handsofclay

When you wrote 'Sorry for being crap letter in the post' my heart skipped a beat. I thought you were Liam Manning for a moment.

Yes, to be fair, he did actually look like a footballer today, albeit he didn't pose any threat in the few minutes he was on. So he didn't look at all out of place in our team.

This is spot on. The majority of us felt like we were all in it together. We had a manager who treated us with respect and was honest in his assessments and made us feel a part of the processes in moving the club gradually forward. We all knew the constraints he was under and accepted setbacks as part of the journey and felt proud that so many academy lads were progressing to our first team. Indeed BT himself used that as a USP in signing promising young players to our club. But those in power evidently didn't like the fact the supporters felt a greater affinity to the club. It was, after all, their club. Not the popular manager's. So they found the appropriate moment to fire him and show us that they know better by bringing in a bright new spark who'd fire us, via the front foot, to a higher level. Instead, they have again shown themselves to be a bunch of incompetents. Manning is clearly out of his depth and is destroying all the positivity diligently created since Holden's departure.

Something I have noticed under Manning is that in most games when the ball is as it were bouncing around in our box we always seem to have a moment where a City player could put his foot through it to clear the danger, but they always hesitate and seem to want to retain possession. It then, inevitably, creates further danger, or results in the ball being presented to the opposition still in the box or just outside it. It happened yet again today. Iirc, it then led to the corner Cardiff scored from.

This makes it seem like LM was totally oblivious to the situation he inherited. I would give him enough credit to assume he would know that Pearson was reasonably popular with the fanbase and had achieved a cohesion at the club despite very trying circumstances and constraints. He would surely thus be aware of the publicly stated reason as to why he had been dismissed (not challenging for the top six). I would like to think, therefore, that even if it wasn't stated in the approach that was made to him to obtain his services as head coach here that he would have, at the very least, the intelligence to realise that the fans and his employers would be ultimately judging him on his ability to produce this outcome and that if he didn't, indeed, if his tenure seen City's position slide even further from the play offs that his job could well be in jeopardy.

Basso player here coach there.

I remember it very different. I was also in the East End that day and when Bowles went down in agony, the East End started singing 'We hope you broke your leg'. I recall it vividly because earlier in the same match the East End were singing 'Where's your wife gone, where's your wife gone, where's your wife gone Stanley Bowles?' After it had been reported in the week his wife had walked out on him. They sang this again as he went towards the East End for a QPR corner and Bowles put his hands out and shrugged his shoulders to comically reply that he hadn't a clue. It produced loads of laughter and an even healthier respect for Bowles. Which is why it hit me as particularly mean and stuck vividly in my memory when much later in the game the East End started singing that they hoped he had broken his leg!

There were a couple of times he was in the running to become boss here. RIP

To be fair to those who want Pearson back I don't think any of them realistically think this will happen. I would love him to return but I know it will not happen. But it doesn't mean those who appreciate the stirling work he did for the club cannot articulate the wish he could return even if it's really just voicing frustration at the b***s up the Lansdowns and Tinnion made in dismissing a largely popular manager. Also, to those who deride Pearson and don't understand why lots of supporters are clamouring for Manning to be dismissed early can I just remind them of the circumstances of Pearson's sacking. After losing a close game at home to high flying Ipswich and then away to Cardiff with the barest of bones as far as a playing squad was concerned, NP was dismissed with games against Sheffield Wednesday and QPR up next. It was the general consensus at the time that the Lansdowns acted then because City were expected to get points from those games and that would've further stalled their intention of sacking Pearson. We have to remember this is the same QPR and Sheffield Wednesday that half a season on under the Coach NP was replaced with we have now lost to in consecutive matches!!!

Eddie Hapgood

Fair play to you lad. I would like to think I speak for all of us when I say that we are more concerned about your well being, that of a fellow red, than missing out on Alfie Jones.

Fans wouldn't be allowed on the roof of a stand these days. A health and safety law brought in when it was realised that Nakhi Wells would take free kicks.

I fear that even Ivan Testemitanu's wife would fail to get a tune out of him.

No I am sure it was Testemitanu's.

That was Tony Pulis checking the aerial route to goal.

If he has got anything about him he will be itching to get back on the pitch and show that his performance on Saturday was a million miles from what he is capable of. But if he shirks that challenge, or when presented with the opportunity again does another impression of someone who has only just been introduced to a football for the first time, then I am afraid non league obscurity beckons. I sincerely hope he can turn things around but I am concerned that he has played so little senior football. When Yeboah comes on he looks like he is relishing the opportunity. Mebude looked like a rabbit caught in the headlamps. If he doesn't get that part of his game right all the skills, pace and promise in the world will be of no benefit.

I agree with you about Yeboah, the jury is still out for him as far as I am concerned. A bit of a headless chicken, but a headless chicken who frightens the opposition somewhat. This lad looked way out of his depth. No way would Yeboah's path have been blocked by a loan signing of a novice under Pearson, and especially one that clearly doesn't look like he's ready for men's football.

Twine didn't get injured during his appearance on the bench.

You'll be lucky, first couple of months of 1974 we had the 3 day week and power cuts. The fact Leeds v City was played on a Tuesday afternoon rather than evening is evidence of the need to save electricity prevalent at the time.

I think as much as possible football chat shouldn't be placed into sections. Years ago I was also on the Mangotsfield United forum when they were doing well in the Southern League. Initially, all chat was included on there and it thrived helped as well by visiting views and opinions from supporters of other clubs such as Gloucester City, Clevedon and Yate Town. However, sub forums started springing up. Non sports, then other sports other than football etc etc. We know how a thread can meander before returning to the original subject well Jenson Button's name cropped up somehow in a thread about Mangotsfield United. I responded to it and a healthy debate ensued regarding whether it was the car he was driving that had won him the title or his skill or a combination of both. I was reprimanded as I was told it should be in the other sports sub forum. Another occasion The Netherlands were mentioned as having played well in the opening game of the 2004 Euros...the poster was reprimanded for not putting it into the non Mangotsfield United football forum and it was about to be until the original poster added to the thread saying that he hoped Mangotsfield United will be playing such skilled football as the Netherlands under their new manager next season! Gradually what had been a lively forum became stale as it was like one had to be in the right place to say something whereas before one could just chat with like minded supporters. After all, at grounds when we chat there's nobody looking over our shoulders telling us to move to another part of the ground designated for Non Bristol City Chat on Cinema Releases. The Mangotsfield United forum eventually died. Having said that, the Bristol City fanbase is huge by comparison so of course sub fora are required. I am 100% in favour of that, it makes sense. However, I think as much as possible the topic of football itself shouldn't be divided into different sub fora. I can understand the need for Transfer Talk to have it's own forum but it should stop there. Otherwise, as has happened with the ex players forum, other fora will follow: Bristol City Obituaries, Bristol City Away Match Supporters News, Bristol City Finances Forum, Bristol City In The Arts Forum etc, etc. It will dilute what has been a lively forum and instead of being a delight to peruse will become a chore. Plus if one composed a post about a City supporting mate who had just passed away, owning a couple of grands worth of shares in the club so who will now buy them? And he was well known for the poems he wrote about his favourite club, particularly the brilliant one about the ex City player now with Dundee United, plus due to departing this life there are now two tickets available for the visit to Sunderland on Saturday. One would be at a complete loss as to which forum it should be posted on!!! I have every sympathy for the mods they are doing a great job hence why I suggest to keep the sub fora down to a minimum on the topic of football as it will actually make their lives easier.

I was replying to your original suggestion that it was 37,000. The first 3 seasons in the top flight, and the match you refer to was at the top end of that, the 29,914 would have been a very good crowd indeed, but we had quite a few attendances of 25k to 30k. That was obviously at the top end of that. But the only clubs I recall us getting bumper attendances of 30k plus (and in one case nearly 40k) was against the likes of Liverpool, Man United, Leeds etc.

Agree with you, Graham C, I remember being in a crowd of just 16,000 v Norwich when we went 3-0 up in the first 15 minutes and then their keeper Kevin Keelan picked up a nasty hand injury. It was in the days of only one sub and that was never a keeper so he remained in goal saving shots mainly with his legs and feet. But he kept it at 3-0. Also recall only 18,000 v Middlesbrough for a Tuesday night game. The first season prior to the 38,000 v Liverpool last match we had an average gate of 24,000 so with that bumper crowd it would've taken the average to 25,000. But like you said, it was mainly the big guns we got over 30,000 for. Most crowds that first season against the other slightly less attractive sides ranged between 20,000 to 28,000. That was the best season out of the four in the top flight crowd wise. I believe the final season our average gate was something like 17,000 to 19,000. As you say any of the WBA games would not have attracted a crowd of 37,000. The only season that was possible was 1976-77 as the following season the capacity was reduced to 32,000. The only time I recall a bumper crowd v WBA in the top flight at home was Boxing Day in either 77 or 78 when City won 3-1. I think Hunter made a mistake to put the Baggies one up but we thundered back and I think Hunter got one of our three.

Correct it wasn't a ticket game, the capacity (37,000) was exceeded and just under 39,000 announced as the gate. A good couple of thousand were also locked outside. I don't know if the exceeding of the capacity by nearly 2,000 had an effect upon the capacity the next season onwards which was reduced to 32,000. I remember being in the Open End on that Monday night, where Garland headed the winner against Clemence. I think the first was a diving header near halftime in the East End goal to equalise Johnson's opener for Liverpool.

It was a great idea several years ago to have a transfer sub forum as I check on there regularly particularly during windows and when they are approaching, however, there's no real impetus to check a former players sub forum, it's the sort of thing I would like to read in the football chat forum. Thus, if in the football chat forum I see a post titled 'Fammy Annoying Bluebirds' I'm likely to read it, whereas I won't go specifically onto the ex players forum in the hope of seeing a post to the effect that our ex striker is peeing them off over the bridge.

I think Graham C was referring to the Championship Play Off Final v Hull in 2008 when the Brighton fan mate of his now in his 30s was still at school. Obviously, mention of Brighton and play off final brought terrible memories back of the 3rd tier play off final in 2004 when his Brighton supporting mate had probably not long started senior school.