Ashton Gate Eight - 40th Anniversary events announced

[Ska Junkie]

Just now, Red Army 75 said:

Who was there . Beauty 

I was in attendance, in the old enclosure, by the tunnel wall, stood on my foldable stool dad made from tubular steel in work. Imagine trying to take that in nowadays.

[Ska Junkie]

2 hours ago, Big C said:

The only thing I winced at was Downsey saying we were celebrating the 40 year anniversary of the Ashton Gate 8.  Not sure it could be called a celebration

Spot on Big C, a poor usage of the word. Not sure what the right word would be though, 'commemoration' maybe?

[Hello Dave]

39 minutes ago, Red Army 75 said:

Good to see . Didn’t know anything about that until I saw this tweet this morning. Fair play 

Anyone how involved or what he done. Seems quite heavily involved in the arrangement of it all 

Massively involved, he does a lot behind the scenes that people don’t know about. He actually drove to Hull to see Jimmy Mann this week. Mann couldn’t make it because of illness, so Scott drove up to see him and deliver some memorabilia. He’s a top man.

[Red Army 75]

1 minute ago, Hello Dave said:

Massively involved, he does a lot behind the scenes that people don’t know about. He actually drove to Hull to see Jimmy Mann this week. Mann couldn’t make it because of illness, so Scott drove up to see him and deliver some memorabilia. He’s a top man.

Thanks Dave. What a great thing to do, I honestly didn’t realise he was still associated with city in any form. Fair play 

[Hello Dave]

1 minute ago, Red Army 75 said:

Thanks Dave. What a great thing to do, I honestly didn’t realise he was still associated with city in any form. Fair play 

Arranges a lot of meals etc. for ex players, especially the promotion team of the 70s. Got a box down there as well.

[Bristol Oil Services]

32 minutes ago, Red Army 75 said:

Who was there . Beauty 

Diego Maradona had to get a bit closer to Shilton before he was confident of beating him ....

[daored]

@JerrySLOwill there be an opportunity for non season ticket holders to purchase the brochure produced? 

[Clevedon Red]

1 hour ago, Red Army 75 said:

Who was there . Beauty 

@Desso Now you can see what end it was at

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, Red Army 75 said:

Who was there . Beauty 

Me!

 

[BigAl&Toby]

1 hour ago, Ska Junkie said:

I'm sure I'm not the only one but, after being around in '82, I found the whole thing quite emotional tbh.

I still don't think enough was / is done for the 8.

I found it emotional too. I’ll be honest I also think that not enough was done to truly recognise the selfless sacrifice that the 8 made.

I get that loads lost money when the club failed. I get the argument that there’s no legal obligation to make things right. I get the argument that some might have since been declared bankrupt and that support might not have been easily possible. I get that some had testimonials - I met George Best and Chris Garland in what was then George’s Bookshop on Park Street.

Someone once said to me that a pat on the back and the Pope’s bollocks shared something in common. Both were worthless.

Yesterday’s “celebration” felt a bit like that to me……

[Davefevs]

29 minutes ago, TomF said:

Someone send it to Peter Jackson so we can watch it in full HD colour 

I did that first time around

6 minutes ago, BigAl&Toby said:

I found it emotional too. I’ll be honest I also think that not enough was done to truly recognise the selfless sacrifice that the 8 made.

I get that loads lost money when the club failed. I get the argument that there’s no legal obligation to make things right. I get the argument that some might have since been declared bankrupt and that support might not have been easily possible. I get that some had testimonials - I met George Best and Chris Garland in what was then George’s Bookshop on Park Street.

Someone once said to me that a pat on the back and the Pope’s bollocks shared something in common. Both were worthless.

Yesterday’s “celebration” felt a bit like that to me……

Me too. I took my dad (80) yesterday, so it took me back to standing on his toolbox in the away end with my bruv.  Was nice for him to be with me and Joe.

[myol'man]

2 hours ago, Red Army 75 said:

Who was there . Beauty 

Yep, there behind the goal next to pillar 4.

Shilton shaking his head as he picked it out of the net 

[Red Army 75]

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

I did that first time around

Me too. I took my dad (80) yesterday, so it took me back to standing on his toolbox in the away end with my bruv.  Was nice for him to be with me and Joe.

Can’t beat football for creating memories. I have more memories of Bristol City than anything else. 

[bcfc01]

2 minutes ago, BigAl&Toby said:

I found it emotional too. I’ll be honest I also think that not enough was done to truly recognise the selfless sacrifice that the 8 made.

I get that loads lost money when the club failed. I get the argument that there’s no legal obligation to make things right. I get the argument that some might have since been declared bankrupt and that support might not have been easily possible. I get that some had testimonials - I met George Best and Chris Garland in what was then George’s Bookshop on Park Street.

Someone once said to me that a pat on the back and the Pope’s bollocks shared something in common. Both were worthless.

Yesterday’s “celebration” felt a bit like that to me……

I felt the same way.

But hearing the words of Geoff Merrick and others from the 8 (a couple saying its been up amongst the best few days of their lives), it occurred to me that its all about them and if they can overcome the invidious position it put them in at the time, get rid of the sour taste it left in their mouths, and get over any bitterness that may linger, then the commemoration is all good and lets leave it at that.

Sounds like a great deal of effort was put into it by people inside and outside the club so well done them.

 

[Nickybee]

7 hours ago, TomF said:

 

Thanks for sharing. I was lucky enough to be there - Block F of the Dolman at that time. 

Apologies if this has been mentioned elsewhere on this thread or another one, but I can remember back in ‘82 wondering who I was going to follow if City weren’t around .

I didn’t (and still don’t) know if it would have been possible for City to have ‘started again’ at that time like one of the ‘phoenix’ clubs of today. 

What I will say is that those 8 people did something that meant so much to so many people and that would have affected their lives at the time - of course there have been ups & downs since but at least we’ve been able to experience those - I’m truly grateful for what they did and it mustn’t be forgotten. 

[shahanshahan]

Video just released by the club, from just before kick off
 

 

[Banjo Island]

20 minutes ago, shahanshahan said:

Video just released by the club, from just before kick off
 

 

tremedous how i love this football club thank you the 8 legends

[Cardy]

Apologies if this has already been asked & answered however I have been wondering what the score is with Jimmy Mann & / or his family not part taking in the the Ashton 8 celebrations? Is there a specific reason for this?

It seems to have been brushed over somewhat by the club but there is one pic of the Ashton 6 plus I assume Chris Garland’s son in the changing room holding their shirts up whilst the Mann shirt is just left on the peg. All a bit sad really.

[Simon bristol]

On 20/02/2022 at 16:52, Davefevs said:

I did that first time around

Me too. I took my dad (80) yesterday, so it took me back to standing on his toolbox in the away end with my bruv.  Was nice for him to be with me and Joe.

Fevs. I wasnt old enough to attend until the mid 80s, but obviously the story of the 8 is well known…. Ive always been a little confused about the role played by the 8 in the successive relegations,, were they all key members of the squad who went from 1st division to 4th? Did any of them, as free agents, go back up the leagues?

 

[eardun]

39 minutes ago, Cardy said:

 

Apologies if this has already been asked & answered however I have been wondering what the score is with Jimmy Mann & / or his family not part taking in the the Ashton 8 celebrations? Is there a specific reason for this?

It seems to have been brushed over somewhat by the club but there is one pic of the Ashton 6 plus I assume Chris Garland’s son in the changing room holding their shirts up whilst the Mann shirt is just left on the peg. All a bit sad really.

I saw this on twitter so it’s certainly been recognised by the Mann family.

 

[ralphindevon]

1 hour ago, Cardy said:

 

Apologies if this has already been asked & answered however I have been wondering what the score is with Jimmy Mann & / or his family not part taking in the the Ashton 8 celebrations? Is there a specific reason for this?

It seems to have been brushed over somewhat by the club but there is one pic of the Ashton 6 plus I assume Chris Garland’s son in the changing room holding their shirts up whilst the Mann shirt is just left on the peg. All a bit sad really.

Edit: these are his words from the end of an recent interview.

“I won’t be at the reunion. I was struggling with it all and it wasn’t doing my health any good so I won’t be there, I’m afraid. I’ll apologise to the supporters and players and that and there are things... well I’m not going to discuss them but I’ve had a bad time, if you know what I mean. It’s difficult.”

A great shame but I respect his decision and hope he’s ok. I’ll never forget as a 14 year old in the east end that goal he scored against Shilton, nor the consistent performances throughout his time with us. 

Edited February 21, 2022 by ralphindevon

[ralphindevon]

Just been catching up on all the clubs social media videos and photos they e been posting today.

We like a good moan at the club at times but that weekend was very special, well done Scott Davidson and all involved.

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, Simon bristol said:

Fevs. I wasnt old enough to attend until the mid 80s, but obviously the story of the 8 is well known…. Ive always been a little confused about the role played by the 8 in the successive relegations,, were they all key members of the squad who went from 1st division to 4th? Did any of them, as free agents, go back up the leagues?

 

No, in virtually all cases their careers petered out.  Poor old Trev Tainton ended up suffering having to play half a dozen games in the same team as me!!!

Id have to look it all up, I know Sweeney went to York, Trev to Torquay with Rodgers, Merrick to Hong Kong, think Mann might’ve gone to somewhere like Barnsley.  Others will rattle it off for you.

[slartibartfast]

Haven't read the whole thread, but did Chrissy G attend, couldn't pick him out on the film , cheers 

[Davefevs]

4 minutes ago, slartibartfast said:

Haven't read the whole thread, but did Chrissy G attend, couldn't pick him out on the film , cheers 

No, his son Adam did.  Believe he isn’t in the best of health.

[ralphindevon]

4 minutes ago, slartibartfast said:

Haven't read the whole thread, but did Chrissy G attend, couldn't pick him out on the film , cheers 

No, I don’t think he’s been in good health for years. He was represented by his son.

Jimmy was represented on the day by Tom Ritchie

[Simon bristol]

21 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

No, in virtually all cases their careers petered out.  Poor old Trev Tainton ended up suffering having to play half a dozen games in the same team as me!!!

Id have to look it all up, I know Sweeney went to York, Trev to Torquay with Rodgers, Merrick to Hong Kong, think Mann might’ve gone to somewhere like Barnsley.  Others will rattle it off for you.

Thanks,, how instrumental were they in the successive relegations? Is it fair to say At least some of these players were part of a squad with one of the worst records ever in english football?

[Davefevs]

3 minutes ago, Simon bristol said:

Thanks,, how instrumental were they in the successive relegations? Is it fair to say At least some of these players were part of a squad with one of the worst records ever in english football?

I think key players losses like Gow….then Harford etc, together with the players getting older had an affect.

@Curr Avon can you add more?

[Simon bristol]

38 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I think key players losses like Gow….then Harford etc, together with the players getting older had an affect.

@Curr Avon can you add more?

Cool, if this was our current squad that got us relegated to league 2, the level of animosity towards them would be unbelievable, yet thats not how the 8 are remembered.

I understand the levels of salary arent the same as now, but they were still making a good living, yet some of them, in some form, must have been horrifically underperforming? 
 

im trying to get some idea of whose responsibility it was that the collapse was that bad.

[eardun]

48 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I think key players losses like Gow….then Harford etc, together with the players getting older had an affect.

@Curr Avon can you add more?

Even though I loved watching him, I never quite understood how we managed to sign Harford given our financial position - and in Division 3 by that stage. That World in Action documentary on the other thread seems to ask the same question. If wiki is to be believed we signed him for £160k in Aug 81 and sold him 7 months later in March 82 for £100k. Further evidence of the financial mismanagement, I guess.