Steve Watts

3 times:

West Brom

Twice:

Leeds,

Huddersfield,

Sheffield Wednesday,

Ipswich

And they say variety is the spice of life apparently....!

I'd be adding Andy King to that list but have accepted the fact that we won't.  Mr dependable whenever called upon and experience in droves.

No.

And too bloody right.  Should be an absolute top priority.  For me, currently player of the season by a country mile.

Edit: To clarify, I was responding to both your points, not saying it was too bloody right that we hadn't offered him a contract!!!

35 minutes ago, italian dave said:

Tom Tom. Same up to A453, but then it suggested a delay ahead and a quicker route, and it felt like we were doing the equivalent of the Chew Valley and Dundry to get to South Bristol! I’ve been to Forest loads of times and never this way.

We even went through a place called Bunny.

Journey home was great. We did the M6/M5 to avoid the closure, and got back to Portishead bang on 1.00. 

Did you stop for a play, boy...?

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

Went into hooters, quality in there as usual but unfortunately I did miss the 1st few mins of the game due to going to the wrong entrance and then having to walk all the way around the houses etc. 

Missed the start of the game because you went into the "wrong entrance" at Hooters?  Sounds like a great reason to miss the start to be honest!

I'm a fan of VAR. Although weve had a few games with VAR in the past there has never really been much for it to do. They really need to sort out communication with the fans. You don't know what's being checked, whats not, why it hasnt etc. Kinda leaves you feeling like your in limbo. 

In fairness the screen did say what it was checking for - possible foul, possible handball etc.  I wonder if it would be better if the angle used to make the final decision was shown on the scoreboard.  

1 hour ago, Glasgow Red said:

Fair point. And to be clear at no point was I asked to be searched or anything. I think at that point it would have become a privacy issue

Well said Sir. This articualtes the point perfectly. As someone that never does anything illegal it feels totally gross and unfair to be treated in that way by the state. Its a targetted attack on football fans. I spent many a night out in places full of people that do drugs and get in fights and break the law and not once seen a dog.

But you're not "treated in that way" by the state because of a desire to erode civil liberties....you're "treated in that way" because of the idiots who do do something illegal.  I would respectfully suggest your annoyance is aimed in the wrong direction.  If it wasn't for coked up, tanked up bell-ends then the police and dogs wouldn't be seen as required. To me, that's the biggest problem in society.  No accountability levelled at our peers (i.e. general citizens) and instead being aimed at the public services.

* the reason for the inverted commas is that I don't actually understand in what way you feel you were treated...you've admitted that at no time did anyone ask to search you, so it seems the treatment was in having a dog sniff around near where you were?  

Out sang Forest all night, but that's not difficult when you only hear them once every 15/20 minutes though.  Dreadful home crowd.  Even we put it to shame.

Played very well overall and could have won it, but then equally also could've lost it.  They got in behind us on the right an awful lot in the first half especially, but I don't really blame McCrorie solely for that - as always he was left horribly exposed by Mehmeti's inability/unwillingness/lack of instructions to track back in support.

Max pulled off some very good saves, but still needs to start commanding his 6 yard box.

I thought Williams - once again - was outstanding on the night.  Absolutely controlled central midfield all night.  Joe absolutely needs a new deal and failure to have those discussions and have them now would constitute gross negligence on the clubs part.  Arguably the player of the season, he's proven that his injury woes are behind him and he can cope with Sat-Wed-Sat workload.  Genuinely don't know what else he needs to do.

Special mention also to Andy King.  He and Williams controlled central midfield for large parts of the match and if only that shot had gone in it would have been nothing more than he deserved.

Sammy had a cracker of a game as well.  Especially considering he spent most of it in the unfamiliar wing back role.  Such a shame he missed, but I kinda thought he would when he only gave himself a 3 step run up.  I hate pens like that.  He should absolutely hold his head high though after the preceding 120 minutes.

3 hours ago, Yozzarian said:

Just a small post as after seeing it this morning on Sky Sports News, I'm filled with admiration. At the age of 73, Oldham's Chairman is rowing solo across the Atlantic to raise money for Alzheimers. He's 2 months in and has capsized three times. His motto, 'If you can do something to help people, do it.' He has a Just Giving page apparently.

 

What should Jon do I wonder?

Keep rowing

On 03/02/2024 at 09:10, Southport Red said:

Just got a sneak peek at Rovers’ new stand. 

I can see where you're getting confused....  but their stands have tears, not tiers.

Ah....it must be that time of the year again.  This story is as traditional as a Bond movie on a Bank Holiday.

2 hours ago, Oh Louie louie said:

Make that 8 with tony dining, blimey have enough for a team at this rate..

Dinning was a fantastic signing at the time in fairness.  He was superb during his loan spell and we were all clamouring for his permanent signing.  Little were we to know that after signing the contract instead of downing the pen, he downed tools.

Still....we as a fanbase have learned from this and always approach turning excellent loans into permanent moves with much trepidation....*cough* Tomlin *cough*

2 hours ago, Silvio Dante said:

(Been looking for a reason to use that title for a while).

Was looking at the Oxford forum this morning - interestingly enough they’re having the same debate as seems to be on here, but also have the added piece of a Des Buckingham stay/go poll (and he’s been in place shorter than Liam!). Mentally, he hasn’t even had an assistant to date.

https://yellowsforum.co.uk/threads/des-buckingham.10056/page-98

Its quite interesting to read through - it wasn’t totally helpful (although was in part) not long after Liam left Oxford as it was a bit raw for them but now there are a few cooler heads on his reign and there is a lot of comparative between him and Buckingham style wise, circumstance wise. 

Just a bit to read from the angle of having lost Manning and see what you’ve lost as opposed to what you’ve gained in the appointment

 

Apt that you've used a Vampire Weekend song about Mannings reign. Our weekends suck too.

Regardless of formation

Regardless of form

Regardless of personnel available

This past 18 games has had the odd flash, but overall has been the most bored I have ever been, watching us, in over 40 years of going down there.  That is wholly down to the manager and the style of football we are watching.  Will I continue to go? Yes.  Will I renew my season ticket? Yes.  Is it because I believe it will improve? Nope.  Is it because I hope it will? Yep.  And I think that's what most City fans keep doing it for.  We just hope it will get better and bring us some success and/or entertainment.  But as always, it's the hope that kills you...

The trouble is that the cup run has brought more punters through the door which no doubt the board are patting themselves on the back for and thinking that more and more Bristolians are lapping it up.  The reality is, as soon as this cup run ends, the gates will go south fast...because there is nothing entertaining going on down there whatsoever.  

I genuinely don't recall being this disillusioned by things at the Gate.  I include the Pulis and Osman era's.  During those era's we were poor, but this is just mind numbingly dull. 

1 hour ago, JAWS said:

Just checked and it was 4-1 v Crewe. After that we only won 2 out of the last 7 including that horrible night at Twerton, which was the rearranged game after they threw the original fixture earlier in the year! 

Other fond Bob memories being Swansea & Fulham away

 

Pretty sure the earlier match was postponed because saying boneheads decided to set fire to the stadium. We'd have beaten them off played on the original day, so I blame the bell ends with the lighters. 

1 hour ago, Shauntaylor85 said:

It’s Sean O’Driscoll, the press conferences are a similar bore but good to send you to sleep. 

Why was Nigel removed from the programme tonight? He was due to be on Sky? 

They're worse imho. SOD was at least an interesting read but certainly did not have a voice made for radio.

Manning on the other hand should come with a safety warning not to drive or operate heavy machinery whilst listening to him. His interviews are as exciting as his style of play.

On 27/01/2024 at 20:11, petehinton said:

I do wonder how much of that is due to the fact that the O’Neills supply is so poor, or in some cases so poorly sold I.e the awful vests and coaches wear, that they have to put out Bears stuff so that the shop isn’t basically half empty. 

There is nothing wrong with the supply.  It's all down to the club shop.

I went in there for last minute Christmas presents and asked the woman on the till (turns out could have been the manager) if they'd had any surprise stock arrive.  When she asked what I meant by "surprise", I clarified surprise as any kit related items as I'd not been able to get my little un a full home, away or third kit this year.  The response was staggering....so much so I need to put it on a separate line just to ensure it stands out!

They would not be getting any more kit in at all, because, I shit you not, they "didn't expect it all to sell as well as it did, and so the shop didn't want to order another load in in case it didn't sell, thereby undoing all the hard work on the initial run"!!!!

This is in the run up to Christmas.  For stock that had been limited in numbers initially anyway!  When I questioned why they wouldn't get a shipment of a high selling product in for the busiest shopping period of the year the response was that they were still learning the best way to do it!!!  It's ******* retail 101!  I kept forgetting to mention the conversation on here, so when I saw your comment Pete it provided the ideal place for it!

The retail arm of the business reeks of gross incompetence. 

How about Hartlepool? Asking for a friend....

10 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

The logic is this. Fans form an opinion on a player early and then don’t want to be proved wrong so they give that player a hard time in a desperate bid to be proved correct. 

*cough*Zak Vyner*cough*

There are no doubt countless other examples of fans being very open to being proved wrong, or at least having their opinions changed, on players.

9 hours ago, Davefevs said:

Or….

evaluate performance in each game, comment on that and also hold an overall opinion.

Tonight he cost us with a bad error for their equaliser.

Last week he was decent v Forest

etc

Overall, he’s a decent enough Champ keeper.

(all imho)

 

I'd argue that he could have come out to claim the cross on the first equaliser as well.  It came right across the edge of his six yard box at a very decent height for him, but he was rooted to his line.  Command of the 6 yare box is one of his biggest weaknesses, and leads to many of the "top drawer saves" he makes that he shouldn't have to.

George Tanner is a prime example of what Max needs if we aren't to automatically replace him.  Competition.  Georges form has markedly improved with the return to fitness of Ross McCrorie, to the level that Manning has had to find a way to get them both into the team.

I'll buck the trend here.  I agreed a dreadful decision until I saw this angle.  Looks to me by his body shape and the positioning of his legs that he's preparing to go down.  There's no attempt to ride the challenge.  Instead he's brought both of his legs together and planted them to ensure the contact.  My guess is that this is the angle that left the VAR refs unconvinced that it was a clear and obvious error.  (That, and the obvious brown envelope will have helped as well I suppose!)

22 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

I wonder if he'll be in the frame for the Charlton job...

I was about to say the very same thing.  He'd be a good fit for them....whether or not they'd be a good fit for him though is another matter.  Seem to be a bit of a basket case of a club at the moment.

21 hours ago, harvey54 said:

Aren't they called 'murials' in Brizzle? 

You see, I did put "murials" first, but then changed it because I wasn't sure if people would get it or just think I'm an illiterate sod!!!

23 hours ago, phantom said:

Hi @Steve Watts

Just to let you know that the club were already aware of this error and they are in the process of arranging for it to be corrected

Thanks buddy....I won't hold my breath seeing as I made them aware of it during one of the socially distanced ground tours during the pandemic! 

Appreciate the update though.

7 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

Some of them are claiming that the club have paid well in excess of Conteh's release fee. Seems a bit strange if so, was there really that much competition for this bloke?

We know they don't get on well when it comes to release fees, mind.

I find the Academy thing quite sad really.  Compared to some of its neighbours, Kuwait have actually not fared too badly in terms of Human Rights violations.... 

......And then this happens to undo all that hard work!

Just now, mattjb said:

Chracter building? Maybe they are looking to rival John Deere in agricultural machinery? 

I can't read, and I can't write

But that don't really matter

Cos I'm a Bristol Rovers fan

And I can build my chracter!