Kid in the Riot

Bit early to judge Lampard overall for me. Did a decent job at Derby, albeit we now know they were spending beyond their means. I thought he did ok at Chelsea too, bringing through young players in what was a transition period for the club. Then at Everton, he kept them up last season tbf. They've been a shower this season, but then they have for a few years now. Experienced, well-regarded managers have gone in there and failed too. Next job is a big one for him though. May well have to go abroad or drop down to the C'ship, but he'll definitely get another one.

I didn't say it guaranteed 14th place, did I? Quite the opposite, I highlighted most City managers over the years seem to have achieved finishes lower than where our wage bill has been, this current one included. There is a broad correlation though, as you say. It's just curious that there seems to be a bit of revisionism regards that season, though I suspect that relates to form from Jan onwards and what has happened since. Obviously agree on the importance of having a well run club which spends its income well. Not having a CEO signing players the manager doesn't want always helps.

Leave it babe its not worth it its jus virtue signaling bollox innums

Wage bill was 14th I think, so six places. Again, I'm struggling to think of other City managers in recent memory that have done similar at C'ship level...

Still comfortably our best season at the level for 10 years, though that probably says more about the club as a whole. Overachievement too, if you look at clubs' respective wage bills for that season.

Three points separating the bottom seven teams with 18 games to go... Plenty of time to get themselves out of trouble. They've good enough players to do it too.

I can see the tabloid front pages now "Football to introduce 'Woke Card' for pampered football stars"

It wasn't a slim chance at the time. If we'd beaten Derby, I think we'd have gone onto finish 6th. If that had happened we'd have only been one point behind Boro. We can also feel pretty hard done by given this was the season Derby cheated FFP.

When he was being interviewed on Radio Bristol after the match, Dan Bentley shouted out in the background "Player of the season!" Says it all really...

After the presser he was interviewed by Bunce and certainly offered no apology, in fact the opposite, he said he stood by what he said. Absolute cringe. Even if he makes an apology it sadly shows his adolescent mindset that he believes insinuating someone is gay, and that that is something they should be ashamed/embarrassed by, is acceptable.

Bill Foley has just bought Lorient so I'd have thought that signing is linked to that

Two things that quite strongly suggest this will happen soon: 1) Antoine has already agreed terms so obviously wants to go 2) The stories leaking the bids are from the Bournemouth side, meaning this is being done deliberately to put pressure on City to sell, and of course to unsettle Antoine.

Certainly not the case now. I was in hospitality for the Millwall game last season and he was doing the interview rounds, which I assume he gets paid for. It's true he's not on good terms with Lansdown though. Not just over the move to Coventry because of wage disparity at the club (he re-signed don't forget; so that was resolved to an extent), but also over monies associated with his testimonial. The long and short of it was that he basically made no money from it, and he was not best pleased.

Appleton has the same agent as Nige, the one who took to twitter a couple of weeks ago to defend Nige's record. That agent is good friends with John Percy.

Good result. Five unbeaten. Feels like a corner has been turned since the WBA home game. They are a very good side though. Tough fourth round match, but Chesterfield showed that they are fallible.

Interesting to see Swans haven't gone full strength, and a relief to see Joe Allen on the bench who ran most of the first half in the game at AG. Looks like a good opportunity, COYR

Had an email saying I didn't get any tickets for the fifth Ashes Test at the Oval the other day. It said 1.3m people had applied for the ballot! Crazy numbers

Sure we'll go with a strong line-up again. Tactics fairly straightforward. Keep well-organised for the first half, no mistakes, and let Swansea pass themselves to sleep. Then open the game up second half and beat them.

Pretty much nailed it ?

It's completely bonkers. They spent quarter of a billion pounds in the summer, the most any club in the world has ever spent in a transfer window. Now, halfway through January, their season's spend is already up to nearly £400m. On the back of 40k crowds. FFP, my arse.

Given we are talking about opposition supporters literally being in different stands, I struggle to see how they could object. Rival fans are often separated by a line of stewards up and down the country.

It can be both. The intention is to create an atmosphere, and that is easier to do if you are closer to opposition fans. We visit Reading, Coventry, WBA, Cardiff etc with home singing sections right by us - why should Ashton Gate be any different?

Correct. Bedminster cricket club don't even own the ground, though I think they have it on a long lease.

Oh yeah? When was that then? 70s? 80s? 90s? Fan behaviour was exemplarily back then, of course...

Better agent than Jermaine Jenas.