NcnsBcfc

1 minute ago, petehinton said:

I live Arnos Vale side of Bris, and let me say I ******* love living there, but my god is it a bad place for a football stadium. Said on here a few times, but I frequently go down that way walking/voing to temple meads to get the train, and I genuinely couldn’t imagine many worse places for a ‘go-to’ event space. Let alone a football stadium. No pubs, no walk ways, no buses, no anything. They’re genuinely better off staying put. 

@petehinton I work on Feeder Road. The bottle necks around there are only going to get worse when the new University of Bristol Campus is built right next to where they want to build this stadium. Allied to the 3000 other student flats they are building opposite the nightclub on the corner of Cattle market Road and Feeder Road and the whole place will have to be pedestrianised soon.

The Gas are looking at the site now. Unfortunately in the next 2 years current redevelopment around Temple Meads that is being built at present (let alone a company that hasn't even put in a planning proposal) will completely change the dynamics of the area. There is a reason the Arena didn't end up there after all.

The site itself will be worth so much more money to Congyer for housing. You just know Rovers are going to get pushed out at some stage.

I think the thing for me about Wrexham is that they have to keep moving forward to remain attractive to the Social media crowd.

So far they've been able to do that in the NL and I'm sure next season they will provide further entertainment.

The difference for me will be L1 and the possibility of a mid table finish. How is that sold to the masses? They would need to keep reinventing themselves somehow to remain relevant.

The biggest draw for Wrexham is their online presence, as the town itself is a nightmare to get to and not a lot going on either.

The entertainment value is their for next season, but thereafter they will be a limit to what can be achieved in my opinion.

30 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

"Disjointed out-of-town stadium" 

Reading maps obviously not this fella's strength. 

Is this the easy access stadium that only has one small bridge access from the A4? That is due to be sited next to 3 x recycling plants, Bristol Water depot and the river. Not only that but the proposal from Congyer is for them to have a portion of the site, with the rest made up of residential and business space.

With the trainline bordering to the north as well.

How is this easy access? It's only if you get a train into Temple Meads and walk there. How many supporters are going to do that. 

If the Arena had problems right next to this site, how do they figure this sort of proposal is going to go down?

As an aside....

Does anybody know whether Rovers actually have a functioning Academy/Development set up?

My eldest has just started at the SGS Academy team under Dave Hockaday. The goalkeeping coach was with Rovers until last season and a load of the team left Rovers over the summer.

Obviously all the Academies let a large number of players go at 16 and SGS provide their Academy with the Scholarship environment to try and get them back into the Professional game (15 signed Pro contracts in last 5 years).

They play all the local teams under 18-21s (excluding us) and have beaten Swindon, Newport, Reading and Forest Green over the pre season and then CAT 1 teams in term time

SGS though rarely play Bristol Rovers as the standard they play at isn't of a sufficient level. 

22 minutes ago, cityal said:

That would still require the blue few to actually turn up in the sort of numbers that they have not witnessed for over 70 years!!

Bear in mind, at championship level, our average gates of over 20K are not really "sustainable" without a benefactor. I see no fundamental or structural reason why they would be better off in this regard, even if they were located at the fruit market.

They may claim support equal or better to ours but many years of evidence does not back this up. 

Oh, absolutely they are a tin pot club on every level.

The problem we have over our sustainability is our massive operating costs that never seem to be broken down. As @Mr Popodopolous and @Davefevs have spoken about in the past why our operating costs are £25m, when our turnover is only £26m (even before we factor in playing budgets) is beyond me. Other clubs in the championship operate on a much lower cost base. However until the club breaks down where that £25m is spent we can never take an informed stance.

in the meantime, City have their biggest average attendances in over 40 years, but still lose £20m+ per season.

For every Middle Eastern Owner success story, there are 3-4 absolute disasters.

Who knows what will happen with this potential new owner, but the Jordanian Billionaire that took them over in 2016 and is still currently in charge has hardly moved them forward at all has he?

I think any new ownership comes with it's own inherent set of risks. The proof will be in the pudding of course. Any decent owner with financial acumen will look at the current Fruit market deal on offer as a complete fools gold. 

They would look to either develop the Memorial Ground (probably by turning the pitch 180 degrees, or given the complete nightmare of getting planning permission look to get planning permission for housing (just like Lansdown has done in order to fund the Sports Village), and then use those funds to build a stadium for them that A) They will own themselves and B) Will provide them with an income stream that will make them a viable football club in the future.

If this new Kuwait guy just looks to carry on the Fruit market deal, it will demonstrate to me that like Wael they really don't have the independent financial resources to broker a better deal.

15 minutes ago, mozo said:

Literally the only detail is 'set to beat Wolves'. Nothing about an offer being tabled, let alone accepted. What is supposed to have actually happened here...?

I think the phrase "In Advanced talks" is an interesting one.

Previously it was stated about fees/bids etc.

The fact that Pete O has gone as far as to say the clubs are as per above, demonstrates that he believes that things have moved on.

No doubt James Piercy will be looking to double down on this from a local perspective if true.

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Not a penalty according to Fleming or very contentious at best.

Although we were at the other end of the ground, James got completely done for pace on the outside and took the guy out.

A clear penalty for me. Nothing dubious about it at all.

Just now, Rob k said:

Agree totally, i thought he looked a decent player. I also thought Araoye looks like he’s going to be a good player too 

He is a unit isn't he? Very good touch, and of course a natural LCB. Certainly no way back for Idehen now is there really?

Normally reserve judgement on a player until I see then live and today was the first chance with the Cheltenham game.

Got to say very impressed with Roberts. Technically excellent close control, ability to turn a player, pace and delivery on crosses. Not to mention he very rarely gave the ball away.

Still Pring for me in the LB spot and probably Bell on the left wing, but I really enjoyed watching him today. We certainly have recruited a very good footballer.

Also a shout out for Knight. Very busy around the centre of the park and quite decent in the air for a smaller guy. Not sure I can't really see James/Williams and Knight playing in a three if Scott was to depart though. Still has that look of lack of goals and creativity from the centre, early days though of course.

Great additions to squad depth.

Conway taken a bit of a knock qne coming off now. A few injuries/knocks to deal with at the moment.

Good finish by Tanner to be fair 

Just picked up Chelts tickets off Jerry.

He said over 4500 out of 14.5k STs have requested physical STs.

By comparison Liverpool have over 38k STs and have only had requests for 800 physical ones.

Obviously going to take some time now to get it all sorted.

It's fair to say we don't like change in Bristol...

Great move for Seb.

A decent well run L2 club (there are a load of cluster##### in that division)

On 02/08/2022 at 20:58, otib118 said:

NTT20 is by far the best for me, very clued up on championship and throughout the EFL, they put a lot of work in and to be fair to them it shows

Yep, excellent research and background knowledge from the pair. To the extent that Sky obviously invite them in to do their Top 21s production on an annual basis.

I personally think the comment about it "being a step back", may well be around the fact that he couldn't be guaranteed to be our first choice left back (that would be Pring).

It's unlikely that we would also be utilising a LWB in the early months of the season, so there was a distinct possibility that JB might well have been spending a significant part of the time on our bench.

With that in mind, was he willing to accept that, or did he want to be playing for a team in which he would normally be in the starting 11? Originally he wanted that and to stay abroad. When that didn't transpire, Millwall obviously came to him with a deal which suited his playing aspirations and financially it made sense. 

No issue here for me, a good player; but I also like the look of Roberts down the left. Pring was also for me the standout most improved player at the club last season, so a nailed on started at LB. 

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

Percy

You do get the feeling that clubs are starting to think "We're arguing the toss over losing a real talent for the sake of £2m or so"

Are clubs really willing to take that chance? A young player with real sell on value as well to one of the big 6 clubs in due course.

So many upsides to this sort of transfer for them.

Good if we can keep as many clubs interested in him as possible.

I sense a good old bidding war brewing 

So much better than just one club meeting the club's valuation, we can drive the agenda over payment terms to our benefit, rather than the buying club.

I see the Gas have got yet another penalty again.

Obviously they've been using this training video down the quarters.

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

Where we’ve just sent Zak Bell

New ownership now of course (Chairman seems a decent bloke)

Seb needs to be playing higher than Step 1 or Step 2 for me.

Really happy for Seb getting this new deal.

Hopefully he can get a decent league loan at a club that isn't a crackpot outfit (like Yeovil was)

3 minutes ago, Shuffle said:

I certainly think that Vyner is wanted at club but I get the whole you’ve only had one really good season so an improved offer could follow pre Xmas if he demonstrates that it wasn’t a one off.  I suspect that Dickie will ultimately be first choice RCB & in Atkinsons absence we are LCB light.  Think Roberts and Pring are considered LBs who can cover so for me a new LCB required as prefer Naismith in MF.  Who knows though.

Agree with that.

I can't see us offering an improved contract to Vyner before Jan and with a new CB potentially coming in post Scott money, he would be even further down the pecking order.

10 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

My thinking would he another GK, CB and CM.

Plus if the right player in whatever position for the right price becomes available we go for it. Price permitting of course.

Then look at getting Vyner, Pring, Bell and Conway tied down for longer if possible with the extra financial freedom.

Vyner- 2024

Pring, Bell, Conway- 2025.

Print, Bell, Conway absolutely a priority.

I'm not so sure we view Vyner in the same light. He had his best season last year and of course on the whole his performances were much improved.

However the contract offer he got is viewed as not acceptable. Do we improve on that, or say that that is what we value you at take it or leave it?

Seems strange that we would look to bring in players for those positions before tying down Vyner if that's the case. 

Awaiting the Bajic move to a French team any day now. He's certainly not in the first team frame at all for me

On 12/07/2023 at 15:13, bartolona said:

Has the  Her game too lot mentioned the gas player since he was found guilty?

The issue they have is that they are basically funded by Rovers

It essence it would be biting the hand that feeds them.

Incredible that they wouldn't have a press release ready to go out the moment the sentence was announced really.

Just now, Shuffle said:

You would like to think that the four incomings were Plan A& B and Plan B is to strengthen areas such as CB,GK and maybe a forward.

Could be true there Mark.

Does a new CB mean that we're not going to give Vyner a new deal?

Although Kalas looks to be moving on, our general modus at the moment seems to be getting players in that can play a multitude of positions.

In that sense, one more CB and it could be bye bye Zak.