Red Exile

To your last point - yes...but let's not forget that we went on seemingly endless and inexplicable losing streaks, how can anyone account for the collapse after that Wolves match? Streaky Lee - he joked about it. There are no guarantees of anything but a more ambitious owner would have gone for someone with a track record of achieving what he said he wanted to achieve. Lee Johnson was given the job, and kept in it, because he was Lansdown's family friend. He had no experience of achieving promotion at any side he'd ever managed - and still doesn't! 450+ matches. Look, we're all City fans and want the best for the club. I watched City walk off the pitch having been relegated from the top flight over 40 years ago, I've travelled the length and breadth of the country watching them since. A full working lifetime later they're nowhere near a return. The Lee Johnson/Mark Ashton era was the opportunity - a massive opportunity blown. Pearson is managing a totally different situation. As I'm sure you appreciate.

Too right. Closer than it is likely to be again any time soon. It was never going to happen under LJ though...it was obvious...or appeared so to at least some of us. He was always out of his depth. Which made it harder to take as the prize was so close and a better manager and a less stubborn owner would have seized it.

couldn't agree more. What Pearson is being asked to do is rebuild the club - not just get results on match day.

We weren't aiming to 'progress each season' we were aiming for the play-offs. I know a number of folk hitched their OTIB reputation to LJ's imminent success...accept it, it never happened.

Lee Johnson got years...was cut more slack than any manager in my 50 years plus following us...was given the keys to the kingdom and delivered nothing more than a cup run.

Agreed to some extent. I imagine it is a struggle. The clubs you mention we should indeed be competing with. But they've not been run by Steve Lansdown. We had a once in a generation chance when Cotts got us up. It was obvious. Completely blown.That Lansdown appointed and then stubbornly stuck with Lee Johnson and Mark Ashton is why we're in this mess, it's hard to forget or forgive. The chance was there .

Agreed. In my view we're lucky to have a football man of Pearson's pedigree trying to sort out a right mess. The mess has been made in the Boardroom. Investment was needed when Cotts took us up. We had the nucleus of a great squad. LJ should never have replaced him. LJ should never have stayed so long - in my opinion should have gone at the end of 2017/18 when he so obviously failed to capitalise on the great position we had achieved by Christmas...we fell apart, and did so every year thereafter. He wasn't up to the job. As for Holden! It's hard to stand still in life, you're going forwards or backwards. I read @Kid in the Riot's post the other day - spot on I think, SL very happy to sit at this level. No real ambition. Tied his whole project to LJ/MA. Not turned out well.

Not good enough. Not awful but we didn’t kick on when we controlled the game and then let them play to their strengths. Long hard season beckons I think. We’ve got a decent squad but just seem to lack confidence in our ability to impose our game. At least we didn’t roll over in injury time! That’s a start.

Last min free kick to us.

Both!

Come on City. This has been a bit feeble.

Come on City. At the very least hold on!

Well - decent first 15 mins but too many players with a mistake in them to ever really relax. Need to nurse the ball better - as ever!

Indeed it is!

Excellent result!

Yep, my sentiments exactly. We've been in worse places in the past, but boy we were in a very good position not so long ago, a position completely undermined by SL's dogged refusal to recognise the moment when the LJ/MA regime was revealed to be not up to the mark. He wasn't alone of course, plenty of others were taken in! Pity, what a waste. Threw it away. I happen to think NP is doing an ok job in tough circumstances. Green shoots and all that. Hoping things will turn when we get Antoine and Kalas back.

Yep. Sadly for me they are my in-laws’ team. Which is challenging! Hull’s embrace of anyone promising the Earth speaks volumes for the lack of confidence of the place - it’s been through hard times - unlike Bristol. They grasp at straws. But it is irritating that they have such a hex over us!

The juxtaposition of shots of the Hull owner and his entourage rejoicing and the decisions favouring his side were very uncomfortable! I’m not the greatest fan of the Lansdowns but as a fan base we have retained our dignity when it comes to ownership.

I live in hope!

Have you seen the goal? What is anyone supposed to do about that? I've been critical in the past but we looked fine today. Extremely unlucky. There'll be days when we get the luck.

...that brightened my day. Thank you!

...me too. Lots of good signs. They are a bit of a bogey side for us - which is a pity as my in-laws support them! ?

I’ve been critical of the Landowns in the past. But - thank heavens when it comes to our relationship with our owners we are a club with some dignity.

Wow. That refereeing! Disgraceful.

Yep. Can’t log in to their site.