambling with the club’s future by buying players during this window or giving out big new contracts to existing players. Prudence is the word , it’s not sexy but now is not the time to be risking all on that one player , risking upsetting the other players into the bargain.

We are no longer push overs in the transfer market which is down to MA. 

Ashton appears to be guiding the ship well.

He has got very good deals for a lot of our outgoing players with add ons in most cases that have bolstered the coffers: think Flint or Reid .

Moved on players that would have stuck before; Szmodics, Pack, Engval.

Could he do better ?

He would be the first to admit that there is always room for improvement.

He comes across as smarmy I agree but he is working well for the club . 

[Guest]

In regards to the Solihull question?

My experience with private health care.
You have a consultation with a specialist, you get sent for a scan there and then, and then you discuss the results after. This all happens in about an hour and if treatment is needed, you get a booking there and then.

As to the current situation in the private health sector in Bristol, they are taking a lot of work from the NHS e.g. hip replacements and all the other stuff that has fallen by the wayside due to Covid. I believe the NHS work is significant with some specialists whinging that it's eating into the their private work.

I believe the NHS has been mentioned by some on this thread and I'm not sure why? So in regards to the NHS:
The NHS tends to work on this model: you see a specialist (depending on urgency, this might take say, a month or so), you are booked for a MRI on a different date (depending on urgency, this might take a while also), you are then booked in with the specialist at another date. This tends to take a significant amount of time. The exception might be for life threatening situations.

I have no idea if the private hospitals in Bristol have the required specialists for sports injuries or if they have the bandwidth for sports injury work at the moment, so maybe, just maybe, there might be some 'medical' reason/timeliness reasons  for sending a player to Solihull?

But hey, we are talking about MA and some won't forgo the opportunity to create a good conspiracy.

[Bazooka Joe]

21 hours ago, Henry said:

Ashton ‘Benik and Manson begged to do their rehab with us’. There’s a bare face lie.

Ashton will be well advised not to tell lies about Charles Manson.

He was banged up for life and refused parole/rehab several times.

 

[Bazooka Joe]

21 hours ago, Moments of Pleasure said:

Chris Brunt "drove 100 miles to training" says Geoff, Ashton says he had a driver but it was something they got wrong, a mistake. A mistake we made with Tomlin and haven't learned from, by sounds of it

Christ! Greta Thunberg will burst a blood vessel when she finds out about this.

The way Brunt plodded around the pitch, you'd have thought he'd walked here and back every day.

[Bazooka Joe]

21 hours ago, Red Army 75 said:

Brilliant Geoff Twentyman. Don’t call them Bristol Mark . It’s Bristol City 

Well, well, well.  Ashton's ultimate aim finally revealed.

Bristol City will be changing its' name to Bristol Mark.

[Bazooka Joe]

20 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

This is something which divides fans unnecessarily. 
 

I recall as a youngster the guttural roar  of ‘ BRRRRRIIIIISSSSTOL’ coming from around the ground .

No one ever said ‘ Hang on chaps were not Bristol ‘ .

We are ‘ City ‘ and we are ‘ Bristol ‘ what is the big deal ? 
 

Even our forum is called One Team in Bristol.

 

Too many strong ciders in the Cemetery, Major?

[Bazooka Joe]

20 hours ago, BigTone said:

Perhaps he's just crap 

If (and it's a big if) Walsh is crap and we paid £1m for him, someone made a huge error of judgement. 

That someone must be crappier than Walsh.

[Bazooka Joe]

7 hours ago, Tomo said:

Brunt had a driver for his 100 mile journey to training...:laugh:

C'mon be fair, he must been knackered, and too exhausted to drive, after walking from his front door to the car.

[Bazooka Joe]

7 hours ago, bristolcitysweden said:

Geoff never really got on top. First real punch was always crucial. Ashton only let his guard down once. Talking about sell on clauses complacency shine through and his laugh at the end effectively killed Geoff off. Geoff had his chance when talking about all our injuries and the fact that the club even went to March twice to make sure it was all down to mother nature but he never took it.  

Literally rather than metaphorically?

Even I can't imagine Twentyman restorting to physical violence to extract some honest answers.

[Harry]

1 hour ago, bcfcfinker said:

In regards to the Solihull question?

My experience with private health care.
You have a consultation with a specialist, you get sent for a scan there and then, and then you discuss the results after. This all happens in about an hour and if treatment is needed, you get a booking there and then.

As to the current situation in the private health sector in Bristol, they are taking a lot of work from the NHS e.g. hip replacements and all the other stuff that has fallen by the wayside due to Covid. I believe the NHS work is significant with some specialists whinging that it's eating into the their private work.

I believe the NHS has been mentioned by some on this thread and I'm not sure why? So in regards to the NHS:
The NHS tends to work on this model: you see a specialist (depending on urgency, this might take say, a month or so), you are booked for a MRI on a different date (depending on urgency, this might take a while also), you are then booked in with the specialist at another date. This tends to take a significant amount of time. The exception might be for life threatening situations.

I have no idea if the private hospitals in Bristol have the required specialists for sports injuries or if they have the bandwidth for sports injury work at the moment, so maybe, just maybe, there might be some 'medical' reason/timeliness reasons  for sending a player to Solihull?

But hey, we are talking about MA and some won't forgo the opportunity to create a good conspiracy.

I’m not aware of too many private hospitals who are picking up NHS patients. 
All private hospitals were handed over to the NHS in the first lockdown, but were handed back last Autumn. The likes of BUPA, Nuffield, Spire etc are all still catching up on private care which was cancelled last year. So they’re busy, but mostly with private patients. As far as I know there are only a few private hospitals (mainly in London) who are taking ‘some’ NHS patients, but not enough to have to cancel any private services. 
 

As for the ‘conspiracy’, I don’t think anyone is looking for or creating a conspiracy. I’m just very intrigued as to why we would send to Solihull and if so, is the reasoning behind it as you say, ie availability in Bristol. Just baffles me a little bit, so I’m keen to understand why. Certainly no conspiracy, just interest on my part, as I work in the private hospital arena. 

[Guest]

My view on Mark Ashton.

I find the 'hate' some have for the fella amusing.
It's almost as if he's kicked some kids sand castle over, been getting rather familiar with someone's wife and generally pissed someone off personally.
With some on this site, this seems to be the case and we are not getting an honest appraisal of the fella but an out pouring of their grief, all very unbiased of course.
We've got the sock puppets, who do exist, whether anyone cares to admit it or not.
There are of course the echo chambers that are created every time his name is mentioned.
And the remainder, who have their own reasons for disliking him.

Defend him, call out the absurdness of it all, go against received wisdom on MA and the results are either banal comments, trotting out of MA's past 'wrong doings' (superficial off course with no acknowledgement of any of his past successes) or other shallow reasoning that you are completely wrong etc.

Personally, I really don't give a shit about him, however, I feel compelled to point out the absurdity of some of the thinking about him.
The reason I don't give a shit about him?
I don't know him personally and don't buy into the mutterings of a few on OTIB who clearly want to be offended by him.
He does not play on the pitch, he does not set up the team, he does not train the team etc. He has a minimal affect on results (he can have an effect indirectly through getting players in, but all said and done, he does not set up the team - he is the suit who does all the wheeling and dealing in the background, which appears to offend some people for some reason or other). If I am wrong on this front, then logically, if City are doing well, that means he gets credit when the team are doing well, which is clearly absurd.

The continuous glossing over of injuries, the Covid situation etc. points to people who have a personal narrative against MA or don't want to consider these issues as being contributory factors for poor performance.

When he's accused of being a liar, deceitful, and a myriad of other names that paint him as a thoroughly unpleasant person, these are all personal insults. It's all rather teenagerish and reminds me of one ex POTUS. Scratch the surface on some of the postings and maybe this is a reflection of the poster?

And for those aficionados of all things that are wrong about City, there is a creep towards blaming SL, the man who clearly is responsible for City playing so poorly (I've looked really hard and I haven't seen his name on the team list), is feathering his nest and has lost his focus because he has dealing in other sports now. Quite astounding if you think about it and reeks of people who would cut their noses off to spite their faces just to be proved 'right' or points to secret gas heads at heart?

Football has moved on from days of old, it's become very professional, it is corporate and business like. This is the consequence of success. And with it brings the MA's of the world, with accusations of undesirable traits this world brings. Maybe some of the people who have axes to grind don't have what it takes to make it in this world? Maybe they don't like the change in the status quo? Only they will know and the rest of us have to witness the death throws of a dying breed or has beens and people who can't make it themselves?

[Sheltons Army]

23 minutes ago, bcfcfinker said:

My view on Mark Ashton.

I find the 'hate' some have for the fella amusing.
It's almost as if he's kicked some kids sand castle over, been getting rather familiar with someone's wife and generally pissed someone off personally.
With some on this site, this seems to be the case and we are not getting an honest appraisal of the fella but an out pouring of their grief, all very unbiased of course.
We've got the sock puppets, who do exist, whether anyone cares to admit it or not.
There are of course the echo chambers that are created every time his name is mentioned.
And the remainder, who have their own reasons for disliking him.

Defend him, call out the absurdness of it all, go against received wisdom on MA and the results are either banal comments, trotting out of MA's past 'wrong doings' (superficial off course with no acknowledgement of any of his past successes) or other shallow reasoning that you are completely wrong etc.

Personally, I really don't give a shit about him, however, I feel compelled to point out the absurdity of some of the thinking about him.
The reason I don't give a shit about him?
I don't know him personally and don't buy into the mutterings of a few on OTIB who clearly want to be offended by him.
He does not play on the pitch, he does not set up the team, he does not train the team etc. He has a minimal affect on results (he can have an effect indirectly through getting players in, but all said and done, he does not set up the team - he is the suit who does all the wheeling and dealing in the background, which appears to offend some people for some reason or other). If I am wrong on this front, then logically, if City are doing well, that means he gets credit when the team are doing well, which is clearly absurd.

The continuous glossing over of injuries, the Covid situation etc. points to people who have a personal narrative against MA or don't want to consider these issues as being contributory factors for poor performance.

When he's accused of being a liar, deceitful, and a myriad of other names that paint him as a thoroughly unpleasant person, these are all personal insults. It's all rather teenagerish and reminds me of one ex POTUS. Scratch the surface on some of the postings and maybe this is a reflection of the poster?

And for those aficionados of all things that are wrong about City, there is a creep towards blaming SL, the man who clearly is responsible for City playing so poorly (I've looked really hard and I haven't seen his name on the team list), is feathering his nest and has lost his focus because he has dealing in other sports now. Quite astounding if you think about it and reeks of people who would cut their noses off to spite their faces just to be proved 'right' or points to secret gas heads at heart?

Football has moved on from days of old, it's become very professional, it is corporate and business like. This is the consequence of success. And with it brings the MA's of the world, with accusations of undesirable traits this world brings. Maybe some of the people who have axes to grind don't have what it takes to make it in this world? Maybe they don't like the change in the status quo? Only they will know and the rest of us have to witness the death throws of a dying breed or has beens and people who can't make it themselves?

You don’t give a shit about him ?

‘He doesn’t play on the pitch ....’

 

 

uhmmmmmmm....He’s in charge of and ultimately responsible for all things football.....and their performance ... as well as the balance sheets ....

Maybe you should have a closer look,  if you have any interest in what transpires on the pitch  - Defend him wildly and slate other fans , yet your long post contains not a word about what you think he does so well.

 

Personally , I find those that blindly back anything about the Club , hell or high water , and look no further deeper than 90mins on the pitch , as bewildering , and irritating.

 

[DT The Optimist]

2 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

 

He comes across as smarmy I agree but he is working well for the club . 

agree with your post... disagree he's smarmy... he simply projects the corporate image of the club. We are in 2021 and that is the way of the world..the days when like the likes of a Sir Alex or Shankley being masters of all long gone in the modern era and modern game..  MA has done a good job on the whole for this club. Yes things SL and MA might have done better, not many mind.. as a club even in these awful times are in a good place..compared to others.    

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

16 minutes ago, Sheltons Army said:

You don’t give a shit about him ?

‘He doesn’t play on the pitch ....’

 

 

uhmmmmmmm....He’s in charge of and ultimately responsible for all things football.....and their performance ... as well as the balance sheets ....

Maybe you should have a closer look,  if you have any interest in what transpires on the pitch  - Defend him wildly and slate other fans , yet your long post contains not a word about what you think he does so well.

 

Personally , I find those that blindly back anything about the Club , hell or high water , and look no further deeper than 90mins on the pitch , as bewildering , and irritating.

 

What makes you think that people who back the Club do it ‘blindly’?  Maybe they’ve thought about what the club has done and is trying to do and backs them.  It’s equally possible that those who knock the club at every available opportunity are doing so ‘blindly’.  I suspect that if Mark Ashton were to save a drowning child, there are those on this forum who would say he only did it to gain publicity.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Harry said:

I’m not aware of too many private hospitals who are picking up NHS patients. 
All private hospitals were handed over to the NHS in the first lockdown, but were handed back last Autumn. The likes of BUPA, Nuffield, Spire etc are all still catching up on private care which was cancelled last year. So they’re busy, but mostly with private patients. As far as I know there are only a few private hospitals (mainly in London) who are taking ‘some’ NHS patients, but not enough to have to cancel any private services. 
 

As for the ‘conspiracy’, I don’t think anyone is looking for or creating a conspiracy. I’m just very intrigued as to why we would send to Solihull and if so, is the reasoning behind it as you say, ie availability in Bristol. Just baffles me a little bit, so I’m keen to understand why. Certainly no conspiracy, just interest on my part, as I work in the private hospital arena. 

I'm afraid you are a little out of touch on the 'hand over' back to the NHS. The Spire Bristol was due to be 'handed back' Christmas Eve but this was extended to March (I believe), this year. And with Covid being Covid, it's any ones guess if this will be extended again. As to the private work, I don't think they ever stopped, more a case of a dramatic scaling back. And just in case there is doubt on my knowledge of the Spire, they currently have a portable MRI trailer set up behind the hospital and their new car park was opened last week.

The other private hospitals, I can't possibly comment about and I'm not going to speculate either.

Being familiar with your views on MA, I'm not surprised that you are 'intrigued' by the Solihull question.
And If you change the verb to a noun, maybe conspiracy is not too far off the mark?

[Sheltons Army]

1 minute ago, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

What makes you think that people who back the Club do it ‘blindly’?  Maybe they’ve thought about what the club has done and is trying to do and backs them.  It’s equally possible that those who knock the club at every available opportunity are doing so ‘blindly’.  I suspect that if Mark Ashton were to save a drowning child, there are those on this forum who would say he only did it to gain publicity.

Ironically,  you are a good example - posts only that rush to the defence of any questioning

When I read a counter argument , with some substance , against any questions or criticism , I’m more than happy to consider it

Theres been many an opportunity in threads about and some posters analytical work on finances, recruitment ,  

injuries etc To do so.

 

A lot of backing appears without explanation or substance

 

 

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

1 minute ago, Sheltons Army said:

Ironically,  you are a good example - posts only that rush to the defence of any questioning

When I read a counter argument , with some substance , against any questions or criticism , I’m more than happy to consider it

Theres been many an opportunity in threads about and some posters analytical work on finances, recruitment ,  

injuries etc To do so.

 

A lot of backing appears without explanation or substance

 

 

And vice versa, frankly...

[Sheltons Army]

Just now, The Dolman Pragmatist said:

And vice versa, frankly...

Really

Clearly you don’t read my posts

 

Surprising for a career academic

[Simon bristol]

2 hours ago, Major Isewater said:

Ashton appears to be guiding the ship well.

He has got very good deals for a lot of our outgoing players with add ons in most cases that have bolstered the coffers: think Flint or Reid .

Moved on players that would have stuck before; Szmodics, Pack, Engval.l 

Agree with most of what you said major, but these bits are a little tenuous to me.. if a club is prepared to pay a fee, then there is a deal to be done. I really dont think the board and manager will have taken much less than what we actually got if ashton wasnt here to do the deal. And addons have been added since the andy cole debacle of 30 years ago, and they would have been added to the big money outgoings if ashton was here or not.

[One Team]

Full transcribe of the interview here:

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/every-word-mark-ashtons-local-4931529?fbclid=IwAR3-9IC8DPo41XK3h3Wc9aVhoO4I5lkUm3d2OotRdZ7MkpjyjnLL954B4Kw
 

 

[Guest]

26 minutes ago, Sheltons Army said:

You don’t give a shit about him ?

‘He doesn’t play on the pitch ....’

 

 

uhmmmmmmm....He’s in charge of and ultimately responsible for all things football.....and their performance ... as well as the balance sheets ....

Maybe you should have a closer look,  if you have any interest in what transpires on the pitch  - Defend him wildly and slate other fans , yet your long post contains not a word about what you think he does so well.

 

Personally , I find those that blindly back anything about the Club , hell or high water , and look no further deeper than 90mins on the pitch , as bewildering , and irritating.

 

Do you work hand in glove with Harry?

Maybe you look too closely and can't see the wood for the trees?
You clearly, or should that be 'let me be clear', have some distorted view about what MA does, is responsible for etc.. Keep it up because, it's amusing at least and reveals much about the distortions you peddle.

The name calling, the mock offence are tools all used by people who are losing the argument.
After reading your long posts, I see some irony.
I'm not sure why you think I need to paint MA in a good light. He's not especially good at his job and nor is he especially bad.
I'd say however, the views given about him are generally personal in nature and nothing to do with how good or bad he is at his job. I simply can not alter someones personal beliefs, so there is little point trying too. A case of, you don't argue with an idiot as they will beat you with experience.

Your personal views are not surprising in the least. You've stated them over and over again with the belief that repeating them somehow makes them correct.

[Sheltons Army]

9 minutes ago, bcfcfinker said:

Do you work hand in glove with Harry?

Maybe you look too closely and can't see the wood for the trees?
You clearly, or should that be 'let me be clear', have some distorted view about what MA does, is responsible for etc.. Keep it up because, it's amusing at least and reveals much about the distortions you peddle.

The name calling, the mock offence are tools all used by people who are losing the argument.
After reading your long posts, I see some irony.
I'm not sure why you think I need to paint MA in a good light. He's not especially good at his job and nor is he especially bad.
I'd say however, the views given about him are generally personal in nature and nothing to do with how good or bad he is at his job. I simply can not alter someones personal beliefs, so there is little point trying too. A case of, you don't argue with an idiot as they will beat you with experience.

Your personal views are not surprising in the least. You've stated them over and over again with the belief that repeating them somehow makes them correct.

If you actually bothered to read , myself and a Harry disagree on some main matters, you probably missed it as well as numerous other posters good posts about a variety of subjects 

 

You also keep posting you don’t give a s*t’ about him , yet keep posting about him ..... 

When you actually make a good point or argument , with some substance , rather then a Club Lemming ,

,l’ll take note - thanks

 

I think the actual irony is ‘finker’

 

 

[BigTone]

2 hours ago, Bazooka Joe said:

If (and it's a big if) Walsh is crap and we paid £1m for him, someone made a huge error of judgement. 

That someone must be crappier than Walsh.

LJ ?

[Harry]

50 minutes ago, bcfcfinker said:

I'm afraid you are a little out of touch on the 'hand over' back to the NHS. The Spire Bristol was due to be 'handed back' Christmas Eve but this was extended to March (I believe), this year. And with Covid being Covid, it's any ones guess if this will be extended again. As to the private work, I don't think they ever stopped, more a case of a dramatic scaling back. And just in case there is doubt on my knowledge of the Spire, they currently have a portable MRI trailer set up behind the hospital and their new car park was opened last week.

The other private hospitals, I can't possibly comment about and I'm not going to speculate either.

Being familiar with your views on MA, I'm not surprised that you are 'intrigued' by the Solihull question.
And If you change the verb to a noun, maybe conspiracy is not too far off the mark?

Spire Bristol was ‘handed back’ to recommence non urgent private appointments in the Autumn. 
 

[Bristol Rob]

Given the club have had god knows how many months without supporter revenue, do you think the club (and Ashton in particular) will stop taking us for granted now?

 

[WolfOfWestStreet]

Can understand the reluctance to offer Walsh a new deal. Hasn't played for City for a couple of years and injury prone.

He may be Holden's favorite however there's no guarantee Holden will be here after his contract expires in August. 

I'd wager the reason Famara has been offered a new deal is that he has significant market value as a proven Championship goal scorer., where as Walsh might have a value of c£1m. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Harry said:

Spire Bristol was ‘handed back’ to recommence non urgent private appointments in the Autumn. 
 

So the proof you've given is an out of date message?

So you don't accept what I told you i.e. the Spire continue to do work for the NHS till at least March 2021?

Or are you going to try and weasel your way out of what you said, yeah but, no but?

If you choose not to answer, that will speak volumes.

[Harry]

46 minutes ago, bcfcfinker said:

So the proof you've given is an out of date message?

So you don't accept what I told you i.e. the Spire continue to do work for the NHS till at least March 2021?

Or are you going to try and weasel your way out of what you said, yeah but, no but?

If you choose not to answer, that will speak volumes.

You seem rather keen for an argument, for whatever reason. I simply stated that private hospitals resumed private appointments in the autumn, you said no, Spire Bristol didn’t until Dec, and I then proved it with a notification of reopening from last September (ie autumn). 
As I said, there are some private hospitals doing some NHS work, mainly in London, but clearly you also believe the Spire in Bristol is also doing so, which may well be the case. 
Anyway, it’s a pointless discussion - the point is, why are we sending our players to Solihull for scans. It would be nothing to do with NHS patients being seen at the Spire. 

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Harry said:

You seem rather keen for an argument, for whatever reason. I simply stated that private hospitals resumed private appointments in the autumn, you said no, Spire Bristol didn’t until Dec, and I then proved it with a notification of reopening from last September (ie autumn). 
As I said, there are some private hospitals doing some NHS work, mainly in London, but clearly you also believe the Spire in Bristol is also doing so, which may well be the case. 
Anyway, it’s a pointless discussion - the point is, why are we sending our players to Solihull for scans. It would be nothing to do with NHS patients being seen at the Spire. 

Oh dear, the pot calling the kettle black.

You claimed to be intrigued about the Solihull decision, claiming some insight about private health being 'handed back in the Autumn and it was indicated that you were mistaken. You decided to keep the argument going with an outdated screen shot that does not reflect what actually takes place on the ground.

It appears the fluid (we have to sneak in a few MAisms on a MA thread) nature of Covid has been ignored, the possibility that things are dynamic, and that possibly this screen shotted statement was subject to change before the proverbial ink even dried, incorrect and not even sourced from the Spire. We are not talking about the stuff that comes out about MA which tends to be nothing more than opinion and personal insults. This information is from people who actually work at Spire and not from someone who merely acquainted with the private hospital arena, what ever that means. This information is verifiable, and is not subject to someones opinion. And now we are to the point that this has become a pointless discussion, having established the maybe the mere presentation of screen shots proves nothing, other than some people are easily deceived because they rely on single sources of information or don't check verifiable sources (that everyone has access to, rather than 'I've got this mate who...')

The bottom line is, this was a club decision and I personally don't care why this was done because it's non news. However this is a post about MA, so some people want to be baffled by this decision and don't care that there might well be rational reasons for it. If MA wasn't involved, in all probability, this wouldn't even raise an eyebrow.

BTW
I took the liberty of reading some of your early stuff. It appears that you had a very poor opinion about Cotts, to the point of saying 'I'll stick my neck out and say that Cotterill doesn't have personality.He has bluff and bluster and very little substance. And I will stand by that.' (a post from Jan 28th 2014). Was your personal opinion correct in this case? As with all things OTIB, a mountain can be created out of even the most benign molehill.

When you stop masquerading personal opinions as the truth, you might even get engagement from me. Alas, I don't think you give a toss about my opinion so we will continue with your Trump approach to life and I'll continue to take the piss.

Shelton, feel free to comment because 'that's the way to do it.' but maybe you think 'oh no it's not'