TDarwall

Do you honestly think that if it wasn't for the contract situation, HNM wouldn't have got more minutes on the pitch?

Unless we have a deal lined up for HNM & don't want to risk him getting crocked, then I'd have him in the squad every week & often in the starting 11. He not perfect but gives everything & has more of an engine than either James or Williams.  Whilst relegation is a possibility, I'd play the best team each week regardless of contract negotiations.

It's worth remembering that for any team, a poor run of results rarely ends with a champagne performance & a convincing win. If we have to eke out results with resilient performances for a bit, I'm fine with that. I have no concerns about us scoring, but keeping a few more clean sheets will make a huge difference.

1 hour ago, pillred said:

 you want to be careful your post could well come back to haunt you and sooner than you think.

Very festive, Fevs could be haunted by the post of Christmas past.........

HNM certainly divides the fan base. I watched his debut in the cup at QPR, sat amongst the home fans. They thought (as I did) that he was the new messiah. For whatever reason its hasn't wworked out - he hasn't developed nearly as much as you'd be entitled to expect. I think even during this period of contract angst he's generally done ok when selected (had some 'mares but who, in our squad hasnt).

Whilst I'd rather we flog a player for ££ I don't have anything against them running down their contract, with the proviso that they still need to be professional & give everything when they get selected. I don't think anyone can seriously suggest he's lacked efforts whilst playing (moreso, some of it may be misguided).

It will be intersting to see where he ends up for the majority of his career I'm terms of the level he plays at. I wouldn't be shocked if he holds down a place at a lower club in the Bundesliga or Ligue 1, but I'd not be amazed if he sinks lower down.

The real shame is that during the height of his popularity, he never scored a winner in the last minute in front of the South St, that would have created some noise.

The defeat to Brighton ranks with "that" Twerton defeat in my all time lows following City. It was as if the players were unaware it was such a big game. The game v Hull saw very few clear cut chances but we were at least equal, if not the better side.  We started really well & Carle & big Dele had half chances but then Brad got crocked & Windass scored a screamer.

@Harry

@Eddie Hitler

I did write Pro Football schemes at Lloyd's but haven't since late 2018. Ironically I did write the Cardiff scheme (gotta pay the bills somehow) however the scheme I did was death by natural causes only. The Accidental Death element was insured elsewhere under a Personal Accident policy (because they have higher Catastrophe RI cover, that's a snippet for insurance nerds only!).  As the policies were so bespoke they generally had their own t&c's with regards to new joiners, however for exposure mgmt & reinsurance purposes it's quite likely that insurers need to be advised of new players.

I would also add, an insurer expects the policyholder to take reasonable steps to avoid a loss..... allowing your record transfer to be transported in the way he was, probably doesn't meet that test!  

I think Jordan said that he would always attempt the most difficult pass / shot rather than do the simple thing. Good player & scored some cracking goals, including v Walsall in the final game of the 89/90 season. 

I'm not fussed about last night (probably because I wasn't there).  However I think it puts greater pressure on Saturdays match.  It's easily forgotten but we played pretty well v Swans & Sheff Utd & could have come away with 6 points.

A big defeat on Sat & I wouldn't be surprised if the Board act, however whoever is in charge I think the issue is the same, with such a thin squad we need as many as our best players fit & on form.  If Kalas & Naismith are available after the debacle that is occurring in Qatar it will be a huge boost to whoever is in charge.

Personally I would stick for a bit longer (irrespective of Sat's result).

Didn't think he was poor yesterday. Not easy to play in centre mid v Swansea. Think he won the ball back for our goal & also played Wells through. Not his best performance but not poor imo.

Russell Bromage 

2 hours ago, Davefevs said:

”all I want for Christmas is a Dukla Prague Away Kit” or “Trumpton Riots”

lots of football references in their lyrics, Gerry Gow mentioned in one of their songs.  They are Tranmere fans I think.

They are Tranny fans. They didn't get much media exposure & once famously declined an appearance on The Tube as Tranmere were playing at home that evening (back when they played home matches on a Friday eve).

They also penned the majestic "She's got Dickie Davies eyes".

I'm not sure moving him to LCB makes a huge difference. Giving the ball away close to our own goal is always going to cause a problem.  He had made a huge difference to us overall & so much of our play goes thru him. If you drop or constrain him, we could be  tighter at the back but we'd not play the same way, so overall would be less effective.

Irrespective of whether your a republican, a monarchist or something in between, the notion you can't have a football match at 3pm, but a rugby match 3 hours later in the same stadium is fine, is just really weird.

I think we have stumbled on the ideal solution; get a 2 goal lead & we can then concede our customary late goal & no harm done.

It's easy to forget how good Bakes was, he's played in the Prem & in an FA cup semi final.  I mean it as a compliment when I say no forward would have ever enjoyed playing against him.  Such a shame he's had to retire early but clearly his health is paramount.

Dave Smith is one of the few times I've really admired an opposition player, we've signed him & he turned out ad good as I'd hopes.  A pretty basic player, but quick as a whippet & foot like a traction engine. 

He was also involved in 1 of my fave all time goals at the Gate, home to Blackburn, 1st game of the season after promotion, a fantastic left foot cross headed home with aplomb by Nicky Morgan.

1 minute ago, Curr Avon said:

We took Bobby off at half time and replaced him with Diony. The Frenchman appeared to have scored a fourth, but had actually punched it into the South Stand goal. 

Wasn't it Fam that punched the ball in? Closest Diony got to a goal was debut v QPR when their keeper kicked the ball into him & it drifted wide I think.

2 hours ago, Bedred31 said:

 I really like the theory of him as manager - quite different from before, shake up the lazy players stealing a good living, proven track record at this level. But I thought some things were a given- good organisation, strong spine, high work rate, bit of niggle. In other words, more perspiration than inspiration,

That was my expectation too, we'd be a scruffy "win ugly" team rather than expansive.

Disagree with point 3. We scored 2 & could easily have had 3 more.  The probs are not at that end of the pitch, but I agree we're better with Semenyo in the team.

A really strange one is KP. Clearly talented would often put a shift in (in fact some of his slide tackles terrified me) & decent goals/assists ratio for minutes on the pitch. However the no. Of managers that he has underwhelmed grows ever larger & he has to take responsibility for that. 

Grateful for some of the glorious through balls (esp. to Brownhill home to Charlton) & wish him the best for the future, but I hope for his careers sake he knuckles down & listens to whatever advice Robins gives him.

I thought we played pretty well, there was nothing in the game & other than the goal neither side really looked like scoring.  Had McCombe not been ill & Orr not crocked, I think we may well have won.

I didn't expect much that season so wasn't that disappointed. The loss to Brighton at the Millennium Stadium was much worse. Thay ranks with 2nd May 1990 as the worse City experience.  It was as if no one had told City it was a big game, we were just so flat & in truth BHA were no better.

1 minute ago, petehinton said:

& the press were saying if we were ‘serious’ about going up that season, we should’ve been beating Scunthorpe by more than 1 goal. Only for them to go up as champions!

To be fair I'm pretty sure there were posts on here saying the exact same thing!

Wouldn't let me buy an u19 ticket for my lad. I bought him an adult ticket & Jerry the SLO sorted it (as he always does!). Def some issues with concession tickets.

Some clubs definitely have life insurance & the sums assured can go to 10's of millions for top players. The benefit would go to the club not the dependents of the player (you'd expect most players to have their own life ins in place).  In my experience more clubs buy Personal Accident cover (which would cover a career ending injury) than life cover (as its more likely to occur).  Things could get very tricky with any policy covering Bakes as its an accumulation of similar incidents rather than a defined incident, would all come down to the precise wording (& poss some expensive lawyers!).