Our Fans are the problem, not Mark Ashton or Steve Lansdown

[Daniro]

14 minutes ago, Yellow&Blue&Red said:

It looks like the club decided last summer to tread water whilst the pandemic burned through football's finances. They refused to agree a big transfer pot for Hughton and eventually settled on a managerial Holden strategy to limp through the seaon. Super frustrating for fans who were expected to carry on paying for entertainment, but means the club's in a relatively great position financially.

With ten clubs facing embargoes, City go in to the transfer window facing much less competition than usual. With an unusual number of players out of contract City also have more financial flexibility when it comes to wages than they've ever had before. 

Presumably Ashton's got to get some credit for that.

Whether or not there's a good plan in place or a team who can be trusted to spend it wisely is a different matter.

 

"managerial Holden strategy"  - brilliant!    

[Davefevs]

1 minute ago, Yellow&Blue&Red said:

That weakens my point but it doesn't negate it. The transfer market will be weaker this year and City have got money to spend as a result of an unpopular and frustrating but deliberate policy. There are definite upsides.

Again - whether or not City will have a team or a plan to spend it well is a different matter.

No, you’re right, it definitely doesn’t negate it.  We will probably find ourselves in a better position than some clubs, but still down the pecking order from the PP clubs.

My big worry about this season’s accounts (20/21 season) is that we’ve not had our customary £10m+ Player sale like previous seasons.  What the hell is Midas Ashton playing at?  Surely he can turn water into wine (yeah I’m mixing my fables now) in a Covid-financial landscape can’t he?

[Numero Uno]

17 minutes ago, Tinmans Love Child said:

I spotted that, I assumed they didn’t know what sort of yo-yo club we were so hedged their bets with league 1 or 2! 

Might be a genuine mistake but you would expect a supporter of 30 years to know.

[Greedo]

[CotswoldRed]

We now have a squad which has performed poorly on the pitch for a few years. Our results are too often better then our performances. Until now. 

Whatever Mark Aston tells you, we still have a team that cannot pass or retain possession. 

On the pitch out trajectory has been heading south for some time and there's little evidence that is going to change. 

No doubt Ashton has been a force for some good, but he has also shown his weaknesses. Those weaknesses, I believe, are the things that will now hold us back. 

If you review the things he's said over the last 3 years, little of it bears any relation to our current recruitment policy. 

SL has spent his £200m but much of it has been completely wasted away.

On the pitch we have no identity whatsoever. 

There are things to be thankful for, but I'm not accepting what they tell me when my eyes tell me another. 

[Davefevs]

13 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

OP is rather confused about our short sponsor methinks. We are already sponsored by a betting company, so you might want to delete that error on your post. 

Anyway, appreciate the opinion. I don't agree with your acceptance of mediocrity for the level of investment or the notion that any owner who is not Bristol born would be a negative. Get used to it, the owner is selling out, and the new people will not be local. 

Our historical position in the football pyramid is what 34 th ? Where are we now ? Mark Ashton, Steve Lansdown, bottom line is , nice buildings, but nothing notable to show on the pitch. For the money spent it is a terrible under achievement . Could we have done worse, yes of course, but why look below, look above. That is what winners do. Could we have done better. Without any doubt. 

The losers mentality around Bristol City and the inability to strive for the best, and your comments for me are exactly why we are also rans or no runners, is why we are going nowhere fast until we strive for excellence and stop accepting second best.

Ashton, here I could not agree with anything you have said. He is an unmitigated disaster. The highest wage bill in history and transfer spend, and look at the squad we have at the end of this season and the residual value of that squad. It is the worst transfer management possible, and has left the club in a terrible mess , close to relegation, and with no semblance of any playing identity. The only thing Ashton deserves is to be fired. On any level he has been a catastrophic failure as head of all things football. His words. 

The fans are far from the problem, far far from the problem. Show them some respect, and appreciate they are not as stupid as you think, and primarily put together a semblance of a professional football strategy to match the investment and create a club that has pride. City fans will be there with any of them. It is insulting you suggest otherwise considering the dross , BS and nonsense that has been served over the last 3 years. If you lie continually to your fanbase, tell them something is great when it is not, give yourself platitudes that only you can see, then yes, the fanbase might feel bemused and slightly incredulous. 

Bristol City needs to stop being an also ran, 49 clubs have played in the Prem league , we are not one of them. Is Ashton and SL are so amazing, how come clubs like Blackpool have got the Prem (during SL ownership) and we only got close once ? 

The losers mentality is what is wrong with some fans. They are the type of fan holding the club back. 

 

I’m not out of likes as I’ve paid my fiver.....but that deserves

Brillisnt post.  Looking forward to the response from the OP.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, AshtonYate said:

I've been reading this forum from afar, and I've now finally had enough and signed up. 

I've been supporting Bristol City for 30 years now, followed home and away, so I'm not a new fan by any means.  What has shocked me though over resent years it the complete entitlement of our fans, especially at the moment.   

Mark Ashton

For me, the man has a done a decent job at the football club.  He is a fantastic negotiator and for the first time that I can remember we have been a force to reckon with when it comes to negotiation etc.  We've already heard from several employees within the club that Mark is a decent guy and works extremely really hard behind the scenes.  David Lloyd also said as much on OSIB this week.  He's obviously highly regarded within footballing circles as he's been giving a role on the EFL board!  So, because some of our fanbase wouldn't have a pint with him, wears a suit, he's suddenly slimy and a snake.  Honestly, who cares?  He's overseen one of the most successful periods in Bristol City's history.  He is an articulate and intelligent CEO, but lets hound him out with an absolute pipe dream of getting Scudamore in.  Are you having a laugh?  

Lets be honest, most people who have jumped on this witch hunt, as that is what it is, haven't got a clue what his role actually is. Fans just see a well groomed man in a suit and have just made their minds up that they don't like him because he, funnily enough, talks like a CEO. Lets be clear for the fans that can't compute this...... MARK ASHTON DOES IDENFIFTY PLAYERS TO SIGN. Mark Ashton overseas the recruitment team who finds the players.  They send lists of players to the manager, who then says YES or No. The manager will also suggest players for the recruitment team to analyse.  Where people have got the idea Mark Ashton identifies players, is beyond me and blows my mind.  But that doesn't fit in with the narrative does it. 

Why do our fans expect so much? I don't know another CEO in the football league that is expected to come out on radio and talk all of the time, its madness.    

Steve Lansdown 

It beggars belief how anyone would have a bad word to say about one of our own, who has ploughed over £200m into this club.  He has built a premier league standard stadium, a premier league quality training ground and has moved this club forward beyond recognition over the past 18 years. But yet all people want to do is abuse the guy!! Are you serious? Its like people think that running a successful football club is easy.  Simply black and white.  Could you imagine where we would be without the mans help? I'm not saying that he's always got it right, but he's sure got more right than wrong over the years and he is still ploughing money in.  You can tell that SL and JL are both at the end of the road with it, ploughing millions upon millions trying to elevate this club with nothing put abuse.  I'd have pulled the plug years ago.  The club would have been in great hands moving forward under JL, but SL has also said this week he isn't interested.  Are you surprised? Again, the abuse he gets on here is horrendous.  

10 clubs in the championship are now on a transfer ban!  We aren't one of them.  Can you guess why? Yeah, thats it, the CEO and the Owner have done a fantastic job to make sure that didn't happen during a worldwide pandemic.  We have a financially stable club when others all over the football league are crumbling.  

So if the fans got their way, we'd hound out an experienced CEO and a billionaire Bristol City supporting owner.  But where do you go from there once they leave in this little fantasy land ours? Maybe we can get in some Asian investment from owners that could barely point to Bristol on the map and have Ashton Gate sponsored by a betting company, as that's what it sounds like supporters want.  I'd hate to think what out fans would be like if we ACTUALLY had something bad to moan about. 

I love this club, I always will, but why do we as fans always have this need to press the self destruct button? We do we feel so entitled? We do we always need someone to blame? 

Every club go through ups and downs, but just think back and see how far we have come and tell me we haven't progressed in every department of this football club. 

 

I'm sorry if you don't agree, and I'm expecting a lot of abuse instead of constructive debate.  But is everything that bad?  

You have been through the many managers and players witch hunts on here and said nothing , so why now? are you related or infact one of the people you mention? or more likely from the otherside the dark gassy side?

[RedRock]

The losers mentality is one for the Sags.

The fans at City are more demanding. We want winners.

Why has Gow got legend status? He sums up what we expect from a City player.

It’s gutting as I look back over many decades of support, that aside from that team from that golden era in the 70’s,  my greatest source of perverse pride is that some of our more notorious ‘excitable’ fans have always been ranked by in the football world as ‘premier league’ standard.

So it’s the fans that are the only one’s that achieved anything in the last few decades of note and that ain’t really something we should really be proud of I know...but at least it’s fooking something! 
 

Now then Ashton...your recruitment, medical, fitness, managerial appointment records ..... how’s we doing against your performance indicators old boy.

[exAtyeoMax]

20 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

Sorry, but I am not having that the fans are the issue here. No damn way. We have not even been in the ground for 12 months. Give City fans a show of pride, commitment and desire, and they are as good as any in the land. 

The roof went off Ashton Gate against Man United. Just look at this team sheet.

Bristol City: Steele; Baker, Magnússon (Taylor 69), Flint, Wright (c); Pack, Smith, Brownhill (Eliasson 76), Bryan; Paterson, Reid.

Subs not used: Fielding, Vyner, Kelly, Garita, Lemonheigh-Evans.

Really look at it. Those players gave it their all. Most would sniff at half of that team sheet now, but when they showed pride , passion and desire. Bristol City fans were with them, And some. So , show the fans respect, show the commitment and desire in all areas of the club, and you will get the most passionate and heartfelt support. 

Fans the problem. My arsenal 

 

 

I'd second that. 

COYRs

[spudski]

1 hour ago, Harry said:

There are definitely ‘favoured’ agencies, but that’s perfectly normal within football and I wouldn’t slam Ashton on that - it’s widespread. 
The problem isn’t the ones which Ashton favours, it’s the ones he refuses to use. The speculation of course is then, why would you refuse to use some but favour others??? I’ll leave that to everyone’s own interpretation. 

Burt did the same thing with Agents. Had his preferences and ignored others. Like you say...it's common. But the detriment of the Club it's not so clever.

As an aside...I think the Club could give a lot more clarity on our recruitment proceedings and who is responsible for what. 

I know they've spoken about it, but then something is said or found out that goes against the rhetoric being portrayed. The club could really stop a lot of rumour if it just clarified better.

 

[Bazooka Joe]

4 hours ago, AshtonYate said:

Lets be honest, most people who have jumped on this witch hunt, as that is what it is, haven't got a clue what his role actually is. Fans just see a well groomed man in a suit and have just made their minds up that they don't like him because he, funnily enough, talks like a CEO. Lets be clear for the fans that can't compute this...... MARK ASHTON DOES IDENFIFTY PLAYERS TO SIGN. Mark Ashton overseas the recruitment team who finds the players.  They send lists of players to the manager, who then says YES or No. The manager will also suggest players for the recruitment team to analyse.  Where people have got the idea Mark Ashton identifies players, is beyond me and blows my mind.  But that doesn't fit in with the narrative does it.

I got the idea that Mark Ashton identifies players from what you said earlier (red font).

As many as fifty you reckon?

[Red_Alligator]

33 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

Sorry, but I am not having that the fans are the issue here. No damn way. We have not even been in the ground for 12 months. Give City fans a show of pride, commitment and desire, and they are as good as any in the land. 

The roof went off Ashton Gate against Man United. Just look at this team sheet.

Bristol City: Steele; Baker, Magnússon (Taylor 69), Flint, Wright (c); Pack, Smith, Brownhill (Eliasson 76), Bryan; Paterson, Reid.

Subs not used: Fielding, Vyner, Kelly, Garita, Lemonheigh-Evans.

Really look at it. Those players gave it their all. Most would sniff at half of that team sheet now, but when they showed pride , passion and desire. Bristol City fans were with them, And some. So , show the fans respect, show the commitment and desire in all areas of the club, and you will get the most passionate and heartfelt support. 

Fans the problem. My arsenal 

 

 

What a shame Nige hasn't got this lot. 

[One Team]

56 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

OP is rather confused about our shirt sponsor methinks. We are already sponsored by a betting company, so you might want to delete that error on your post. 

Anyway, appreciate the opinion. I don't agree with your acceptance of mediocrity for the level of investment or the notion that any owner who is not Bristol born would be a negative. Get used to it, the owner is selling out, and the new people will not be local. 

Our historical position in the football pyramid is what 34 th ? Where are we now ? Mark Ashton, Steve Lansdown, bottom line is , nice buildings, but nothing notable to show on the pitch. For the money spent it is a terrible under achievement . Could we have done worse, yes of course, but why look below, look above. That is what winners do. Could we have done better. Without any doubt. 

The losers mentality around Bristol City and the inability to strive for the best, and your comments for me are exactly why we are also rans or no runners, is why we are going nowhere fast until we strive for excellence and stop accepting second best.

Ashton, here I could not agree with anything you have said. He is an unmitigated disaster. The highest wage bill in history and transfer spend, and look at the squad we have at the end of this season and the residual value of that squad. It is the worst transfer management possible, and has left the club in a terrible mess , close to relegation, and with no semblance of any playing identity. The only thing Ashton deserves is to be fired. On any level he has been a catastrophic failure as head of all things football. His words. 

The fans are far from the problem, far far from the problem. Show them some respect, and appreciate they are not as stupid as you think, and primarily put together a semblance of a professional football strategy to match the investment and create a club that has pride. City fans will be there with any of them. It is insulting you suggest otherwise considering the dross , BS and nonsense that has been served over the last 3 years. If you lie continually to your fanbase, tell them something is great when it is not, give yourself platitudes that only you can see, then yes, the fanbase might feel bemused and slightly incredulous. 

Bristol City needs to stop being an also ran, 49 clubs have played in the Prem league , we are not one of them. If Ashton and SL are so amazing, how come clubs like Blackpool have got the Prem (during SL ownership) and we only got close once ? 

The losers mentality is what is wrong with some fans. They are the type of fan holding the club back. 

 

What a brilliant post and sums up exactly what I was going to respond with.

If anything I think our fans have been too nice, too accepting of mediocrity and too patient. That seems to be changing now though and perhaps with the right person leading the charge we’ll all have more of a winning mentality. 

[Stortz]

44 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

OP is rather confused about our shirt sponsor methinks. We are already sponsored by a betting company, so you might want to delete that error on your post. 

Anyway, appreciate the opinion. I don't agree with your acceptance of mediocrity for the level of investment or the notion that any owner who is not Bristol born would be a negative. Get used to it, the owner is selling out, and the new people will not be local. 

Our historical position in the football pyramid is what 34 th ? Where are we now ? Mark Ashton, Steve Lansdown, bottom line is , nice buildings, but nothing notable to show on the pitch. For the money spent it is a terrible under achievement . Could we have done worse, yes of course, but why look below, look above. That is what winners do. Could we have done better. Without any doubt. 

The losers mentality around Bristol City and the inability to strive for the best, and your comments for me are exactly why we are also rans or no runners, is why we are going nowhere fast until we strive for excellence and stop accepting second best.

Ashton, here I could not agree with anything you have said. He is an unmitigated disaster. The highest wage bill in history and transfer spend, and look at the squad we have at the end of this season and the residual value of that squad. It is the worst transfer management possible, and has left the club in a terrible mess , close to relegation, and with no semblance of any playing identity. The only thing Ashton deserves is to be fired. On any level he has been a catastrophic failure as head of all things football. His words. 

The fans are far from the problem, far far from the problem. Show them some respect, and appreciate they are not as stupid as you think, and primarily put together a semblance of a professional football strategy to match the investment and create a club that has pride. City fans will be there with any of them. It is insulting you suggest otherwise considering the dross , BS and nonsense that has been served over the last 3 years. If you lie continually to your fanbase, tell them something is great when it is not, give yourself platitudes that only you can see, then yes, the fanbase might feel bemused and slightly incredulous. 

Bristol City needs to stop being an also ran, 49 clubs have played in the Prem league , we are not one of them. If Ashton and SL are so amazing, how come clubs like Blackpool have got the Prem (during SL ownership) and we only got close once ? 

The losers mentality is what is wrong with some fans. They are the type of fan holding the club back. 

 

Well said.

I read the OP in disbelief.

The attitude is so supine I almost hope it's a sock puppet from the club rather than a fellow supporter.

[Isawjonshaw]

3 hours ago, Sweeneys Penalties said:

I dont think our fans are any worse than any other club and a good deal better than many. Why blame the fans?

This.  I've watched Arsenal a number of times over the last 20 years and they moan waaaaayyyyyyyy more and look at what they've won!!

[Numero Uno]

21 minutes ago, glos old boy said:

You have been through the many managers and players witch hunts on here and said nothing , so why now? are you related or infact one of the people you mention? or more likely from the otherside the dark gassy side?

Well when someone, a 30 year veteran no less, tells us they supported the club during the League 1/2 yo-yo days it is a question that lends itself to being asked!!

[cidered abroad]

2 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

The OP has persuaded me. Let's transfer list the fans and bring in a new 100,000 odd from a city where fans never criticise the running of the football club (ie: nowhere).

The "sense of entitlement" of which is spoken of is an entitlement born of (in some cases) generations of family putting money, time and effort into supporting the club. Speaking personally, it belongs to the area my family has lived in since before Ashton Gate was built. My great-grandfathers watched, and they'd probably watched Bristol South End and Bedminster FC before that.

Steve Lansdown has put a hell of a lot of money into the club, and for that I'm grateful.  But as a percentage of my disposal income, I've probably put more. I watched when I was a student on a tiny grant. I flew back from America a few times to watch games. I've cancelled work meeting. Scheduled my life around matches. Driven to and from London at night in the pissing rain to watch a night game, when I had an early start in my job the next morning.

LOADS of us can say the same: People who've followed City for decades to hundreds of away games; People who come to the ground, despite physical infirmities that makes attendance difficult; People on very low incomes, for whom an ST may be their most expensive purchase all year.

THAT's our sense of entitlement.

The entitlement to want a club that is an integral part of our lives to be well run, as successful as possible and something that brings pride to Bristol.

We are entitled to ask questions of the owner and senior staff. 

Given the dire state of the side at the moment and what looks like multiple errors that have led to this, I'd say we are more entitled than ever. 

Perfectly put @Red-Robbo.

Many of us have a lifetime of City. My Dad watched City from around 1908-11 with Billy Wedlock to 1984 in the Fourth Division.

He started me on 7 April 1950. Yesterday was my 71st anniversary.

As a teenager, I went to places like Northampton and Southend by train in 1960-63. I did not see any other City fans on those trips.

In 1982 I bought 80 shares with the entire content of my bank account. Wife not at all pleased.

For all the money invested by SL over the years, we are now watching one of the worst set of players that I can remember. That includes seven relegations, of which three were consecutive, two years in Division Four. I went to at least half the away games and every home game.

But, as I've said on other threads recently, I have begun to believe that I will not renew, or bother going to games at all. And if I feel like that after a lifetime of City, how many others must feel the same. We are fed up with being shat upon from the City hierarchy.

[Harry]

48 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

Bristol City: Steele; Baker, Magnússon (Taylor 69), Flint, Wright (c); Pack, Smith, Brownhill (Eliasson 76), Bryan; Paterson, Reid.

Subs not used: Fielding, Vyner, Kelly, Garita, Lemonheigh-Evans.

 

 

Quiz question in 20 years time. 

Q) Who was on Bristol City’s bench on the famous night of the Man Utd victory? 

A) Arnold Garita

Whooooooo???????? 

[Tin Soldier]

25 minutes ago, RedRock said:

The losers mentality is one for the Sags.

The fans at City are more demanding. We want winners.

Why has Gow got legend status? He sums up what we expect from a City player.

It’s gutting as I look back over many decades of support, that aside from that team from that golden era in the 70’s,  my greatest source of perverse pride is that some of our more notorious ‘excitable’ fans have always been ranked by in the football world as ‘premier league’ standard.

So it’s the fans that are the only one’s that achieved anything in the last few decades of note and that ain’t really something we should really be proud of I know...but at least it’s fooking something! 
 

Now then Ashton...your recruitment, medical, fitness, managerial appointment records ..... how’s we doing against your performance indicators old boy.

I get the impression that many happy clappers on here are younger than some of us and won’t remember the halcyon days of the 70s and Div 1.

Hence some must wonder why we are not impressed with the current regime. I for one also remember the dark days of the early 80s when we nearly went pop. I remember being at Newport away when we all thought it was the last game the club was playing. Dark days. So seen both sides of the coin etc.

Just hope this mess is sorted soon and we can all get back supporting the team at AG. 

[Red-Robbo]

3 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

Perfectly put @Red-Robbo.

Many of us have a lifetime of City. My Dad watched City from around 1908-11 with Billy Wedlock to 1984 in the Fourth Division.

He started me on 7 April 1950. Yesterday was my 71st anniversary.

As a teenager, I went to places like Northampton and Southend by train in 1960-63. I did not see any other City fans on those trips.

In 1982 I bought 80 shares with the entire content of my bank account. Wife not at all pleased.

For all the money invested by SL over the years, we are now watching one of the worst set of players that I can remember. That includes seven relegations, of which three were consecutive, two years in Division Four. I went to at least half the away games and every home game.

But, as I've said on other threads recently, I have begun to believe that I will not renew, or bother going to games at all. And if I feel like that after a lifetime of City, how many others must feel the same. We are fed up with being shat upon from the City hierarchy.

 

My regular matchday companion started watching City at roughly the same time as you and has been a STH for aeons.  He's not renewing. 

When the club loses the attendance of fans like him, you know they really are in trouble. 

 

[Ivorguy]

That there is something fundamentally wrong at City is obvious as failure to achieve the goal of the top flight has now lasted two decades under SL and we are no nearer achieving it.

Every fan is entitled to an opinion and there is obviously going to be criticism re (1) Failing to reach two decade old objective (2) the appalling football served up by the team over a number of seasons.

OK, I know I am a bore, but until SL shows more transparency, appoints a proper Board (with fan and community representation), and agrees to an external audit none of us will get near the truth - nor in my opinion will we get the club into a better shape

OK, I concede that SL has spent a lot of money but that’s been his choice to play the big philanthropist, but the question is has he spent it wisely.  Clearly not as against his own declared aims.  Yes, he’s paid for a new stadium, but a brieze block off the shelf stadium hardly inspires (compare Forest Green’s plans), he has also built a new training ground.  OK I concede that one, provided he employs people capable of getting maximum benefit from it.  He has created BS, again to boost him, nothing to do with City.  Arguably splitting his investment between a number of sports has actually done damage to City.

[Selred]

57 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

Bristol City: Steele; Baker, Magnússon (Taylor 69), Flint, Wright (c); Pack, Smith, Brownhill (Eliasson 76), Bryan; Paterson, Reid.

Compare it to the squad now, we have declined.

Bryan, Reid, Brownhill are in the Premiership. Smith, Pack and Flint still in the league albeit older. 

How many from Coventrys game will make it into the Prem? A handful; Bentley, perhaps Semenyo too but he came from the academy not a MA signing. 

Are we in a better place vs that night in December? Absolutely not.

[Tin Soldier]

1 hour ago, billywedlock said:

OP is rather confused about our shirt sponsor methinks. We are already sponsored by a betting company, so you might want to delete that error on your post. 

Anyway, appreciate the opinion. I don't agree with your acceptance of mediocrity for the level of investment or the notion that any owner who is not Bristol born would be a negative. Get used to it, the owner is selling out, and the new people will not be local. 

Our historical position in the football pyramid is what 34 th ? Where are we now ? Mark Ashton, Steve Lansdown, bottom line is , nice buildings, but nothing notable to show on the pitch. For the money spent it is a terrible under achievement . Could we have done worse, yes of course, but why look below, look above. That is what winners do. Could we have done better. Without any doubt. 

The losers mentality around Bristol City and the inability to strive for the best, and your comments for me are exactly why we are also rans or no runners, is why we are going nowhere fast until we strive for excellence and stop accepting second best.

Ashton, here I could not agree with anything you have said. He is an unmitigated disaster. The highest wage bill in history and transfer spend, and look at the squad we have at the end of this season and the residual value of that squad. It is the worst transfer management possible, and has left the club in a terrible mess , close to relegation, and with no semblance of any playing identity. The only thing Ashton deserves is to be fired. On any level he has been a catastrophic failure as head of all things football. His words. 

The fans are far from the problem, far far from the problem. Show them some respect, and appreciate they are not as stupid as you think, and primarily put together a semblance of a professional football strategy to match the investment and create a club that has pride. City fans will be there with any of them. It is insulting you suggest otherwise considering the dross , BS and nonsense that has been served over the last 3 years. If you lie continually to your fanbase, tell them something is great when it is not, give yourself platitudes that only you can see, then yes, the fanbase might feel bemused and slightly incredulous. 

Bristol City needs to stop being an also ran, 49 clubs have played in the Prem league , we are not one of them. If Ashton and SL are so amazing, how come clubs like Blackpool have got the Prem (during SL ownership) and we only got close once ? 

The losers mentality is what is wrong with some fans. They are the type of fan holding the club back. 

 

This has got to go down as one of the best posts I have read.
Factually correct, from the heart and to the point. I agree.
You can stick your corporate boxes up your arse if I can have the old AG ground and an entertaining team trying to play football the way it should be played. It has been awful for 2 years.
AG is danger of being a football ground “white elephant” with circa 15K in the ground soon if this mess is not sorted. There is next to no atmosphere with 23K in the ground so just imagine it with 15K.

[Bazooka Joe]

1 hour ago, RedHienz said:

Don't make the mistake of thinking this forum is the barometer for how the majority of fans think or feel about the club.

Most are largely apathetic however we have a vocal minority on here having meltdowns about the tea lady not buying into the clubs DNA or getting hooked by troll posters who delight in sowing discord.

 

 

I understand why you bring the much-maligned tea lady into this debate.

She is certainly a bone of contention and has brewed up a lot of trouble. Her under-performance is probably the main reason we've been struggling this season.

However, let's not forget it was Ashton who recruited her, even though she was inexperienced, over 90 years old, and injury prone. She certainly does not fit the Club's DNA.

And just for the record, it won't surprise you to learn that she's on the injury list yet again.

Apparently it's another strain.

[Davefevs]

18 minutes ago, Bazooka Joe said:

I understand why you bring the much-maligned tea lady into this debate.

She is certainly a bone of contention and has brewed up a lot of trouble. Her under-performance is probably the main reason we've been struggling this season.

However, let's not forget it was Ashton who recruited her, even though she was inexperienced, over 90 years old, and injury prone. She certainly does not fit the Club's DNA.

And just for the record, it won't surprise you to learn that she's on the injury list yet again.

Apparently it's another strain.

Perforated ear-drum too.

[Bazooka Joe]

Without question, the fans are not the problem. Not now, not ever.

Without the fans there is no Club.

If nothing else, Covid has proved tht football without fans is a far more inferior product.

In what other sector of "entertainment" would customers shell out a small fortune on tickets/travel/overpriced refreshments, week in, week out, to see stars/artistes/entertainers fail to turn up or to consistently deliver  totally cr*p performances/shows?

 

[spudski]

29 minutes ago, GasDestroyer said:

I get the impression that many happy clappers on here are younger than some of us and won’t remember the halcyon days of the 70s and Div 1.

Hence some must wonder why we are not impressed with the current regime. I for one also remember the dark days of the early 80s when we nearly went pop. I remember being at Newport away when we all thought it was the last game the club was playing. Dark days. So seen both sides of the coin etc.

Just hope this mess is sorted soon and we can all get back supporting the team at AG. 

I think there are many die hards that have been going for years...sadly they will no longer be here. Many of us grew up with it ingrained in our blood and we keep going.

Can that be said of the younger generation? Will they keep going, keep buying the season tickets? I really don't know.

Especially after this past season and the season before. It's been like watching paint dry. Many I'm sure won't bother with season tickets. I think the only thing going for the club right now is that they might keep NP. That's the only bright hope, that will keep people intrigued.

How many have found new hobbies and interests in this past year? Many I know have, including myself.

 

 

[Tin Soldier]

Just now, Bazooka Joe said:

Without question, the fans are not the problem. Not now, not ever.

Without the fans there is no Club.

If nothing else, Covid has proved tht football without fans is a far more inferior product.

In what other sector of "entertainment" would customers shell out a small fortune on tickets/travel/overpriced refreshments, week in, week out, to see stars/artistes/entertainers fail to turn up or to consistently deliver  totally cr*p performances/shows?

 

The problem is that the fans are just punters to the likes of Ashton & Co. Almost 2nd class citizens IMO. There is just no connection between the club and the fans and hasn’t been for some time.

[054123]

4 hours ago, Steve Watts said:

Glad it's not just me. I would prefer a name change away from our dearly departed late poster (not that my fellow Yatonian would be aware of the original).  As infuriating as his views often were he was certainly a character.

I’d retire the name

I loved an AshtonYate contribution. Not sure how he would be taken today.

 

[lenred]

2 hours ago, AshtonYate said:

Again, couldn't care less.  Not his fault he gets a decent wage, and just another example on how good a negotiator he is. Entirely up to SL what he pays on wages, and the fact he has billions I would suggest he knows better than you and I on finance and ROV.  £527k is around 1.5% of the £35,000,000 we received for the deals made from the Kelly and Webster HE negotiated. So, I'm not bothered by that. 

With respect and especially given your attack on fellow supporters (calling loyal supporters a problem is just that - an attack) who dare to question him, you should care. It’s our hard earned money that goes towards that salary, it’s our club that he is getting paid nearly double the average commensurate salary to run (poorly). All very well saying it’s ‘1.5% of so and so’s fees’ but what about the losses? Are you going to ask him to payback percentages when we make losses on players as we will this summer and already have? Guessing not. You’re entitled to your opinion but calling fellow supporters a problem is way off.