The Constant Rabbit

It genuinely scary how stupid they are. The chairman has literally just told them that they will NOT own a ground anywhere for the rest of their existence (which won't be very long after this)....... Gasheads - when your Chairman is telling you that your club will be LEASING a ground - it means you will not own it. The carnival barker will sell the Mem (are you listening you thick Pikeys) PRIOR to 'leasing' the 'new stadium' - and guess what Gasheads? That means you are homeless the SECOND that lease runs out - why? ** Drum roll** - because your dodgy owner DOES NOT HAVE ANY MONEY!!! The FM will 'fall over' - probably in less than 1 year after you sell the Mem to developers. Wael (he's such a nice man) - will then announce that in the rush 'to get Rovers to the Prem' he overlooked the fact that the initial lease on the Mem was 24 months - or had a clause that it was 'for sale to any buyer with an offer over XYZ' Then Gasheads - THIS will happen......... 1) Sell ground to developers. 2) Keep sale proceeds in his own bank account 3) Terminate lease 4) Announce (from the safety of the Middle-East) that he still has 'outstanding debts' which weren't covered by his lien on the Stadium, so any players of value have to be sold. 5) Rovers grovel for a ground-share, with a threadbare squad and no assets (even the 'club shop' has been flogged!) 6) Rovers get relegated 7) Rovers get relegated again out the League ? Bristol Rovers FC are liquidated, and sold to Joey Barton for a quid. 8 ) Rover are relocated to Tranmere and called 'Tranmere Rovers' ? 9) Wally sits back in the ME, cashed up,sipping a pimms with Joeybag, and toasts to 'A job Well Done' 1 - 7 are inevitable, 8 + 9 are wishful thinking. Make no mistake Gasheads - your club will fold within 5 years if this goes ahead.

Lived and worked in Bermuda. They still love The Goat, suspect Wells will never buy a beer there again either. Absolute shit-hole though - ii's not called the 'worlds biggest prison' for nothing. Dump of a place - all the nice bits have been bought by the rich - no access for locals.

Thought that was pretty good TBH. Not sure the personal comments about the lady are justified either. maybe that's just me though.

I usually do.

As he has seemingly got his confidence back - would NP give him a second look? Very unlikely I know - but if his form did stay vastly improved upon his return - who knows? There's a player in there for sure - and NP is all about redemption - as long as you do what's asked of you. Of course Massengo would WANT to change - and there probably lies the nub of the whole question.

How are you doing Tone? Make sure you look after yourself - the carer is often the forgotten one. If it's any consolation - my wife of over 30 yrs was given 6 months to live with advanced cancer and a stroke (aged 42) 18 yrs ago. She's still here, cancer free and managing to work a little bit when she wants to + do all the social stuff that's important. The stroke caused permanent disabilities, but 18 yrs remission from Stage 4 cancer just shows there is always an outlier. Wishing you all the best in this awful time.

Seeing Massengo in there kinda show how far his career has slumped since that 10m euro bid in France. Can't believe we can't move him on tbh.

Hopefully not made during your tenure RR ?

Obviously amphetamines are still the scousers #1 drug ?

More like Desperate Dan mate Right it's hit 40c (104f) I'm pulling up stumps and quitting ebay stuff in my man-cave and off to recline with a good book. It's too damn hot, even with air-con to keep listing stuff online. Later Dave, I'm sure there will be plenty to talk about after today - not least the Tolpuddle Martyrs heading down from the Three Lions!

You see much more of him than me Dave - I respect your opinion on that. However in the 8 or 9 complete games I have seen - there is always a calamity lurking IMHO. Oh well. I'm sure we both agree Bajic is not ready - and won't be until he calms down a bit. Those clips from France - HooBoy! I'm probably writing too fast to check I get my point across, whilst adding stock to my ebay store...but it's already 33c at 12.30pm - heading for a top of 39c The aircon is getting a workout!

How is this hard to follow? Max on exposed form isn't a reliable champ keeper. Too many blunders. Not convinced about holding crosses. Bajic ain't ready - go look up his clips of French football. Bentley seems to be off elsewhere. We need a stopgap until Max or Bajic is reliable enough to be a genuine #1 Championship quality keeper. Do you guys think Max is a genuine Championship #1? Genuine question.

Max isn't championship standard, he continues to flap away at a cross per game and has let in some absolute howlers. However - if we don't play Bentley there is no competition. Bajic is reckless. Some of his 'highlights' from France were a train wreck - his 'coming out for a cross' often resembled a demolition derby - and that's if he got anywhere near the ball. But (as always) - his instincts were spot on. He just needs to 'grow up' a bit - as in mature and keep calmer. The ability is there - it's just covered in 'puppy dog' excitement - see ball - get ball. In time - he will be one hell of a keeper. But not here, not now. We need a proven goalkeeper - a 3rd choice from the Prem maybe - for the remainder of this season and next, with Max as #2 if he wants to stay and fight again. Bajic out on loan to Div 3 where he WILL play - and assess next season. He's got something about him Bajic - I reckon he will come good. If we can find the money for a new keeper - well that's the question - I'm guessing that's what NP is alluding to.

How LJ managed to get Djuric and Magnússon to city - and then proceed to get them to regress was beyond me. The same guys have gone on to have really decent solid careers. Baffling.

I have a hobby buying and selling comics etc Found these in a pile of indy comics - never heard of this before - anyone else besides me seen one? Yup the cover story is about a football team in Div 3 Weird or what?

There's a couple of people in this, and other threads that really sound like NP's new broom might have swept them out the door, which has then hit them in the arse on it's backswing. ? It's not just NP's philosophy though is it? He's not a 3rd world country dictator - all his actions will have been viewed through the prism of feedback and discussion with other coaches, players, agents (Re: any loans / sales), CEO and even SL himself. After Bakinson left - there were no-more players agitating against NP. Atkinson, DaSilva, Wells, Klose HNM, Bentley and others who want out, or were / are on the naughty step seem to accept they are, where they are. That says to me that Pearson has had a full and frank discussion with his coaches - sure he makes the call, but I'm sure the likes of Curtis and BT would have 'made it known' if NP was some sort of crazy maverick who was unilaterally banishing players at a whim, or playing King at CB for shits and giggles. They aren't - so it seems to me, that they agree with NP's thinking. The players that have gone on loan, or who are on the naughty step have (besides Bakinson again) have either stayed quiet and got on with it (if leaving or loaned out) , or sought Feedback as to WHY they are on the naughty step and what they have to do to get off it. Wells, Vyner, DaSilva etc have knuckled down in the U23's etc, not moaned, did what NP told them to do - and have been welcomed back into the 1st team with open arms. Atkinson seems to have the same mindset as well. HNM, Bentley, Klose and the loanees are quietly waiting to seasons end to move on - without making a fuss, and stepping up when required. None of the above shouts "Pearsons a Dinosaur" or "He's lost the dressing room" - in actually says that all the coaches are of one mind, and the players involved are happy to accept NP's decisions to: Fix either perceived playing problems - and be rewarded by being selected for the 1st team again Be on the bench or U23's if they won't accept a new contract Take a loan to try to get a new contract elsewhere. This sounds like good management from manager and CEO to me - everyone knows where they stand and why. When NP can fill his 1st team squad with players who WANT to be here and WILL accept they play his way or not at all - and then do so - then the club will move forward - quite dramatically I'd have thought. 2p

Well, my source on Baker tells me that Kalas has been 'available' for a while. He's not match-fitness available, but injury wise, he is. I have no idea why his level of fitness is where it currently is. The sentiment expressed to me was that he was fed up with things that happened 'behind closed doors' and was very happy to go. Make of that what you will.

Seretse Khama Ian Khama - look him up - was kinda a big guy in Botswana (may well be again)... If he gets off the charges that see him hiding in South Africa, I'm sure he will be a fine business partner again. And loves Football. Hey, if you are going to cosy up with dodgy dictators, may as well make it tax deductible with a football tour. Nothing to see here. Move along....

No Lansdown will keep the mill turning until the indoor concert / convention / basketball area is done, and then the feelers will go out again. If we manage to become a top six side again, and show consistency then that's when SL is likely to pull the trigger IMHO @Mr Popodopolous If you want some fun - go check out SL and Botswana - ask why we went on tour - ask why the land that the Game reserve(s) sit on was specifically chosen. Start here: Mashatu Investment Then ask - who in Botswana gained from it - and what role did they play in Botswanan Govt. Then, if you are really bored, cross over the heads of depts, to people on boards of various Pula / SL shelf companies involved with 'clean water' - you may find some names match..... Lastly - mining in Botswana is easy - getting an exploration permit is not. Imagine if you were doing a humanitarian gesture by looking for drinking water and you just happened to find a vein of gemstones. Imagine. Why all you'd need then is a sympathetic minister willing to change your exploration license. Who is football mad. Who also has some land going attached to a failing business. Imagine the odds on that ever happening. It's like saying the same fellow would get the contract to provide all the tourism / mining infrastructure too. Nah, too crazy right? BCFC went to Botswana because..., umm, well.... Knock yourself out Pops, it will take a deepish dive, but you will find the answers.

Again, the amount of posters who cannot separate the losses of the 'football club' against the massive profits gained in RE holdings, non-sport events, and hundreds and hundreds of newly made freehold's on property is astounding. No doubt the same people who think the Flyers stadium is for basketball. £210,000,000 over 20+ years - incredible amount. What's the interest made on £1,000,000,000,000 over the last 20+ years? Because that's what Stephen Lansdown is worth - £1,000,000,000,000 - he is the 996th richest person ON THE PLANET (Forbes 2022) - let that sink in - ON THE PLANET. £210,000,000 is 2/3 years interest on his assets - chump change, coins down the back of the sofa. Look, it's his money, he earned it. No lack of respect for that. Wether he spent it well is a debate that will go on for ages. BUT - we used to own this club, this land, and a bit around it. Now BCFC own nothing. Yes Lansdown funds the club - but to say he won't make a huge profit on freehold sales, and the Ashton Vale entertainment / business complex when it's finished is naive at best, duplicitous at worst. Potential buyers pre-covid weren't interested in BCFC - they were interested in buying a Prem-ready ground, with massive non-matchday revenues. Separate the football from the RE - and then you will see where SL profits. For fun - ask yourself 'why Botswana'.....

3 matches on Foxtel in Australia (not City) - strange way of doing things. I doubt many Australians have much interest in the Carabao Cup!

A few years back and half the squad would have got a ban! BTW - it's speed, not cocaine that causes the most problems with aggression.

After a good nights sleep...... That foul by Norwood ranks up there with one of the worst fouls I have ever seen not given. Potentially leg breaking, career ending with deliberate intent - disgraceful. I'm not one for retrospective action from the FA normally (except to overturn incorrect Red Cards) - but my god, if Norwood doesn't get some form of sanction against him, then there is no justice left in football. An apology to Williams would be a good start. I have no idea what goes through a blokes mind to make them want to break an opponents leg in front of 17,000 people, live on TV. At the very least City should be asking for a 'please explain' from the FA regarding the refereeing over that 'tackle'.

This season will be tough. The injuries to players, the recent flu bout and the log-jam of games due to the death of the Queen, and now the World Cup will effect us more than some other sides due to our smallish squad. We will stay up. Maybe not as comfortably as we should, but we will. The last 2 games, despite the results, show we are improving rapidly. Against Swansea - most other days we get the 3 points. We had the youngest back 3 I remember, and we took it right up to an almost full-strength Swansea side (who have been top 6 all season) and almost won. With half the 1st team regulars out at the last minute. Last night - we should have won. No doubts in my mind. Missed 2 easy chances, hit the woodwork twice, and dominated long periods of a game against a top 3 side. We lost because of poor officiating. No other reason. Vyner was fouled by an offside player prior to their goal (below) A clear penalty wasn't given (it certainly looked a pen on replay) Inconsistent refereeing - easy straight red to Norwood for a horrendous tackle on Williams - gets nothing. Not even a yellow. Tanner does a slightly worse foul for a deserved red, but no card for them? The ref favoured them all night. Most other weeks - we would have gotten 6 points. We didn't. The record books won't change. But the simple, undeniable fact is that we were playing good enough football to beat 2 top 6 championship teams with a very weakened, very young squad. That for me is enough to say, despite where we may finish this year - the future is as bright as it has ever been. NP is on the verge of creating something special. Very soon, I think all of you that doubt, will be delighted to say you were here when Bristol City finally made it to the Premier League. The foundation is being laid for really good, sustainable long-term success. We just need to be patient, and understand just how big a job NP is having to do to fix the mess left behind after decades of mismanagement.

Then he needs to play at 100% and not worry about missing the World Cup. Against Swansea he was poor, despite the assist and goal-scoring chance (which sounds contradictory I'll admit) - no chasing or pressurising of note. It could only be because of his choice not to do so. He clearly got a rocket from NP , got dropped, and when he came on, showed a lot more effort and should have scored. He has been shown so much patience here, to find his feet and become the player he is. He can be so much more - but it is a terrible, terrible attitude to display when you are in a relegation battle and won't do the team thing. He needs to decide what kind of playing career he wants - one with wasted potential - that STILL gets him to be a World Cup player, and probably a Premiership player. Or one that 100% gets him a premiership gig at a top 10 side leading on to a bigger club, with a huge pay-rise, and winning multiple honours. It starts with not picking and choosing when to put in a shift. 2p