DaveInSA

We had this opportunity. And Steve bottled it. Or rather, he didn’t like being told what to do by Cotts and shut down recruitment. and the rest as they say is history.

Luton were a tier one side for most of my school years - their fans might say we're getting back to where we belong. Doing what they did for one season is a fluke. Doing it again isn't by chance it's by design. They have a system, with players that fit it like a glove and they are well coached. Their progression in the past 6 seasons is staggering.

Head on nail. We've had players with talent and ability for the past 5-6 seasons. What we have not had is players that collectively believe that they are going to win. And that they deserve to win - until very recently. My hope is that we can buy wisely, get more steely and be a little more incisive in attack. If we can do this, and have the belief we can actully win games, then we should do much better than this season. If we achieve that - another 10 points would be a good return. 69-70 points it is then.

Some thoughts... Steve and Jon are trying to sell the club. Hence their "we should be in the play offs" rhetoric. It's not grounded in a reality - at least not one that I can see. They've pumped £240 million into BCFC and achieved mid-table in the Championship over the past 20 years. Tells you all you need to know about their "opinion". We finished where we deserved to finish. Mid-table. I don't quite understand the comments about "lowest quality Championship" people have ever seen. Could it be that we have stopped opposition teams enforcing themselves on us - i.e. they look worse? And could the low play offs points totals signal that the league is more competitive - i.e. the gap between teams is narrowing? The rebuild and restructure of the culture was massive. Anyone remember Marley Watkins hiding in the change room to avoid training ?. Pearson has root and branch overhauled this football club. FWIW I don't think Scott will go this summer. I just can't see any club shelling out £25million for a promising youngster playing championship football. I get that there's potential, and no doubt he could become a big star. I guess it's all about the risk vs reward isn't it. Next season. Well I might come to a few more games. We should sign 4-5 players. We need some talented enforcers in the spine of the team - especially if Scott does go. The challenge there being we still need to keep the pathways open for the youngsters. In closing, the football has been so dire for so long (until post-Christmas). I go to enjoy myself - not for torture, there's more than enough of that in my life.

I used to. back in the UK now tho’

yep - I rate this is a bigger issue by far

I find all the attention their getting a bit like vomit inducing. I can't remember who went up from the national league last year - there was literally zero publicity. And now we have a Hollywood star owning a football club suddenly it's everywhere, Wrexham this, Wrexham that, Wrexham the other. It's a fairytale and aren't they great blah, blah, blah. So is it good, bad or indifferent? Discuss.

I’m definitely in the minority here. I don’t think he will leave this summer. The fee we want, plus his relative lack of experience, plus his desire for games makes me think we’ll keep him. he could be the spark that gets us into the playoffs next season. And then who knows?

Armadillos, smooth on the inside crunchy on the outside.

In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king.

Joe Cole ? just how terrible is he.

I’m especially glad that Rooney is off the top. I would take Greavesie over all of the others I think.

He uses it to stand on.

I can’t really claim any knowledge about other players. In this or any other division. We do need to get some balance in the squad. And I think what that means is about 4 players incoming, all with championship experience. All at age 25-26. If we can get this balance right, we could be there or thereabouts in 2 seasons time.

I think I hate Man United more than Bristol Rovers. And that’s saying something.

False. ?.

people still have Sky? really. Wow.

So, based on all of this, back in my playing days, I was a false 4, who often played as a number 2.

@shahanshahan, is there a bin photo? If you had that it's a complete set ?

I've pontificated about this before as well. Since the Lord God Our Saviour Mark Ashton left BCFC, we've had less than thruppence ha'penny to spend on players. In the past 2 years we've seen a radical trimming of the squad, with useful additions to create a competitive outcome. This summer is the first summer that we will see us able to spend some money, and it won't be a lot and the market has shifted at our level - so a £3million pound player 3 years ago is much lower today. I would expect 6-8 incoming this summer, assuming that the OOC players don't sign new deals. If they do, the incoming decreases accordingly. And I would also expect no "keynote" signings. On the older players I would like to think that we're being led by the sports science. Some players can easily play at the top level to age 35 and above. Others can't. It's player specific. And these guys have so much to teach the incoming new players and our academy youngsters. I'm expecting 23/24 to be one of gaining momentum. And if we do that then 24/25 we could make inroads to the play offs. The question is, do we want to be in the Premier league, getting beat every week, like Everton?

It was a special night. I don’t really know too many of the Man City players. They are very good. we’ve come on leaps and bounds this season. And Pearson and the coaching team needs huge credit. As do the players for getting a bit more mental toughness. We lost playing our way. And we didn’t once try and kick them out of the game. I thought the standard of officiating was ?.

This. Tanner was dealt a shit hand. And I think did pretty well. and Vyner. Defensively I was very impressed. Kept a couple of world class players very quiet. you can’t blame him for the second goal. Seriously.

It's the first game i've been to since QPR at home. The coaches in my opinion need to be given massive credit. The organisation when we don't have the ball is absolutely eons better. Its chalk and cheese. And you might say that Hull created very little, and that could be because they're pony. Or it could be because we made them look pony. And I also wonder about the mentality of the group. They fought well, and looked like winners, even though our quality in the final third was a bit off. One thing the lads I was with keep saying - can we please attack the near post on those balls across the face of the goal. Bring on the Manchester...

I like him too. He was the only one talking sense as a pundit on the TV. Future city manger?

I am in for tomorrow. I'm usually exceedingly disappointed when I go to Ashton Gate. The team is somehow always misfiring and the referee is always, always an abslolute AUNT. But. I'm taking a young adult from South Africa who has never been to a football match. What could possibly go wrong NIce one on the thread (as ever) COYR.