Olé

Amen Dave. Fantastic summary. One of the things that makes questioning of our Mark Ashton "hate" all the more odd is the fact that 99.9% of the discussion on him on OTIB (and your response is a great example) deal only in the well known facts and provable history and actually swerve all the repeated innuendo that "explain" his way of operating. We're actually pretty tame. If we were really obsessed we'd take Ipswich chat back into questionable legal territory. We don't talk about why he pours money into players from the same agents over and over again We don't talk about related private companies that he is involved in or commission back channels We don't talk about incidents at the club requiring non disclosure and confidentiality agreements We don't care as much as we should that he courted Ipswich's US investors while working for us Bloke has gone from earning £450k a year as CEO of a Championship club to earning over £900k a year as CEO of what was a League One club. As always it's about maximising his own income most of all. There's a perfect football analogy for him. He's a "route one" businessman. Arrive, massively inflate the output of the organisation (spend more, do more, without much balance or control). Fans all get excited. Inflating what the club spends and what it trades enables him to take a larger salary as a cut of this output (and any other benefits that come his way in doing so). But ultimately someone has to pay for all this excess, and while he's around that means selling all the assets (based on his scattergun transfer record not usually assets of his own making!). But after he's gone (and made a fortune) it means the club requiring one almighty reset. When fans believe - and let's be honest we did once, and @Dom1969 is doing the same now - everyone always says what a great speaker he is. There's a reason why he does all this endless PR that no other normal football club CEO does (no seriously, they really don't and that's part of the fun of this thread). The racket above ONLY works by being right there in plain sight, grinning away, selling the storyline, giving people a vision to justify pumping endless cash into and then right back out of the club from investors. He's had incredibly little success doing this other than his income. If we're obsessed it's only that he keeps getting away with it.

Thank you - you have always been courteous and understand there is no malice beyond the self promotion of Mark Ashton. The idea we don't like Ipswich Town is proven to be wrong. The last time we hosted you we literally gave Stefan Marinovic his only ever game for us to try and keep you up. https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/111268177/all-whites-goalkeeper-stefan-marinovic-endures-shaky-bristol-city-debut

Stakeholder loyal. Mark Ashton caters to a certain level of limited intellect that believes lies dressed up with fancy words and a sharp suit - and based on your summary of his "accomplishments" at City clearly you're his target audience! No obsession, like in any walk of life, it's just funny to watch the gullible get reeled in. In his last 10 seasons the bloke has spent nearly £60m (most of it with us) on about 100 players and the grand total of his success is one League One promotion (yours) to show for it. To be fair he did that earning over £900k as CEO of a League One club and if that doesn't ring alarm bells, then like I said: he's happy to cater to your limited intellect.

Here is an employee of the design agency involved in our official new crest commenting on the Robin clipart we've decided to start sticking all over everything

FFS this new training kit is just going from bad to worse. Besides O'Neills looking like ultra basic park football blanks with ridiculously cheap looking and entirely random iron-on chest logos, on what planet did it make sense to resurrect that 70s CITY design in a circle, which works because it was red (City x Red being unique to us) and roll it out not in red, but black and WORST of all sky blue, a colour for which there are at least two large football teams called City to be confused by. I mean it actually beggars belief how equal parts moronic and out of control these clowns are. Everyone jumps on JL, I've got no idea if it's still him or someone else, but the pattern of completely self indulgent "look I've done a design" that the club we support keeps rolling out (which for real designers would never have made it off the computer after a few days of sensible reflection/consultation) shows a breathtaking lack of professionalism or interest in us being taken seriously. They've had some hits with Hummel, probably talking to competent designers and yet the level of ego and delusion about their role as a design function has quite clearly run out of control now. Fuelled by their own self-created social media echo chamber (WE ARE FEVER PITCH, Bristol City get likes so we are an agency now x) they think every traced robin, shape or font they touch will just turn to gold. Their whole output is now an endless gushing sewage outlet of fonts and doodles. The crest redesign never really worked for me as a project. The intent made sense and clearly actual designers worked on it, but it fell a little short of succeeding via some amateurish or fussy details (the design tries to do a few too many things and could have been even cleaner, whilst first production of it on kits pre-Hummel was awful quality that hugely degraded the logo). Both of those felt entirely "client" (JL or whoever you want to blame) rather than designer led problems. But to go from falling just short on a crest we are now supposed to be known by, to then compounding it by now regularly as the client instead trying to roll out other bits of shit homemade clipart in its place, not only diluting impact of your new brand, but suggesting a monumentally immature "let's play" art class mentality at the club, is evidence that our approach to brand and merchandising is a total embarrassment once the grown ups (Mr B & Friends and Hummel) are gone.

Seems to be a mix of starry eyes from some for Luton and Coventry's ascent or exasperation from others for the extent they have passed us and carried on. Isn't the real story for us that it is now guaranteed that an overachiever will go up while arguably 2 bigger teams stay down, other big sides come down from the Prem. Draw your own conclusion on the League 1 sides but next season is definitely going to be a tougher Championship than some of the ones we have so far struggled in.

I was in my local this week (one of their top pubs) and apparently they also got into it with one on their own players on Monday. Tyler Burey 22 year old winger (ironically linked to West Ham) came off the bench and didn't get stuck in then made gestures to home fans who got on his back. Supposedly had his car with his mother in it attacked outside the ground too. Just search his name on Twitter to see the level of vitriol for him. Assume he'll be leaving them in the summer!

That new L shaped lego South Stand to replace the tent and temporary tennis stand. Doesn’t have planning permission yet and Wael is already mortgaging the ground to fund it. This should end well.

There was a bloke behind me at Watford wearing the new home shirt (and he was far too old to have ever been a mascot) so I assume it was from these Chinese sites already selling it. The shirt looks crap to begin with so there isn’t much for the counterfeiters to work with, but up close the colour is absolutely horrible, certainly not the red I associate with serious football shirts - it might have been the sun as it wasn’t even the pink hue you see from a distance on the players shirts, it looked washed out and almost peach coloured. I assume if they don’t put them on sale before the summer, they could assess the feedback and design a new shirt for next season without having impacted supporters - unless we only got dispensation to change this season as an advance on next.

I live in the area immediately around the Den and my local is one of Millwall’s top pubs and I rub shoulders with their fans every week so I feel like I have a pretty good feel for them. Only part of what you say is true, a lot is just cliche. Yes the immediate area has the demographics you mention (more so African than Caribbean) All are passionate about football but largely favour Arsenal and Chelsea and watch games on TV This is really no different to any of the rest of us outside the top flight who lose local supporters But as an example they’ll come in a Millwall pub to watch their games - there is no intimidation There is very successful largely black youth football which has fed Arsenal, Chelsea and others One mistake people make is associating Millwall footballing output to this talent on the doorstep Millwall training ground is in Bromley (80% white) and youth academy is in Eltham (90% white) So they are drawing from families in SE suburbs and Kent - black families locally push for Prem Millwall does have black supporters, they’re 50+ proper flat cap wearing old school cockneys Millwall fans are offensive but they do it to everyone, they slag Rowett off yet are in the playoffs A racist element is there like a lot of clubs but in my experience it’s not the old school or local lot So there is absolutely nothing which means the club is specifically excluding anyone or trying to be something different. To be honest, as it relates to their team right now, from what I gather it’s actually just Rowett preferring to play solid one dimensional experienced footballers to grind out results to stay in the playoffs, not to stereotype but that’s leading to the sorts of line ups and faces you saw over the last several games. As an example, I get Millwall tweets popping up on my Twitter just by being local, I’d seen this tweet earlier before I’d seen this thread - it’s referring to an 80 year old Millwall fan who reckons they should be playing Esse, a black 17 year old who has broken into the first team this season. Even he appears to be complaining that they’re not currently playing talent like this, and it sounds like most Millwall fans agree with the point.

For the penultimate trip on the road and one of their toughest, City highlighted both how near they've come to becoming one of the division's top sides - but also how far away they are - after largely controlling a second game in four days, this time up at Premier League bound Sheffield United, yet despite dominating in two of the three thirds, a lack of a final ball remains the achilles heel and the hosts eventually found their late winner. City's end of season flourish seems to solely consist of going to some of the best sides in the league and controlling the game while in their own half and then breaking at pace but wasting the final ball into the box. After total control at Watford in 2-0 defeat, City faced their biggest trip besides Sunderland - and on a Tuesday night, 26,000 at Bramall Lane as Pearson's men ran the game for over an hour but without ever finding a cutting edge. The away side were organised and worked the ball quickly up the field but despite good work from Nahki Wells leading the line and a few moments of danger where Sam Bell got into the box, City didn't add up to the sum of their parts - their attacks never troubling the home keeper. Oli McBurnie was well wide in limited responses in the first half but in the second half City eventually ran out of steam and spare man James McAtee capitalised. That was not the script for over an hour as a packed Bramall Lane was silenced and City, in their light yellow and green took the game to their nervous hosts. Zak Vyner won the ball off an opponent on ten minutes and did well to pick out Wells who couldn't find the through ball. Next Andy King did brilliantly to tidy up and send Wells away off the left to centre for Harry Cornick to control well and force a sharp save. City at their very best. Another trademark counter attacking break got City down the right but from their cross Bell appeared to be bundled over just inside the box but the visitors kept it alive from the opposite flank where Jay DaSilva steered a return ball back into the box that Bell, back on his feet, glanced inside the far post, only for a defender to deflect behind. In response the Blades had moments around the half hour, but like Saturday it was largely all City. Twice in close succession Oli McBurnie went wide of Max O'Leary's goal first dragging a shot wide after good work by Iliman Ndiaye, then heading well past the far post off Jack Robinson's cross - the visitors closing down any clear cut threat and reduced the Blades to playing on the break. The game settled to a battle of attrition though in injury time City again worked it well - King doing brilliantly from DaSilva's cross to force the corner. Sheffield United couldn't be as anonymous in the second half and while City continued to look organised and purposeful following the break, they were even less effective with the ball in the final third - as the the balance of play began to shift. Cam Pring earned the first booking of the match for hacking down McAtee's break and after the hour Sander Berge curled a dipping shot just over the bar in the Blades first sustained spell of pressure. City needed fresh legs and threw on Tommy Conway and the returning Mark Sykes for a tireless Wells and Cornick. Still it was all City probing for an opener while the hosts relied on the break, although there was a warning of the developing threat from the high flying hosts as Tommy Doyle fired wide, while next King - impressive at both ends - was forced to nod behind as the Blades, with their fans finally waking up, began to turn the screw. So although City were full value for at least a point, it was no real surprise minutes later as United overloaded their opponents half, working the ball and pulling the visitors thus far tireless and well organised back line out of position before McAtee was left as spare man on the left - where Tanner was getting increasingly exposed - and Ndiaye fed the midfielder who swept in unerringly into the bottom corner past a helpless O'Leary. By now Alex Scott was on for Bell and taken down right on the edge of the box from his first touch in front of the pocket of travelling fans, it threatened an instant response but his set piece was straight into the two man wall allowing the hosts to break away. They almost had their second after a deep cross had O'Leary clattered just beyond the back post, allowing an easy tap in inside, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on the keeper. Up at the other end the irrepressible DaSilva combined well with Sykes on the left, Scott's outside of the foot cross to George Tanner with space and time returned straight out of play, the full back hauled off immediately for Anis Mehmeti. By now the Blades had taken belated control of the game and were on the front foot. In injury time sub Billy Sharp went close before Daniel Jebbison's tap in was skied over just yards out with the goal gaping. On what was largely expected to be a tricky midweek trip up to Bramall Lane, Pearson's men actually dominated another parachute payment side for long periods - and looked in control at the back led by Zak Vyner while slick working the ball through midfield with a series of quick touches. But once again they lacked quality in their final ball in advanced positions, Andi Weimann especially rushed, allowing the Blades to eventually take over. O'Leary 7 Tanner 6 DaSilva 7 Vyner 8 Pring 6 King 8 James 7 Weimann 6 Cornick 6 Wells 7 Bell 6 Conway 5 Sykes 6 Scott 6 Mehmeti 5

In September as the sun set on the summer, City lost away at two of the newly relegated Premier League sides in just a week despite outplaying Norwich (3-2) and giving Burnley one of their closest run home games (2-1). As the sun rises on a new summer, City took a third and final trip to one of last seasons Premier League sides and went one better (or worse?) - dominating expensive hosts yet contriving an unimaginable 2-0 loss. If outplaying Norwich at Carrow Road and battling Champions Burnley at Turf Moor is not enough, City completely controlled the Hornets. Nigel Pearson's men will play a lot worse and win and Watford surely will play better than they did today in a game they won despite City dominating in all phases. Cam Pring's clearance hit Harry Cornick to rebound straight in, then against the run of play keeper Max O'Leary fluffed his lines. City started brightly and on the front foot at a sun bathed Vicarage Road, in behind their defence repeatedly - only to show a familiar Achilles heel, twice producing poorly worked corners, the second allowing Watford to get out on the counter, off which George Tanner surrendered an easy free kick which Imran Louza lifted into the box and Pedro drilled a tame low shot at goal that Pring got behind to clear - only to hit Cornick and deflect in. Behind to a freak goal after six minutes and little more than ten and a brilliant cross from Jay DaSilva out on the touchline met near post by Cornick to force a point blank save. On the quarter hour out on the other flank a surging run by Tanner won a corner which was centered for Cornick's rising shot at the near post. Minutes later Sam Bell was sent clear on the left by Pring, crossing to Nahki Wells to head top corner and force the save. At the midway point of the half Watford had their best chance, Ismaila Sarr stinging the hands of Max O'Leary after a neat one two with Hamza Choudhary. But City were far on top and Andy King's intercepting header put Bell on the run to win another corner. At the half hour intricate play saw Wells hold it up brilliantly outside the box and Tanner carved a path to the byline to cross - but claimed by keeper Bachmann with players closing. Ref Dean Whitestone was on the receiving end of captain Andi Weimann protests - on the touchline his assistant faced Jason Euell questions - after a brilliant Zak Vyner sliding tackle curtailed Sarr only for the referee to decide the advantage from an earlier clash was only appplcable had Sarr's clear run on goal not been stopped. Instead Vyner's last gasp intervention in miles of space resulted in an outrageous reversal of the advantage. Before half time Pring headed over at the far post from another DaSilva left wing cross - as City went in miles ahead on possession and shots, but behind on the number that counts. From the restart the away side did everything but score, winning it in midfield from which Bell's brilliant crossfield pass to Weimann put the captain in on goal, looking for an angle before lifting over the defender so Wells could force Bachmann to top wise. Minutes later and City stole possession yet again, Wells sent away down the right and with time whipped in a cross that Weimann rose to meet but was bundled away for a corner. Then calamity eight minutes into the half - already a freak goal down, a tame low shot from Pedro on the left wing threatened a routine O'Leary save but instead he let it spun through his hands and spooned into the air and in. 2-0 down and all self inflicted. Star man Alex Scott returned from injury for the last half hour, on for Cornick, to run the game from then on. The coveted midfielder was twice taken down breaking upfield with City on top, Wells sending a curling free kick onto the crossbar. Kal Naismith replaced Andy King and with 20 minutes remaining Pring stole in to volley wildly over at the far post off Matty James right wing cross after Scott's run into the box forced the corner. In a remarkable match which City continued to dominate despite being two goals down, Pearson went for broke, sending front men Tommy Conway and Anis Mehmeti on for Bell and the only recognised centre back, Vyner. Anonymous Watford finally got their first clear chance of the game Louza going clear from the left only to blaze miles over. The final exchanges were end to end but all the purpose and quality was still from City. With just five left Conway got down the left to squeeze the ball to the near post where Wells closed in to poke home but got closed down. A minute later and Conway went one better roaring clear on goal to steer a shot across the face of goal which Wells couldn't reach but Weimann returned into the keeper hands. Next Conway nearly threaded Wells clear in the box from the right channel but the striker got tangled up getting the ball out. It is bordering on the farcical that City could run a game which they were also somehow losing 2-0 - indeed home players seemed better equipped for either feigning injury or in the case of Joao Pedro on 92 - handball, dive to the floor, jump up and throw the ball away - no booking of course, ref Whitestone didn't want to upset Premier League stock and deferred to the hosts. Pearson and City deserved applause at full time. They got it. O'Leary 5 Tanner 6 DaSilva 6 Vyner 7 Pring 7 James 6 King 6 Weimann 7 Cornick 5 Bell 7 Wells 7 Scott 8 Naismith 6 Conway 7 Mehmeti 5

I didn't spot Bristol City's official site posting half baked racist conspiracy theories for desperately outdated and paranoid seniors, given your own high standards of accuracy how do you know this is true or does your filter only work when you fancy?

Since Stoke got projectile vomited out of the Premier League the parachute payment side has managed to now lose FIVE consecutive games at home to Bristol City. Today Nigel Pearson's side were surprisingly the better team and the only upset was that it took a one sided second half to claim all 3 points. City bossed the game for long periods and if anything made Stoke look better than they were in a soft and passive first half where the visitors seemed content sitting in and closing angles without ever pressing their in form opponents. But Pearson galvanized his side at the break to turn the game around. The two sides came into the game locked in similar midtable positions and for a quarter of the fixture little happened as City closed everything thrown at them only for their fast release balls to sail miles off their target. On 21 minutes Sam Bell was pulled down on the break on the left but the ref waved it away. Man of the Match Zak Vyner capitalised on a loose ball to put Bell in again, only to flash a ball across the face of goal. Minutes later and City had to go in front. Wells was sent clear of the defence with just keeper Jack Bonham to beat but his poor first touch was followed by curling a wild shot well wide. City were on top and after 26 Bell dropped a shoulder to spin away on a brilliant run from the left but his swift centre was held by the keeper. A minute later Jay DaSilva beat four players with his close control but launched a through ball well over everyone. The visitors were on top but producing little end product. With Andy King already on following Omar Taylor-Clarke's injury, on 33 Andi Weimann met City's setup from the left and steered a header at the keeper. The away side went to sleep and made it easy for Tyrese Campbell to cross from the left after a swift long ball and had Nick Powell unmarked to convert. City had been passive and stood off their hosts hoping to keep it tight but were now behind and needing another gear. For the half at least it did not arrive as Pearson's side got frustrated and keeper Max O'Leary pushed away Campbell's back post header with Stoke fans finally roaring for a second. Harry Cornick joined at half time for Tommy Conway as City looked for more up front. In minutes Sam Bell was tripped during a slick play through Weimann - Nahki Wells curling his free kick just past thennear post. On 51 Wells got in on the right and then Bell the left but no one converted from the pressure. Away fans were roaring as Weimann right in front of the visitors turned in after a George Tanner cross only for it to be ruled out for offside - a deserved equaliser taken off the board early in the second half. At the other end O'Leary had to tip away at his near post as Campbell got in for Stoke's best chance. On the hour the officials ignored yet another handball but gave a foul against Weimann. It was typical of the hopeless officials and after Weimann's deep cross forced Ben Wilmot to put behind Pring gave it away and O'Leary took out their striker nothing given. Midway through the second period Cornick headed a deep ball down for Wells to turn and force Bonham's save. Then City carved up their hosts with slick one touches but in space and with a finish required Wells sent his cross over everyone. Pearson's side had given little evidence they could turn it around. City's travelling fans have not had much to cheer this season but they were the better side against in form Stoke and went from a goal down to deserved parity with less than 20 remaining. Bell stole a yard and his cross from the left found Vyner unmarked to glance a backwards header into the top corner. City threw on Anis Mehmeti for Bell as they sensed they had the upper hand. They did. Right in front of the away fans City probed and on the break Wells did well to wriggle away on the right and centre and Mehmeti was on hand to slam in. The trickster has threatened a goal but not from six yards. Stoke was the divisions form team but not only did Nigel Pearson take them down a peg or two, he convinced a depleted side to stay the distance in a poor first half before exerting our quality in the second. City had controlled much of the game and won it at the end in front of the massed ranks of fans. O'Leary 7 Tanner 7 DaSilva 7 Vyner 8 Pring 6 Taylor-Clarke 5 James 7 Weimann 6 Bell 7 Conway 5 Wells 6 King 6 Cornick 6 Mehmeti 7

Still doesn't require them to buy the land, it just extends the option.

That may be my fault Will. Re-reading the wording of their press release (which is more contract than easy reading) I think the option lapses in 1 year only if they're yet to even lodge a planning application (i.e. have done nothing to progress their interest). Presumably if they get a planning application in, then the option extends in kind or for some other duration greater than 1 year. As you say the PR is also explicit that they are exploring a number of options for the land AND the wording (given how precise it has set out to be - they are a PLC) makes clear they will only acquire if they have permission for all of those options. The room to walk away is significant and suggests they value the land only if they can guarantee several things they can do with it. That isn't a ringing endorsement for a stadium being essential.

It's desperate even by Gas standards. Nothing has been bought by anyone. £450k for a 1 year option to explore planning permission for a number of different possible developments with no obligation to acquire the land. Even Gas say conditional contract. EP having a stormer by reporting investors bought land while linking to press release which says they haven't. So they want planning permission for a number of options or they're buying nothing, just first option.

This happened exactly the same time in January for the 4-2 Birmingham game - 11am and all trains from London cancelled for the foreseeable next 2-3 hours due to flooding. Me and 3 other randoms at the station pitched in for a cab all the way but within 30 minutes while we were on route one of the trains ran to BTM anyway. Staff get stressed and no one knows anything but the situation changes every 5 minutes I think their default position is to cancel it all to scare off passengers and then see if they can run a service for the stragglers.

After an anonymous performance at Luton, City followed up with their fifth away game in a row without a win or even a goal from open play - giving struggling Swansea the time and space needed to create chance after chance and secure a comfortable win, the second over Pearson's men in Wales in just two weeks. Max O'Leary should have done better with Liam Cullen's low diagonal opener but Olivier Ntcham continued to get time on the ball and it was him that put the game beyond doubt in the final exchanges. City were disjointed and without any tempo throughout, for the most part punting long balls up to their three forwards who rarely combined and for all Harry Cornick's effort showed little quality or composure. At the other end Mark Sykes offered scant cover to Swansea's line breaking interplay on the left while Zak Vyner had his poorest game this season in a defence which was second best to crosses. The only positive of a miserable day was Omar Taylor-Clarke in midfield, the best City player on the pitch by a distance. The story of the game was obvious from the first minute as City cleared half heartedly to Luke Cundle who slipped the ball inside for Jöel Piroe in the box who with time slashed a shot high and wide. Five minutes later the hosts lifted a ball over the top that looked to put Cullen clear on goal from just 10 yards out but his heavy first touch was gratefully claimed by O'Leary. At the other end before the quarter hour an energetic Cornick was hacked down and Alex Scott's free kick from the right channel was deflected up and away. City's best spell came midway through the half. Jay DaSilva's skill took him away from a crowd out left to feed Scott whose deep through ball put Sykes clear only to cross in over everyone. A minute later the Irishman stung Andrew Fisher's hands with a rising shot from the edge of the box, before Sam Bell next did brilliantly to control a long ball despite pressure from central defenders, a quick lay off allowing Scott to skip into the box and drill dangerously across goal, the away side winning a series of corners. But Swansea always looked the sharper and inside the half hour O'Leary had to produce a stunning double reaction save off another cross from City's right - Harry Darling at the far post from Matt Grimes centre forcing the point blank block, Liam Walsh and Darling again testing the keeper from the rebound. Minutes later they went ahead. Ntcham with ridiculous time to control a high ball with no pressure from Sykes, laying it into the box for Cullen to edge past Vyner and angle his tame low shot under O'Leary's slow claim. Before half time Scott volleyed right at the keeper off Sykes cross after George Tanner did well to win possession back, while from a deep low cross from DaSilva, Cornick hit it high and wide on the run. City were probing as Bell won a corner from which Scott broke the lines stylishly and delivered a fizzing low cross that no one turned over the line. At the other end before the break, Sykes got in the way of Cornick's attempt to stall a Swansea counter, creating space on the left again for Cullen to flash across the face of goal. Andi Weimann joined at half time for Tanner as City tried to create a press, but it was all Swansea. First Vyner's stooping header just inside his own half from a through ball was straight to an opponent who teed up Piroe to stride in and see a shot deflected wide. A minute later Cullen's vicious riding shot just flashed over the angle of post and bar with O'Leary beaten. Less than ten minutes into the half and yet more space opened up on City's right as Ryan Manning swung another cross in which Piroe headed onto the post. Pearson's side had little threat, Cam Pring heading back across the six yard box from Scott's tree kick after Weimann was fouled, before winger Anis Mehmeti came on for the tireless but erratic Cornick. Beyond the hour City's first clear threat of the match as the Albanian was sent clear into space by Scott to dance inside along the edge of the box before laying off to Taylor-Clarke to slam a low shot through a crowd which Fisher held. Next Sykes won it back and fed Weimann in space whose shot was handled in the box. As usual City seemed to have been denied a clear cut penalty, but that was as close as it got for the out of sorts visitors - who largely relied on Vyner overhit long balls to no one. And with less than a quarter of an hour left surprise yet another cross from City's right and surprise won at the far post again, half cleared to Ntcham edge of the box who had Taylor-Clark twisting and injuring himself to close the shot, the Swans midfielder turning sharply and able to drill his low shot directly through the box and under O'Leary's dive. That was it as a contest, and in the last ten minutes former City star Jamie Paterson on as sub had his former side back tracking on the run, his pot shot deflected wide by Andy King. The away side offered little in return bar Nahki Wells tussle with tetchy Manning who fouled Sykes then threw himself to the ground demanding a fight. The last highlight came in injury time as first Mehmeti's quick free kick to Weimann was adjudged too fast for Swansea, then he was offside heading in at close range from the retaken set piece. City could feel aggrieved about their penalty shout but not about the result. Swansea had been winless for a long time yet the visitors were uncertain in the press and allowed the hosts easy passing lanes and crosses from their right to setup a succession of chances. Conversely the away side largely went long and rarely broke their opponents lines, with their forwards strangers to one another and Andy King in midfield entirely anonymous - only teenager Taylor Clarke on his full debut coming out of the fixture with any credit. O'Leary 5 Tanner 6 DaSilva 6 Vyner 5 Pring 6 King 4 Taylor-Clarke 7 Scott 6 Sykes 5 Bell 5 Cornick 5 Weimann 6 Mehmeti 6 Wells 5 Wilson 5

Fair warning if you're getting the 950 from Parkway that it is already over half an hour late due to signalling at Didcot, has been without heating since London, and cannot sell food or drink. Brilliant success.

I hope so, my "other side" has been amazing this season even if fate has contrived to ensure almost all their games have been on the same night City have been playing . It's not even close to the best Benfica side on paper in the Champions League era, but the Dutch manager Roger Schmidt appears to be a genius and their side of the draw has opened up. One quirk of this campaign that is getting coverage only in the Portuguese media but seems ridiculous to me - Portugal is going to lose a CL place after this season to Schmidt's Netherlands as according to UEFA coefficients, Dutch teams racking up wins last season and this against minnows in the new Europa Conference league counts just as much. Benfica won a CL group that included both Juventus (beat home and away) and PSG and is now into the QFs, Sporting just beat Arsenal, Porto also made it to the last 16 of the CL from a group with Atletico Madrid, but because AZ Alkmaar beat Liechtenstein and Ukrainian teams twice and a Cypriot side once (losing the other time) apparently that's better.

I was there, I honestly couldn’t be arsed with a match report as so little happened I was convinced it was a lot of effort for something no one would read, given that not only did nothing happen first half but even by Kenilworth Road’s standards I had an abysmal view with no depth or visibility of the other end, while even scanning left and right was around a pillar. I decided pretty quickly that trying to put my limited view of proceedings into words was going to be of no use to anyone and didn’t bother which was in keeping with most of the team on the night and that embarrassing kit. In any case these days it’s a bit of a chore simply for someone to scream in derision that I gave their favourite player a 5 instead of a 6.

In what is supposed to be his one final hurrah with former team Huddersfield, Neil Warnock has recently repeatedly rolled out his well worn joke about City fans booing at his funeral. The truth behind his cliche is that for many of their encounters City has tried to play football and Warnock hasn’t. The fact he’s been so successful despite this is testament to percentages over purpose - which is exactly what neutralised Nigel Pearson’s side tonight. City dominated a one-sided game at the John Smith’s Stadium and against an unprecedentedly poor Championship side that struggled to move the ball without giving it back to City or putting it out of play. And yet for all the contrast between the two sets of players, a struggling and limited Terriers side broke up play throughout and should have earned a penalty in first half injury time, before forcing the chances of the match in second half injury time. In sub-zero temperatures on the road, that may or may not reflect poorly on a largely rejuvenated City side who came so close to surrendering a smash and grab win to largely basic opponents. But the truth is that despite plenty of intent from star man Alex Scott, the visitors lacked a cutting edge and far from being galvanised by the second half introduction of Anis Mehmeti and Harry Cornick, became more one dimensional and more predictable. Warnock’s men were clearly determined to sit in, and it took until 10 minutes for City to fashion their first chance, Sam Bell creating space in midfield before feeding Scott who tried to release Wells behind the lines but keeper Tomas Vaclik was first to the through ball. On 15 minutes City broke again and Bell tore away down the left only to be pulled down by Ben Jackson. In response the Terriers fell to the floor claiming head injuries, looking to burn time. At the midway point of the half, full back George Tanner marauded forward from the right and with multiple players making runs for him, he swept a ball into the near post where Bell met it only to lift a first time shot just over the bar. Next Mark Sykes went storming onto a Nahki Wells back from the right hand side with a chance to go clear in on goal, but keeper Vaclik was out quickly to make a desperate claim - another City break of defensive lines denied. The visitors difficulty producing the final ball was in evidence after the half hour as Sykes won a corner and City twice tried to get in behind the hosts from the right. First from a clearance from the flag kick Scott sent a deep pinpoint ball across to the back post where Sykes had just keeper to beat but Vaclik pushed it wide. Then from the opposite flank another corner saw Cam Pring unmarked dead centre force a brilliant save before Andy King was offside. Before halftime the influential Scott found himself at the far post from another right wing ball but volleyed well over with midfield teammate Matty James nursing an injury. And then typical of Warnock’s sides, heading into injury time the hosts sprung a rare break with City over committing and the ball was worked to Brahima Diarra central in the penalty area who appeared to be upended by Jay DaSilva’s own tumbling block, blatant despite the one sided half. The second period was a closer run thing although within ten minutes Scott headed smartly inside his marker on the right wing and Sykes went off on a run that took him central and into the box before turning to hook a reverse shot past defenders but easily into the keepers hands. On the hour and at closer range Scott slipped Pring into the box and to the byline to slash a ball across the box that look destined to be diverted in but no one was there to finish. With no return from absolute dominance and away fans getting restless for changes, on came Anis Mehmeti (after disappointing at Cardiff) and Harry Cornick for Sam Bell and Nahki Wells. But at the midway point of the second half the otherwise stylish Zak Vyner gave it away with a loose touch on the right, and the hosts broke through the middle to tee up halftime substitute Joshua Koroma unmarked to drag a shot beyond the far post and well wide. At the other end Sykes lifted the ball inside for Mehmeti whose volley was deflected and turned wide by man of the match goalkeeper Vaclik. And inside 70 minutes fellow substitute Cornick for once did well to hold the ball up out on the left channel before feeding star man Scott who not for the first time resisted the pace and power of an early shot and choose a tame low shot through a crowd which rolled slowly and comfortably into the hands of keeper Vaclik. The game by now had lost its spark and playing percentages, Huddersfield knew they just needed a set piece or two to steal an improbable winner. Inside 80 minutes James did sensationally to wrestle Diarra off the ball from his own mazy run before playing a direct ball that sent Mehmeti running at the home defence, producing a curling and dipping shot over the backline which Jonathan Hogg was forced to head just over his own bar to keep the scores blank. City had And Weimann on for Sykes and had lost all shape - with Cornick struggling to impose himself and Mehmeti looking as one dimensional as Saturday. From a quick break Diarra teed up Jack Rudoni who forced Max O’Leary to hold down low. Minutes later from a right wing corner the ball broke to Rudoni again whose rising shot flashed just past the angle of post and bar and left travelling supporters sinking in the away end fearing the smash and grab. That was never more apparent than heading into a short three minutes of injury time, the perfect scenario for a struggling Warnock side that broke up play and wasted time knowing where they could win the game. First sub Martyn Waghorn’s made Weimann head clear off the line and Ben Jackson forced O’Leary to save at his near post from the rebound. Before the end Rudoni unleashed a stinging low shot from range which O’Leary again had to hold. In the end and on the balance of possession City should be apoplectic that they got no more from a game they dominated for long periods, but the truth is that Warnock’s limited side also applied his style of percentage football and so nearly at the end of both halves got the unlikely rewards, first with a penalty shout on the stroke of half time, then with a rare bombardment on full time after dominant City - subs and all - had clearly run out of attacking ideas. O’Leary 7 Tanner 7 DaSilva 6 Vyner 7 Pring 8 James 7 Scott 7 King 6 Sykes 7 Wells 6 Bell 5 Mehmeti 6 Cornick 5 Weimann 5

After 12 unbeaten and a huge cup tie City hit both a proverbial and a literal brick wall as struggling Cardiff loaded their team with size and muscle and Nigel Pearson's tired side ran straight into it. His men looked by far the better side for long periods but they lost their two most combative players in Joe Williams (first half) & Tomas Kalas (second half) and were wrestled out of slick moves going forward while conceding sloppy goals. City - probing all day through Alex Scott and Mark Sykes - fell behind as Sory Kaba rose from a crowd and headed in at the far post, and minutes after losing Kalas surrendered a cheap second to man of the match Jaden Philogene. Fans have hyped Anis Mehmeti but his own brick wall was inevitable and he should have stopped Cardiff's second while never getting inside (blazing over the only time he did) albeit closest with a free kick. A match for nearly an hour we looked set to dominate had a predictable start inside 20 seconds as Scott sent Sykes racing away on the right and his low driven cross into the six yard box required Ryan Allsop to hold as City forwards converged. Inside 4 minutes Mehmeti tried to get control but the ball was half cleared to Williams whose deep cross was met by Sykes leaning back beyond the far post to get a head on it, sending it over. Past ten minutes Sheyi Ojo broke away from his marker and fired a low shot that O'Leary couldn't hold and quick thinking Kalas had to stick behind with a striker closing to meet the rebound. The best move of the half saw Williams pull up injured but Scott's neat ball sent Sykes racing away on the right to loop in for Sam Bell back post whose header was cleared off the line, Mehmeti's follow up was well blocked before Weimann replaced Williams. After the break City would have expected to capitalise on their dominant football but the opposite happened. First Scott fired a half cleared George Tanner cross high and wide on the volley after another spell of pressure but past 50 minutes and against the run of play Ryan Wintle's deep cross from the right channel saw Kaba rise highest among three defenders and steer a close range header in off the post right in front of the home end. City's best chance of the afternoon looked a certain equaliser minutes later as Scott was hacked down in a jinking run along the edge of the box and Mehmeti drove a brilliant free kick toward the top corner that Allsop was able to push away. It was still all City inside the hour but they rarely broke the lines of an organised Cardiff, going closest when Sykes drifted in off the line and saw a low curling shot through another crowded box blocked. City threw on Nahki Wells and Harry Cornick for Sam Bell and George Tanner but within minutes a dominant looking Kalas went down awkwardly in yet another aerial battle and eventually went off, leaving Cam Pring to switch to the middle with Jay DaSilva on. The wing back was partly at fault as livewire Philogene cut inside to run at him, Mehmeti closing but hesitating right before he fired low from range and beat Max O'Leary at the near post. That second was too easy and left City with a mountain to climb, the first time that they have been two down in the league since the Boxing Day horror show. On 78 a relentless Scott recovered in his own half to thread a perfect ball which finally broke the packed lines - but despite Mehmeti being City's first player to go clear onto the ball from the left channel, the exciting winger smashed his rising shot well over with just Allsop to beat. Disjointed in both midfield and defence by this point following changes, if anything City now finally looked second best - and before the end of normal time late sub Kion Etete pulled off his marker and on the turn drilled a low dragged shot back past the near post which beat keeper O'Leary but went wide. The huge away following was already drifting out of the ground when in injury time Allsop handled outside his area and was sent off. Cardiff had already used four substitutes in a maximum three changes so the keeperless hosts put defender Perry Ng in goal and sub Wells saw his free kick deflected wide. With an outfield player in goal City inexplicably played the corner short and for five minutes of injury time bar Wells glancing a Mehmeti cross into Ng's hands they never tested the goal, continuing to hit a brick wall of bigger and stronger players desperate for a result. O'Leary 6 Tanner 7 Pring 8 Vyner 8 Kalas 7 Williams 7 James 7 Scott 8 Sykes 8 Mehmeti 6 Bell 5 Weimann 5 Wells 5 Cornick 5 DaSilva 5

Matt? That testimony speaks a huge amount for what a great person he was.