Olé

This is a surreal thread based on a surreal claim. Just to calm it all down a bit, FIFA has a huge amount of branding rules which include requiring their sponsors and other “partners” to always refer to a specific tournament with the hosting country as part of the given name (which is designed to be a perpetual marketing benefit to the host nation). As such FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is just a name. An email to Downsy about being selected for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is not the same thing as being selected to be at the World Cup IN Qatar. Plenty of people in the UK will have roles linked to “FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022”. I’d have thought the most logical thing is he is DJing a sponsor fan park in Bristol or a slot on an official tournament internet radio. And if this isn’t surreal and he is going to Qatar then good luck to him - hopefully the slaves and bonded labour didn’t die for nothing building stadiums and they put in a better sound system than the Dolman. Stadium announcers at FIFA/UEFA tournaments just play Shaggy, mention FIFA and sponsors all the time and then start a countdown for kick off. *cringe*

You don’t need to wait for the Premier League fixtures John, international breaks are decided by UEFA long in advance. Weekend of 23/24 September (2-3 weeks later than normal) and 25/26 March. Only two breaks due to the World Cup.

I was randomly looking at a list of retained players and became quite panicked when I did not see a number 10 and realised I could not remember who our number 10 last season was (I'll let you have the same fun finding out). 5 of the 11 are empty now. 2, 4, 7, 10, 11. Who steps up into them? 2 and 4 might seem obvious from summer signings. But do Weimann or Semenyo (assuming we retain them) move up or are they attached to their numbers? Who takes on the coveted mantle of Callum O'Dowda's largely unworn number 11? Will Alex Scott be moving up into number 7 or even number 10? Will 42 or 45 still be here and will they still want to play with those numbers? 1 Bentley 2 3 DaSilva 4 5 Atkinson 6 James 7 8 Williams 9 Martin 10 11 Discuss.

There's an absence of overtly dissenting voices on this thread so if for no other reason let me try out the argument against (besides the revenue/attendance point several have flagged*). It comes down to whether people who follow football see themselves as supporters or spectators. I think the vast majority will say the former - and I think the two are materially different. Support is active not passive, it's meant to represent a level of effort and investment to consummate your allegiance. A spectator is a viewer: passive and purely entertainment focussed. Every one of us I hope remembers their first game, the first time they walked out into a stand (normally into Ashton Gate), the first time they saw live football and the scale of their ground. We need to protect the effort required to experience that buzz, to be able to properly support your club. Otherwise some people will never experience it or others never get addicted to it. Football is not meant to be 'Netflix' or fans will get bored at Bristol City Season 3 Episode 9 and switch over to Forest Season 1 Episode 1 and that might be that. Allegiance requires effort. Allegiance is also about proximity - a convention that would be destroyed by unlocking TV access to any club. And it is about being able to support (as in physically get behind) your team. Even for away games the VPN stuff hasn't sat right with me. How many people hand on heart would have ever made that extra effort to get to an amazing away game if they never had to? Making an alternative and universal point of access to football that requires no effort may stop large numbers - even generations - of people from having experiences that bond them to us. You don't build affinity and loyalty without effort and experiences. A viewer is someone who can switch off. Get people hooked on these experiences, and as we all know, we all come back. (*And obviously the revenue/attendance point is not to be ignored: at a time when football finances are precarious, it's insanity to introduce a lower cost / lower commitment access point).

From the @Davefevs equivalent ? on the Cardiff forum I was interested to read he's never in his career ever started more than 20 games in a season "The most league games he's started in a season is just 20 (2014/15 in League Two for Oxford and 2018/19 in the Championship for Bristol)." The record laid out isn't pretty:

It's a shame on the blackout and khaki gear with the chest badges that they didn't do them in the same laser-cut rubber crests as on the player matchday/training gear (albeit in the black or khaki colour). Hard to see from the photos but our new badge never looks as sharp or professional when embroidered, even a little cheap. Go and look at gear in our first season with the new crest to see what I mean!

So for the 68th (me either) anniversary of once wearing white sleeves in 1954 we're going to pretend we're Arsenal (or Rotherham). Absolutely embarrassing attempt to use a bit of history for yet more gimmicks on the kit front. Bristol City may not have the biggest identity in football but couldn't we at least protect what we have. All red shirts, white shorts - after Man Utd at least fairly distinctive in the top two divisions. For once just keep it simple and classy, rather than appearing to have no identity at all by messing about so much. Other clubs will take the piss out of us and rightly so, why are Bristol City wearing Arsenal or Rotherham's kit? Also, from memory the last time we messed about this much with the home strip - putting a black hoop around about a third of the normally all red home shirt, we got relegated from the Championship. Rant over. BTW feel a bit sorry for Hummel who produce really good gear, but no doubt are working under instruction from team Comic Sans.

Garth Butler (RIP) https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/football-scout-who-spotted-talent-5099324

Hartley, Paul

I had the same view of him, it's weird as I think it all came from his Newcastle days and their fans spreading rumours he was one of Mike Ashley's mates from the casinos. Random story - Euro 2016 I was flying back on an early morning Easyjet from Lyon after the Portugal/Hungary 3-3. Wales played in the city a few days earlier and loads of their fans were on the flight. The queue for the gate was full of noisy half cut Welsh fans and who pops up at the back of it but Alan Pardew - carrying nothing, so I guess on a rapid 24 hour round trip to scout a Hungarian signing. There were the usual French airport strikes which meant it took a chaotic, disorganised rabble of a queue of Wales fans over an hour to get through passport control to the gate, and the flight was full. Pardew was the opposite of what I expected - neither aloof or self-entitled, he waited patiently at the back, spoke quietly to people who acknowledged him, he didn't push past or use speedy boarding. On the plane he politely navigated through loud mouth groups of Welsh fans to get to a random seat assignment right at the back - his demeanour was anything but supposed billionaires playboy mate. Not sure why I'm sharing this, it means very little, but at the time and in the circumstances I suppose I was expecting a very different attitude based on everything that was said about him at Newcastle.

Genuinely interesting article but also nice to see the Championship has a new David Brent incoming after a few years absence. ?

Make that another ex City player in Serie A - for Monza! Although he wasn't reunited with Nagy in either of the play off final legs having been injured in the semi.

Lewis Grabban going full John Terry, even taking the captains armband off Worrall who actually played the game as captain ?

What is so beautiful about everyone's comments is they convey the same warmth and outgoing nature that those of us who were lucky enough to meet him all recognise so well. On every single train I shared with him he'd quickly strike up conversation with all those around him and instantly engage on their interests and background not his. He was selfless like that. In recent years on GWR - BTM to PAD I'd be waiting for the trolley to buy us some drinks, he would be waiting because he was curious on the background of a member of staff and to speak with warmth about where they were from or even because he'd been there. "Oh you're from Cameroon originally, how amazing, do you know x, what's interesting about the country is y" etc etc. I've seen more of the world through Tinners stories than I will ever see for real. My most vivid memory of him but that sums him up best is sharing the 00:52 night bus Paddington to New Cross Gate after the last train back from many home midweek games (he would depart somewhere in deepest South London for a change of bus to Wimbledon). 45 minutes together at gone 1am on a bus with all the waifs and the strays and on a work night - cleaners, shift workers, night owls all around us from the four corners of the globe (as is the way in London) and by the time I was in Peckham he would have struck up conversation with the South American guy behind me, established that the teenager at the far end of the upper deck had an uncle who used to play for Sheffield Wednesday, and explained to the rest of the bus about the finer details of a City performance in 1959. He was outgoing and connected people. @ExiledAjax I remember the Blackburn game where we drank together in the Old Vic in Preston afterwards. As is his way with all the people he meets and engages along the way, once you'd gone your separate way he spoke with a genuine warmth about you as he does many people "what a smart guy he was". He didn't suffer fools and hated moaners - but if you engaged his brain he had all the time in the world for you. Others have known him for a lot longer than I have but he is a fixture week in week out for those of us travel from the South East which I've spent the best part of ten years now doing. He connected many of us too. I sent flowers to his wife last night and hoping to meet @allyolly later to raise a glass.

Martin was beyond all of us. He followed City home and away for more than 50 years while living in South London. He was so positive and brought City fans together at away games all over the country. I spent hours with him on trains and night buses. He loved his friends and family and was chatting to me during 99% of my abysmal match reports. The best City fan ever.

Glad Forest didn't score a winning goal in normal time which spared us the commentator doing his usual THIS CLUB. THIS TOWN. THIS TIME. THEY WILL NOT GO QUIETLY nonsense.

Fantastic goal by Sheff Utd - they were being kicked, pulled and pressed on every touch, even retreating to begin with but so strong and quick thinking with the touches to keep the ball moving and work a route back.

There would be a weird bit of symmetry with his old assistant if he went there - perhaps the two have spoken. Heckingbottom took over from him at Barnsley as caretaker when LJ joined us and duly won the JPT and Play Offs and leapfrogged us in the Championship the following season before getting Leeds job (only match vs City 2-2 at Elland Rd). He was binned off after only half a season for Bielsa - and rebuilt his career managing Hibernian before returning south to coach and then manage Sheffield United who he now has in the Championship play offs. Hibs seemed a useful reboot.

What a goal!!

A second string Huddersfield side proved to be too much for rejuvenated City, who didn't make plenty of possession count in an open end to the season - on top for periods but 2 down to the play off bound hosts before half time and anonymous in front of goal despite lots of opportunity to build around their box. City probed as well as they have in recent weeks, but the final ball was always lacking - all action Semenyo probably among the biggest culprits - chances at a premium as touches and crosses deserted the visitors, who regularly miscued out of play or swung a ball into and then over and out of the box. The Terriers dominated the opening action yet on 12 Semenyo got in down the right and squared for Martin to force a corner. The visitors recycled the set piece and another ball in saw Semenyo's shot blocked far post before a series of 20 yard pot shots culminated in Semenyo forcing a clumsy save. Midway through the first half a long spell of patient Huddersfield passing saw Massengo deflect Russell's long range shot behind and from the corner Klose had to head behind too. City had been comfortable stepping up to cut out the hosts' threat and yet after the half hour the home side roared into a lead. A halfway line Terriers free kick was laid into the left channel where Toffolo skipped past defenders and marauded goalwards, before Klose's desperate challenge deflected the ball up and into the forwards onward path with just Bentley to beat. The forward made no mistake, curling into the bottom corner. City responded immediately with Weimann feeding Massengo who roamed free out of midfield and sent Martin clear from the left to force Blackman to beat away at the near post. The ball deflected away to Massengo who was hacked down - from James deep free kick Martin headed wide at the far post. By now an interesting sideline (literally) was the nearside linesman who had got so many decisions wildly wrong including giving us a throw in for a ball two yards over the byline. Now he'd miss right winger Pipa miles offside onto a long ball to square to Holmes to force Bentley to parry over at the near post. Before the break City wasted the ball twice in attacking positions with aimless crosses and Huddersfield broke with purpose racing at backtracking defenders with Pipa again suspiciously clear from the right in acres of space, sliding it into the six yard box where Bentley intervened but Ward bundled home. City badly needed a quick response to the 2-0 defecit and after half time they finally got their press working - DaSilva robbed his opposite number and Massengo broke from the left to win a corner, building a spell of pressure that led to Klose volleying wide from 10 yards out through a crowded box. Another interception in midfield saw Martin thread livewire Semenyo clear on goal but this time that same awful linesman did flag for offside. George Tanner finally returned from long injury for Massengo as the game drifted to an end. Before the hour mark Pipa curled over the top right corner from range. A minute later with Klose upfield and out of position following stylish touches to support a City break, Anjorin sprinted clear through the right - the source of all our problems - and laid the ball into the box where Bentley stopped Ward down low. Anjorin would take a pot shot soon after that curled wide right. Into the final quarter of the match and Scott slammed way over from the edge of the box after Atkinson had probed down the left and Semenyo faced up defenders. Minutes later another wayward ball as DaSilva shanked a left wing cross wildly out of play after good work from Cundy and Tanner on the right. Idehen replaced Cundy and then Andy King for Klose - moving to 4 at the back - but the final 15 minutes were utterly forgettable in a match long since over as a contest. It wasn't until injury time Weimann chased a long ball and almost connected from six yards out, and next Martin fired over from 20 yards. In the final of 3 minutes added on suddenly chances at either end - Anjorin strode clean through with City flying into tackles, only to fire low beyond the far left hand post. Then at the other end Martin brilliantly held up a long ball and Weimann's smart lob over the defence put James in - only to volley over. Up against a team finishing in third and with six changes, this arguably showed both how close and how far away City are. Ultimately well beaten and anonymous to the second string of a promotion chaser; but equally an even game on balance of possession where the difference was our wayward final balls. Bentley 6 Klose 7 Cundy 6 Atkinson 7 DaSilva 5 Scott 5 James 5 Massengo 5 Weimann 5 Semenyo 5 Martin 6 Tanner 6 Idehen 6 King 5

Mine too @AppyDAZE. Been to a couple of their games, started trying to get to one a season when City aren’t playing, saw them home to Airdrie in 2019 and home to Alloa a few months ago. Amazing story their rise from endless failure and the team under Stewart Petrie actually play some decent stuff. Am a nominal shareholder via their 500 draw too. Montrose is also just a stunning place, in a stunning location, it feels like an island backing onto the lake and trains arrive over water. There is also a pub with Gold on tap! Maybe I’ve lived in cities too much but the scenery is just off the charts. Pretty exhilarating going for a wander around the docks and beach to the ground. Here’s my NTTDS impression:

I admire the Sky commentators dedication to hyperbole but “OHH THERE’S SOME ATMOSPHERE IN THIS PLACE NOW” as Bournemouth, 1-0 up and 7 minutes from the Premier League are all sat down and clapping politely.

Finally got booked in the 87th minute after around 6 or 7 different offences vs Scott getting immediately booked first half the first time he even needed to attempt a tackle tracking back. It tells you everything you need to know about how abysmal refereeing has been at AG that basic inconsistency like this still qualifies (and it does) as much better than we've had all season.

I've got no problem with kids running on the pitch, but as others mentioned the first to do it were all middle aged blokes. Embarrassing doesn't begin to describe it. I don't go in for the OTIB S82 bashing who create most of the atmosphere in AG - but it was a lot who attach themselves to that corner who again made it all about them. Wait for the players to acknowledge them (always very important) then pile on and end it as a spectacle for everyone else - **** City fans elsewhere in the ground. Inevitably players packed the whole thing in well before most of the Dolman - and a lot of proper, season-long fans, especially those with kids, saw absolutely nothing. Myself I don't need to watch our players walk round the pitch but I was invited to show appreciation and stayed to do so, as City have transformed in recent weeks. If I'd known I was going to wait 10 minutes for them to get halfway round and our own fans turn it into a tinpot shambles, I'd have gladly had 15 minutes more in the boozer.

It must be transformational to play alongside Weimann - he sets such a huge example on effort and application. Semenyo had a tendency to drift out of games or be less sure of his role, but he's relentless now and Weimann must help set that standard. Towards the end yesterday Idehen skewed a ball down the right channel and even Chris Martin gave chase somewhat optimistically! Martin has been about our most consistent player in the second half of the season where I thought he looked wasteful earlier in the campaign - again I've no doubt that Weimann's efforts make it much easier for Martin to thrive. I know this is a thread on Antoine, but when you look at how all these other pieces are enhanced and improve, Weimann will probably be the most outstanding and deserving POTS in my lifetime. There was some stuff like that before but all the well followed people who I assume are media commentators talk him up. I thought I saw a reference (via translate) in one tweet today to Germany as the farmers league but I might be mistaken. They talk about him more so than our mate Nketiah despite his form at Arsenal (though obviously he is not yet declared, and knowing him will change his mind just before the World Cup!)