handsofclay

Yes but we've had 20mph zones in Bristol for years.

It seems judging by the pedestrian pace of this game that the new 20mph zones have started in Wales a few hours early.

Apparently he was being told at the time that he would stand a far better chance of being picked to manage Scotland if he was the boss of a fairly large Scottish club. Like yourself I believe we had the momentum that season under Jordan to propel ourselves into the top flight.

I believe it was a disc that was played alongside the film

Yes Merrick's Marvels it is. Some stills to follow:

I have some stills from the 1920 semi final film David printed off for me. When I get home I will try to locate them and post them on here.

There was film of the 1909 Cup Final. This was still being shown in 1934 in local cinemas to mark the 25th anniversary of the event. But this film, presented to the City Council and kept at the Central Library, became a victim of the blitz. What happened to the copy presented to Manchester I don't know, but because it was on volatile nitrate stock I assume at some stage it self combusted or simply deteriorated beyond repair. The 1920 semi final v Huddersfield was filmed and I seen highlights at David Woods home. Iirc another early surviving film of Bristol City is of a match in the early 1920s at Clapton Orient attended, I believe, by the Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII. But this one is definitely up there with the earliest.

On Friday it was reported on Radio 5 Live that Luton Town were about to host their first Premier League game in their 138 year history. Wow that was really something...although under closer inspection not quite so astounding seeing that the Premier League didn't exist for the first 107 years of their history and that Luton played plenty of games in the top flight prior to that. Yesterday, Evan Ferguson scored a hat-trick for Brighton, one of only four players to score hat-tricks in Premier League history while still a teenager. This is all very well and to be commended but it completely overlooks the feats of other players, some still alive, who scored hat-tricks while still a teenager in the top flight prior to the inception of the Premier League. Our own Kevin Mabbutt, for instance, v Manchester United in 1978. (This feat was again overlooked when Mo Salah scored a hat-trick at Old Trafford and was lauded as the only player to score three at The Theatre of Dreams against Man Utd in Prem history...although Dennis Bailey of QPR was mentioned as that occurred the season before the Premier League started.) I know I am preaching, for the most part, to the converted, but I feel the media with their stance denigrates the achievements of all footballers and teams prior to the 1992-93 season. To my mind all that the formation of the Premier League did was enable the top flight clubs to be greedy. There was absolutely no difference in standards etc between the last Division One season and the first Premier League season that followed it. In the days of the old First Division European Champions were still produced and England actually won the World Cup. Yet the feats of these players who played in the top flight then seem to have been airbrushed from history as it wasn't the Premier League.

So far in history that's the only place that's evacuated quicker than the Dolman Stand after 80 mins.

I think you are right. My first match was earlier that season v Sheffield Wednesday who had just come down from the top flight. So I seen both Sheffield clubs before I seen both Bristol ones.

Fluorescent zebras spotted at Selhurst Park tonight.

When I was an 8 year old in about the fourth match I seen City play, I was in the East End with my father, Bristol City v Sheffield United. In a very close, contentious game Tony Currie scored the only goal of the match in the East End goal. As thousands were hurling abuse towards him from the stand when he scored, he stood in front of the East End blowing kisses. The showmanship was superb it knocked spots off of booing the villain in a pantomime and the impression it left on me has remained vibrant for over half a century. It summed up what football is all about and to me it defines the opposing reactions to a goal in the game. I much prefer this to having to mute celebrations in case of hurting the feelings of the already aggrieved at having conceded a goal. I love rubbing it in when I am elated at City scoring but equally I can take it when it's reciprocated.

Precisely. If anything, in comparison to their true financial draw with the men's game it can be argued that women at club level are being overpaid. It has to be remembered too that even at international level, where attendances are comparable to the men's, the tickets are usually a lot cheaper and at times given away for free and the TV audience is smaller. We are being fed an agenda, particularly in this country, to make it seem like the women's game is just as important as and on an equal par with the men's. Thankfully, the overwhelming majority of us can see through this nonsense. I wish the Lionesses the best of luck today. I will be watching it, the first game I will have watched in this World Cup, which speaks volumes compared to the men's tournament where I put that first as much as humanly possible. It will still be a fabulous achievement and something the nation can be proud of, but to equate it with the men ever winning the World Cup is nonsense.

100% win rate when in goal for Bristol City.

And then when Italy came back into the game and it looked on the cards they'd equalise Southgate done sod all to change anything until the inevitable happened and they drew level.

Actually I think you are correct. It was considered that much of a shock at the time.

Yes that could be him. The pics I have generally of him he is in his mid twenties but the one in this pic could be of a younger, 20 year old Clay with a bushy moustache.

Further to my previous post, in other team photos of the period it's the captain who is holding the ball. Clay wasn't the captain so I would pretty well rule out the player who looks slightly like Clay. So would plump for 1901-02 season pic taken at the start of that season.

I cannot see Harry Clay the goalkeeper on that picture. The only one who looks a bit like him is the player with the ball between his feet. The picture is a bit fuzzy so I wouldn't swear on it not being him. The relevance to Clay not being in the picture is that he joined City in November 1901 and was first choice keeper pretty much thereafter during the rise to the First Division and until the drop back to the Second. Team photos were obviously taken at the start of the season in August/September. Back then the football season started in September. So with all the other evidence etc I would plump for this being the 1901-02 season team pic taken in August-September 1901 two months before the arrival of Clay.

I think I am right in saying that Donnie Gillies is the only Bristol City player to ever have his picture on the front page of The Times (for scoring the winner v Leeds, it was considered such a shock).

Some good points made by everyone thus far and I see your point, Fordy, as if I was an Arsenal fan I wouldn't think the keeper, Ramsdale, needs improvement. However, being a Bristol City fan I agree Max has room for improvement. In that way, you are correct, the situations aren't comparable. I suppose another twist on this conundrum was supplied by England in the 1970s when the two outstanding keepers, Shilton and Clemence, took it in turns to wear the number one jersey. The main problem I would assume would arise from this solution is that it could unsettle the defenders around them.

An interesting debate has been initiated by Arteta's signing of Raya from Brentford on a season long loan to compete with Ramsdale. Arteta states that there are no number ones at Arsenal, that there are two great goalkeepers, two great wingers, two great strikers etc so that every player knows that he has to give 100% or he will lose his place. Peter Schmeichel argues that the goalkeeper position is a reactive one so a keeper can only react to what's thrown at him so cannot necessarily go out and try to impress as outfield players can do with an extra bit of eye catching inventive play and that keepers work on the confidence gained from knowing that they are the number one, whereas if they constantly believe their place in the team has shaky foundations then they are more prone to make mistakes. It will be interesting to hear your thoughts on this as obviously it has a bearing on the situation at Ashton Gate where Max O'Leary is the firm number one and quite a few believe we should invest in another keeper of at least equal ability to compete. Personally I can see both sides of the argument but would lean towards the keeper thinking he is safe in that position and not having to constantly impress. I would think the confidence gained from that knowledge would produce more consistent and secure performances. Obviously, if the keeper makes several howlers then they would lose their place regardless. It will be interesting to see if Ramsdale's performances drop now he has very strong competition for his spot or he actually becomes better still.

Wedlock wasn't really fat at all, as you say, more short and squat. Lee Tomlin wasn't fat when he played for us but he attracted all sorts of jokes about his weight. Wedlock was also nicknamed 'The India Rubber Man' due to his ability to be quickly in defence or helping the attack.

In the 1980s there was an article in the Evening Post telling the story of someone well into their 90s who attended the final. Iirc he went up by train and had a snack or cup of tea at a Lyon's Corner House. His memory had played tricks with him because he said in the article that Bristol City played in white, when that was obviously Manchester United.

Also lost the crucial World Cup Qualifier 2-0 in Poland in 1973 wearing yellow and blue.