BrizzleRed

55 minutes ago, The Happy Farmer said:

Just got my new s t ordered as I have said before I am a fan so I go and support my club fine if you do not but do not mock other fans for not being loyal

It wouldn’t have done any harm to make them sweat on it until nearer to the deadline though.  That’s one of the few options left to us fans to make a protest about the current shambles.

38 minutes ago, AshtonGreat said:

Can you blame me? At the moment, all you hear is how amazing he was 

In comparison to the current chump, he was!!!

45 minutes ago, Mad Cyril said:

Due to stretched finances, I have to make a choice between renewing my ticket at City or renewing my Gentleman's subscription at Hot_Thai_Escorts.com.

I have just found out that Taeng-Mai isn't the beautiful lady she said she was, but is a Derek from Barnsley.

On reflection, I am likely to opt for the escort service over City, as the product is closer to that advertised.

Don’t ever stop posting MC, as you’re always worth a good laugh, however poor the City are

17 minutes ago, Redandproud said:

Then when there's a Legends match being played he's in it. He'll always be a Legend to most of us, 

Fair enough that’s your view.  

For me, when self-serving backstabbers become legends, that indicates the title legend needs redefining in the dictionary.

7 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

@Moulin Rougier and @ExiledAjax - yes, I think you’re right in terms of ceiling / how far.  I guess I’d rather get a new manager in place, build something on the pitch that might give time for the ownership situation to resolve itself.

The conundrum is, what are the chances of this shower actually identifying, or even wanting that right manager, let alone convincing them to come here under the current regime?

It feels like we’re in a real catch 22 situation right now and the only way it appears that can be broken is if the man at the top decides to finally sell up.

7 hours ago, BS15_RED said:

100% this, SL has used our club as an extension of his ego for years, crap decisions, wanting people who’re best for him and not the club. Massively over estimating his own knowledge of football and treating the clubs loyal fans as peasants who to him are contemptible.

I’ve been worried about the club being bought by foreign investors who’d ruin it, but now I realise that SL and his “circle of trust” are doing a damn good job of that. People will point to his investment, but it’s his atrocious decisions that have led to him having to invest millions. 
 

 

Great post

Can also add, some of SL’s ‘investments’ are actually loans.  

If he actually wants those loans repaid, this could well be what’s frightening off potential new owners, if it’s inflating the asking price to the point where we don’t make financial sense to invest.

3 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

Our plan is better than any of the plans LM has come up with! 

I do often wonder what the players say between themselves in their WhatsApp groups etc. 

I’d put money onthe WhatsApp being far more entertaining than our football.

We can clearly see the problems from the stands, so can only guess how the players must be feeling.

4 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

I suggest that we give the players two weeks off then. 

Sounds like a plan!  

Either that or give players the opportunity to have a couple of weeks to come up with some ideas themselves, as I can’t see that being as bad as what we’re currently witnessing!!!

42 minutes ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

I hope not. I hope we're having 2 weeks of intense on the grass training.

We really cant be risking the players becoming deconditioned during the international break*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Note the sarcasm

….. we’ve seen how far backwards he can take us with just a week of on the grass training, so I shudder to think what he’ll do with 2 weeks

1 minute ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

He's still worth £1.2bn. We could play to an empty stadium and he can still make money elsewhere faster than he'd lose it on BCFC.

It's the ego that will be hit, not the pocket.

 

That’ll do for me, as long as the arrogant b*stard gets the message, one way or the other!

5 hours ago, The Constant Rabbit said:

Don't renew your season ticket until they are dismissed.

 

No-one will take your seat, as I'm pretty sure there won't be a queue to watch another year of this rubbish!

 

Make SL take notice.

 

The only way he will be forced to act is if people DO NOT RENEW until those two are sacked.

 

I guarantee you if only 4-5000 people renew in the first month after tix go on sale, SL will show both of them the door.

 

What's it come to - we used to gather in the players car park and surround the staff entrance, vent our feelings and force all of them to listen. Chanted at matches for change. The paper and radio would be swamped.

 

I get that times change - so apparently the only thing Stephen Lansdown will react to is a hit to his back pocket.

 

So don't renew.

 

 

 

 

I was discussing on here a while ago that although I was totally pissed off with how things are at the club, I didn’t want to risk losing my seat by not renewing.

My mindset is now changing.  It’s like when a relationship and trust has totally broken down …… would you still want to be with that person??

As Lansdown senior is the one pulling all the strings and has virtually made himself part of the club, I’m feeling like my relationship with the club is breaking down, in the same way as a relationship with a person can.

I’ve got no urge to renew for next season as it stands and if nothing changes by renewal deadline day, that’ll be me out for next year.

If Lansdown wants to totally destroy his expensive toy, I sure as hell don’t want to be supporting and witnessing that happening.

If enough of us hit him in the pocket, let’s hope that brings him to his senses and in the best case scenario, he sells up and ***** off.  I just can’t see a situation where I’ll ever trust him again.

1 hour ago, Robbored said:

The current situation isn’t anywhere near as bad as it’s been over the decades. I compare things to when City fell down the divisions in the early 80s to the point where attendance were as low as 5-6k. The times back then were truly grim. I remember one attendance of around 4K. 

Since the arrival of Davidson and then Lansdown the club gradually recovered and have become an established Championship club.

However expectations have now become more demanding and the owners and us fans all want the same thing - a successful club that we can be proud of and to become established in the PL . Everything in place. A decent stadium, the new training facilities at the HPC but getting there is the hard part as we all know. 

The current unrest is largely down to getting rid of Nige and the flimsy explanation given and then the appointment of Manning who many of us had never heard of. That said despite him looking out of his depth at Championship level we have to get behind him and hope that one more win or three draws will guarantee survival - I doubt it’ll come on Friday tho.

Another three points and we can truly relax and see what happens in the summer window followed by a full preseason going in to the next campaign. Manning won’t be able to whinge about “no time on the grass’ after preseason.

Lets see this disappointing season out and go into the next campaign with more optimism.

 

Come on, you don’t really believe that, do you???

Sure, that’s what the fans want, but Lansdown has consistently shown that aiming for the Premier League is the last thing on his mind.  

That would involve far too much investment and he’d rather just chug along in the Championship and being a feeder club for the likes of Bournemouth to bring in the occasional transfer fees.

I’m sure he’d want us performing better and probably flirting with the play off places, but I reckon he’d shit himself if it looked like there was a serious chance of us actually going up.

I’ve completely lost trust in Lansdown as an owner who only wants the best for this club.

1 hour ago, Dastardly and Muttley said:

Because Robins is a good manager who’s been allowed time. Wonder where NP would have had us after 7 years.

So true.  

Being patient and giving a manager time only works when you’ve got a good one to start with.  A poor manager is unlikely to get better, regardless of how long you give them, so the skill is knowing when to stick or twist.  

Unfortunately under SL’s tenure, he’s consistantly demonstrated a habit of backing and sacking the wrong ones.

It’s ironic that Coventry looked a basket case a few years back under SISU, but look at them now.  It certainly makes you realise what a total mess Lansdown has turned us into.

5 hours ago, Edgy Red said:

I respect your posts Mr P so i will respond. As i said, i have no idea how Mannings tenure will pan out, but the huge negativity that is currently engulfing the club does not help anyone, most of all the management and players inside a toxic Ashton Gate.

Manning isn't stupid and he will know what he signed up for after Pearson was dismissed. I just feel he deserves some time.

I fully appreciate that i'm swimming against the tide with my thoughts, but i have been supporting the club for 40 years and i have seen many more downs than ups.

I just wish we could all get behind the team because it really can make a difference.

 

The problem is, what you are talking about is miguided loyalty imho.

I’ve been supporting this club for 60 years and have seen us with far worse squads of players in that time, but that isn’t our problem.

What’s killing us is the absolute shitshow behind the scenes and I’ve never witnessed anything as bad at the club before.

From the ridiculous sacking of NP and his team, the couldn’t give a **** anymore owner, totally incompetant Chairman, over promoted, arse kissing Technical Director and painfully out of his depth, robotic Head Coach and horrendous run of form and performance on the pitch, is it any wonder there’s ‘huge negativity’ on here??

As supporters, there’s a time to support the team and other times when the best action for the supporters is fire a massive rocket at the people behind the scenes who are responsible for dragging this club right down the crapper.

Happy clapping really doesn’t help in our current position imho and just prolongs the agony and damage.

14 minutes ago, The Humble Realist said:

Am I alone in thinking I'm in the silent majority that are pretty fed up with the current situation, unhappy at how the Pearson situation was handled BUT completely willing to wait til next season to judge manning (where he WILL be judged from game 1 onwards)?

Theres a lot of noise about manning out etc but do most fans feel like me ?

Not looking to knock anyones opinion (2024 has been dreadful and masked from looking even worse by the FA cup), just sometimes the loudest voices portray a larger sentiment than the reality. 

 

All I would say is, what have you seen in Manning so far that makes you think he’s got what it takes to turn things round next season? 

I’m getting increasingly alarmed at the possibilty of him still being here at the start of next season and the long-term damage he’s doing to this club the longer he’s here.  He already seems to have undone much of the good work done by NP and his team.

This appointment is looking like the biggest bollock dropped by SL during his ownership …. and there’s been a lot of those to choose from!

I think it’s time for people to hold their hands up and admit they got this appointment horrifically wrong.

I really hope the broken clock scenario is at play here, and this is one of the very rare occasions that Roy DeAlien gets one right

1 minute ago, View from the Dolman said:

Roy speaks... 

 

Nah our Liam’s safe ….. we beat Southampton you know!!!

On 14/03/2024 at 00:12, Mr Popodopolous said:

Would that be signed off by the relevant bodies and how long would it take?

Agree in principle a whole standing end or the top half /2/3 minimum would be desirable. However are there limits, what considerations etc.

All 'Safe Standing' areas need sign off from the relevant bodies.

Secondly, I don't know if it still holds but at one point unreserved meant the risk of a 10% capacity reduction in said area.

Multiple searches suggest unreserved still=<10% as recently as 2022-23. Maybe it's changed since who knows.

I’ve been thinking similar for a while.  My seat is near the back of the SS, so would certainly come into the safe standing area and I would happily stand if it was introduced.

It would be a bit of hassle to sort out, but maybe the club could survey the ST holders in the SS and offer seat moves/ exchanges within the stand to supporters to either move to, or from the standing/seated areas.  This could be done prior to the normal season ticket renewal date.

No change is without problems, but hopefully it could be done to please as many fans as possible.  I just don’t think the club really care about safe standing and any potential improvement in atmosphere though, so I’ll be pleasantly surprised if they put any effort into this.

2 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

The data is the data and no one is trying to “convey” anything. It’s just data that speaks for itself.

That’s a matter of opinion and for me, it depends where the data came from and if there’s a vested interest in how that data is interpreted.   For instance, would you believe all the data put out by the government at the moment, as I sure as hell wouldn’t?!

Your experience in your “large network” does not trump that information - and it is frankly beyond ridiculous that you are still defending the notion that it is no harder to buy a home now than it was in the past.

That “large network” genuinely was a large network, as both my kids were heavily involved in a very large national youth association and are still in regular contact with many of those people, both locally and nationally.  

We differ in that you’re quoting me data, whilst I’m relating real life experiences and I’m sure both have their merits.

We’ve both made our points and it seems sensible to agree to differ.  

You could discuss this to death, but this is a football forum after all and I’m sure people would much rather be discussing football, rather than seeing us arguing the toss over the differences between buying a house 50 years ago and buying one now!

31 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Housing being more expensive today relative to earnings isn’t merely a “narrative”, it is born out in the facts that you are continually ignoring when presented to you.

Just because your kids were fortunate enough to buy a house doesn’t make the overall picture any less true - and that overall picture is that house prices have consistently risen well ahead of wages, and therefore priced more and more people out of home ownership.

You keep talking about demand but you’re forgetting the other crucial variable - supply. There is a shortage of housing in this country that keeps prices high. We have seen fluctuations around the pandemic and the Truss budget, but the lack of supply has prevented prices falling substantially, and to a more reasonable level.

It’s all very well presenting as many figures and as much data as you like, but its relevance comes down to who’s compiled the figures and data and the message they are trying to convey.  If you want to see how data can be misinterpreted, look no further than Liam Manning!

As I clearly stated, it’s not just my own kids, but the large majority of their similar aged friends who also own their homes.  That isn’t a handfull of people, but quite a large network.  That isn’t just my opinion, it’s actual FACT and being “fortunate enough to own their own house” doesn’t enter into it and is a pretty presumptous comment on your part tbh.

These people aren’t from privilaged backgrounds either, so are very reflective of their generation and prove it can be done.

38 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

I don’t really know how you work that out? Because interest rates wouldn’t have been high for all of the 25 years?

I bought my first flat in 92 for 44k, on a 14k wage. Granted interest rates were high, my payments were around £400 - £500 per month. Utilities were around £80 in total.

my niece has just bought a flat for £460k on two quite high salaries and their payments are around £1000 each for mortgage, and obviously £100s for utilities. How the hell are lower waged people, those with kids etc going to afford to buy anything these days?

I was looking into renting a flat last year, the estate agents wouldn’t consider anyone earning less than £35k a year! I’ve never earned that much in my life!

 

Yes, the house prices are incredibly high now, but historically, the prices have always  been driven by market forces.  If the demand is high, so are the prices, but if demand drops off due to the prices being too high, the house prices are then reduced to the point where demand is stimulated again. 

Maybe I’m some kind of outlier and my personal experiences are different than most, but I just don’t buy the narrative that the old ‘uns have it easy, as was mentioned by someone earlier in the thread.  Both our kids bought houses by their late 20’s and the vast majority of their circle of friends are also home owners.  

What I’ve also noticed is, whilst In my situation we had to make do with clapped out second hand stuff to try and furnish our house when we started out, nowadays there are plenty of young ones who seem to think that kind of stuff has to be new from the start, which we would have found impossible.

Home ownership was and is massively tough, whatever period you bought in and there are a huge number of factors involved, both historically and in the present day.

The bottom line is though, 1st time house prices wouldn’t be at such a high level now, if people weren’t still buying, though I guess a proportion of those buyers could be the buy-to-let’s, which could be keeping the market artificially high.

6 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Yep. I’m 40 now and feel fortunate that my wife and I were just about able to afford our first house back in 2007 - based on a joint income - and have just about managed to climb the ladder since. But it’s even worse now and just impossible for many young people today.

At the first look at those figures, it does look like those houses on the ‘90s where cheap, but that’s only half the picture isn’t it?  Interest rates have been low for a long time now, but even in the ‘90s were still pretty high.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if that £50,000 house would have really cost nearer £150,000 when you factor in the high interest rate repaid on the mortgage.  Probably not much different to now in real terms.

I certainly sympathise with the young ones now, but in truth, we’ve already been there ourselves.  House buying has always been really painful and the biggest financial committment most of us will ever have in their lives.  I think it’s safe to say it’s really tough for anyone to do, regardless of when it was tbh.

49 minutes ago, Dullmoan Tone said:

Hate to ruin your argument but it’s almost nobody pays National Insurance for 50 years - it’s almost impossible.
Even if you started work at 15 and retired at 65!

It’s not paid once you retire, or when you earn small amounts after leaving school many, many years ago as you would be below the threshold!

Yep, fair comment there DT and probably more like 45 years NI.

2 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

When you’re talking about a huge sectors of society based solely on their age, then generalisation is unavoidable and appropriate. And it is absolutely and demonstrably true that they are one of the wealthiest groups in society - see the chart below.

The “easy ride” refers to the fact that today’s pensioners are not survivors of the war. They are baby boomers. They have benefitted from affordable housing and the house price boom

Have you ever heard of inflation? House prices are relative and what may appear to be affordable housing, looking back from the present day,  certainly didn’t feel like it at the time, when you look at what people were actually earning then.  Do you also realise that interest rates on mortgage repayments reached 15% at one point, meaning you were repaying the price of your house approximately every six and a half years.  House prices are dictated by supply and demand and if people aren’t buying, the prices will reduce to a point where people start buying again.

that is so crippling for younger generations now. They could raise a family on a single income when now it takes two if you want to own a family home - and all the childcare costs that go with that.

My wife and I are in our mid 60’s and we certainly couldn’t manage on one wage.  We had to shop around at various building societies to find one who would offer enough of a mortgage using our combined wages to get the mortgage we needed, which we subsequently had to pay back several times over due to high interest rates.  We had grandparents helping out with childcare and school runs, which we’re now repaying with our grandchildren.  It’s all part of the cycle of life.

They were able to go to university for free, rather than leave with enormous debt.

Sure, some benefitted from that, but many didn’t, as there was more value given to in-job training  Many left school and went straight into apprenticeships, on piss poor money for a few years, then went into the job they’d actually trained for.  Nobody forces people go go to uni nowadays, but how many choose uni, then come out with debts and degrees for something, and then find there’s no career out there requiring that degree?  

Many of them have final salary pensions and will likely have retired younger than today’s working population.

Another massive generalisation.  SOME have final salary pensions, but there are plenty who don’t have that luxury and find themselves stuck on basic state pensions.

Yes, it is true to say that not all pensioners are wealthy and many struggle. But that is the case across all age groups. And it absolutely true - in broad terms - to say that pensioners are the wealthiest group in a society.

So in summary, I think we are in an age where people like to rewrite history and if enough young people convince themselves that current pensioners had it so easy then it must be true, when that was actually far from the truth in most cases

Payback time will come when they themselves reach pension age and the next generation of young ‘uns are telling them that THEY had it so easy!!!

33 minutes ago, ZiderEyed said:

Probably fantasy, as I kind of mentioned in my last post on this thread. 

Point regardless is that one of the wealthiest groups in our society get a pretty easy ride and mostly have done for their entire go round, whilst working people today struggle. 

Long term ST holders should definitely get a reduced fee, but not because they happen to be retirement age. It ends up being unfair and uneuitable.

 

You’re doing a lot of generalisation in labelling pensioners as ‘one of the wealthiest groups in society’ and also not sure where their ‘pretty easy ride’ has come from either.

Sure there are some who are well off, as there are people in every area of society, but there are plenty of pensioners who struggle to make ends meet, especially as many can have failing health issues to add to their problems too.

Don’t forget most pensioners have had around 50 years paying taxes and National Insurance, so aren’t exactly getting something for nothing.