cidered abroad

Get yourself a metal garden bucket and it could also protect your shoulders !

None of us were alive when we got 13 or 14 in a row in 1905. Yes it is very welcome that we won two on the bounce. I'm grateful for six points in six days. But wouldn't it be more pleasant if we started playing on a regular basis like our last two opponents, who with three forward passes went 70/80 metres toward our goal and kept us pegged in defensive mode for a lot of the game. While we made dozens of backward, negative passes that have one effect: that the crowd turn off and we all go to sleep instead of noisily supporting like we should be.

City players have been regular visitors to Charlton Farm for a long time. Joe Bryan reputedly went there a couple of days a week. Christmas is when they get some publicity.

This group are excellent evidence of those from a long time ago in that a lot make it together once a decade or two. The ideal is one or two per season. Who will be the one for this season, if any?

But doesn't appear to have any idea about the defensive duties involved in playing in midfield.

Of course he did. I stand corrected as he made his debut quite early in the season after The Eight left.

Also there is perhaps a lack of personal discipline with some youngsters away from home or a settled life at the club who they belong to. Many late teenagers are liable to go off the rails. George Best? It took Matt Busby all his time to keep George out of trouble.

Whether it is a modern Academy or the Ground staff boys of prehistoric days, it is extremely rare for more than one youngster breaking into being a regular in the league team. The City under 18 team of 1960 gave us FOUR forwards, Brian Clark, Lou Peters, Terry Bush and Jantzen Derrick. AD was the next one between 1968 and 1973, to bring a lot through and of course Terry Cooper had a few in 1982, although it's probably fair to say that the only one to stay in the first team beyond one season, was Rob Newman. It looks as if we have managed three in two years with Scott, Conway and Bell. And look at how long it took Vyner and O'Leary to become regulars on the team sheet. So to get another one or two by end of next season will be very good. Don't expect miracles from our Academy.

We had so little of the ball in second half so he didn't need to add any time wasting by either side. Just all the subs.

Neither did any other City player! Sunderland kept up the pressure better than any other side we've had so far this season. With their pace and quick passing, there wasn't much time to breathe let alone play keep ball. So every City player on the park did the best they could to just keep our slender lead. And keep it they did. I know that we have to develop a way to keep more possession but three points today was so much more important than some pretty passing by anyone.

Just be grateful that we got three points to stop the drift toward the bottom six. So Sunderland about 65% of the ball but apart from scrambled efforts from crosses, didn't make too many clear cut chances. And those that did happen were stopped by a good day for Max. Agree we weren't convincing but after the last month, any three points are gratefully received. The Mackems went home thinking life isn't fair and we went home chuffed that we scrambled a win against the odds.

It ceased to be a Question of Sport and has become a comedy show.

Are you son of Fred Wedlock?

What the hell is this xG?

If this match goes how I, and plenty of others, are thinking it might, will JL and BT sack the Head Coach, the players or themselves?

I believe that we got the wrong Liam! Rosenior will take Hull up but even if his team doesn't manage that, he will be there.

I have never known any previous departing City Manager to make a written goodbye to the fans. Admittedly it's easier these days with internet communication but by doing so, he shows what a great person he is. Best wishes Nigel and family.

And three more defeats will mean that on January first, we're looking up from the bottom six.

Lost on pens v Reading.

I keep referring back to 1979-80 in Div One. Remember 2pts a win and 1 a draw. End of November we had 16 PTS from 17 games. Seventeen games later at end March we had 23 PTS. We never recovered and we all know what followed. So while I'm trying not to believe it can't happen again, we have to start collecting winning points. Draws aren't good enough now as 3 PTS a win can work wonders for those at the bottom now.

You will be worried if this continues into January. A novice manager at this level!

Sorry Harry, while I recognise that your knowledge of the game is excellent. I don't have that experience on the pitch but as one who has seen 8 promotions and 7 relegations, I can smell the latter from a long way off. The air is not quite that bad yet but continuing this to the end of December will bring a real stink to the New Year.

I have no idea whether his way of informing us is too technical or not for those outside of the dressing room. What I think is much more relevant to whether Manning will be a successful Head Coach or not as his previous very limited experience as HC or Manager. The nearest other City manager to him and his experience of being the boss, was Alan Dicks. Young, picked up much of his experience from Jimmy Hill and he struggled to keep us up for four to five seasons with a pittance spent on incoming transfers, before coming good with the team he had built. Can we wait for Manning that long? An owner who is clearly no longer willing to spend his billions on anything but promising Third and Fourth Division younger players.

Sorry for misprint in last sentence. 100 years only. Glos Cup are in that book.

Considering that Liverpool totally outplayed us while winning promotion in season before last, and with Liverpool having tons more money to spend, an away draw is an excellent result. Well done City Women.