RollsRoyce

He lives in Cheltenham

I am not even sure where you start with an interview like that, but I have a good idea of where you end. There is a very evident, and growing divide between the club and the fanbase. Any possibility of success will be driven by a unity of purpose and belief. But here we are with a club led by people who continually lie, and also seemingly have confused politics with sport. The lobbying, random posing on forums, offline briefing of local media and interviews like this demonstrate that they think you can detach the evidence and underlying mood with empty words. As if by saying something continually, it will become true, despite all of the evidence pointing in a different direction. The club has created one of the most astonishing masterclasses in self-destruction. They have indeed lost the fan base, primarily because of the lack of transparency and continued lies. That destroys trust. But worse than that, there is no real anger. It is even more catastrophic, apathy prevails. The reason for that is possibly because people know there is nothing that can be done. The club is priced out of new ownership, and as such, we are currently hostages to the owner's whim. This is a real shame, because the owner most certainly would want what any fan would want, but over 2 decades the continued lack of any semblance of a strategy, changes in direction, and continued reluctance to employ competent people means we are now looking at regression. So here we are, we now have to watch the soap opera of Tinnion, Manning and Jon L play out until the cost of relegation becomes a real reality again. But we have been here on so many occasions. The club is crying out for high quality professional leadership. It is now getting embarrassing for the owner.

So why are you glad we signed him? You could answer your own question.

I know, it's even worse! You are right. They say how terrible Manning is and how he has destroyed the atmosphere at the club, and made the team unwatchable. Thanks for the heads up.

And the ground. And the city, and , well anywhere apart from the Bristol Sport office

Get back in your tank

Great to win, end that losing run. Much better second half, Sykes added a lot of energy and drive. The result was the most important thing today.

Big Dickie to the rescue

Sykes has been good

I have a season ticket, but need to travel to games. I was actually 30 min from the ground, for family reasons, but could not face another repeat of last week. The ground half empty, no atmosphere, no energy on or off the pitch. So I drove home. I love football , live, at a game. The atmosphere, the drive, the passion it is why I and most of you I guess love football. But Ashton Gate just seems to have had the life sucked out of it this season. It felt last week if the crowd was in a daze. Something needs to change for next season, it cannot carry on like this. The fanbase has no belief. Of course we are not in the play off mix (with 10 games to go...) , maybe a skirmish with relegation will liven the place up. But this is tough love. There is not even hope anymore. Just a numb feeling of , I am not sure what. But it is not stimulating or exciting.

Or , you could say if Manning had been here all season we would most likely be playing in L1 next season based on his results so far (extrapolated) back to August. However we dress it up, next season looks like it will be a very nervous affair unless in these last 9 games or so, we hit some consistency and results. I would guess Steve L is well aware of this, and it was not the situation that was sold to him by his son and Tinnion.

That is not true in my opinion . You disagree . But I look at Manning as Manning . He is hopelessly out of his depth . I cannot see how that is linked to Pearson . I do not understand how Pearson made him inept or inadequate . Is Pearson still controlling the team ? Now that would be surreal .

Let's talk about Manning. Pearson has gone, and Manning being unsuited has nothing to do with Pearson. Two hugely different scenarios. So, why did we appoint Manning? What are the attributes you see, with the squad that we have, that suit the way Manning wants to play? What youth players have been developed under Manning? What players have improved under Manning? Why, when Luton and possibly Ipswich get promoted to the Prem playing a certain way, with a budget closer to ours than say Leeds/Burnley/Leicester do you think the Manning 's approach to playing football is superior to that of McKenna and Edwards? How many players does Manning need to sign? Particularly when 2 players already signed, we tried to sign before he got here, a powerful forward we tried to sign before he got here, and the number 10 position, filled by Scott and not replaced, would have been filled if the money was available. So we already know the squad for next year, bar Twine (or his replacement) and a Semenyo replacement. Is that enough to give Manning the players he would want to play his way? Is that way of playing as. a non-parachute payment club going to bring success? As we would be the first club to do that, nothing like being first of course, but it does not follow any other path to success by any other club. In any case, when, who, has said we are now going on a different path? The club have never said it, fans have created this narrative to explain Mannings's failure. In my view, the club did not do their due diligence and hired a Russel Martin replacement, when what we needed was a McKenna or Edwards if we wanted to utilise better the players at our disposal. It will be faster and more economical to cut our losses with Manning now before we enter into a blind faith, or an attempt at face-saving , path that will be destructive and carries a high risk of relegation next season. Whilst 10 games left can change the mood and take Manning into next season with positive energy, something stupendous will need to happen to lift what would appear to be increasing doubts. An empty ground at full-time for a derby I had never seen before, and the atmosphere was the worst I can recall for a derby. There is no faith or belief. Those are worrying traits. Anger would be better, really, as it shows passion. But people have stopped caring. As it is a lost cause. So, please, try and explain what it is that you believe Manning has that I and maybe a few others are struggling to grasp.

He was hired to turn the current squad into promotion challengers, he has turned us into relegation fodder. Based on what I have seen, you are gambling with relegation next season if you keep him. He looks and sounds completely lost. I am not sure what the opposite of new manager bounce is, maybe new manager droop. If there is a general feeling of malaise, and a ground empty at full time is not a good look, and when the fanbase lose faith, it takes a huge amount to regain it. Unfortunately, he is not the only issue, but no matter the volume of off-record press briefings and media manipulation and spin from the club can put lipstick on this pig.

Are you suggesting he does not want to expand his game and improve ? That is a strange . Why do you have that impression ? He seems a willing lad from all that he shows and says. There is also no way up the ladder anyone leaves a forward so isolated. It will be interesting to see how is career develops at his new club.

If we continue to believe that changing one person waves a magic wand we will get the same results. The club requires a top-to-bottom review of all of its operations. But you need someone to lead that who understands elite sport/business and there will be a need to rock the boat. I cannot see that happening under the current ownership. In 2 decades it has not transpired, so why would it start now? If we carry on, along the same route we are currently travelling, we will be revisiting L1.

I just think that is how Tommy is a bit like that, but he looked happy when he scored against WHU. Stunning header though, add those to the cup goals and that is why he is off this summer. He has plenty of suitors. He has a great future in the game. I prefer it when he is with Wells on the pitch

Judge me on Tinnion - Lansdown 2005 He hates being wrong doesn't he, wounded the first time, he has allowed him back into prime time to prove a point. Steve, we judged you the first time, 2 decades have not changed anything. Third time lucky is not allowed either.

They were not the main game on Sky

I rather thought that Ipswich, with their squad, and results this season demonstrated that the way Manning wants to play is not the only way to play and be successful. Indeed, you can add Luton last season too. Both non-parachute payment clubs, both being fast in transition and creating disruption. We did that too, to Luton last season, if anyone recalls. So why did someone think that playing like Man City with our mid-table budget was the way forward? Even when you have PP, get promoted and get battered like Burnley, because when you have a £50M advantage at our level, you can maybe do it, but when you are promoted, you are then a small fish. Reality, pragmatism and not idealistic dreams are needed. McKenna is proving to be all of that and a very talented coach.

Oh dear. But, we at least created chances and scored goals. But in the last 30 we were blown away. Much better than the last 3 games. Full credit to Ipswich, look at that squad, then look at the results. McKenna is a real talent.

You have got to be joking. Boys what

Awful penalty, well done Max

Oh Bollxxxxxxxxx

We are so much better when we get the ball forward fast.