Ian M

Mic drop moment from Nige.

Apparently hearing that he has to get results from the Cov and Ipswich games to save his job? And we are led to believe that directive wasn't even delivered first hand?

There's been many comments through this thread that Pearson's "unspecified neurological disorder" (note the Post didn't report it as undiagnosed, NP may know full well what it is but rightly keeping the specific nature to himself) is causing him pain in fulfilling his duties but that he is showing commitment to the cause and ploughing on regardless. Could it be that Nige has brought this to a head because whilst he's happy to do that, at risk of the situation worsening, if the club plan to keep him beyond this season, if they don't he'd rather they pushed him out now and he can convalesce at leisure.

Broadly, amongst the supporters there's a general feeling that off-the-field things are a bit messy at Bristol City but at least generally there's a satisfaction that things on-the-pitch are going ok. Lansdown, in typical fashion, has heard those concerns and said "let me fix that!"

I think we'd only do that initially to win back the fans that are pissed that a fairly popular manager was forced out/allowed to leave. Long term we'd go back to our Austerity model as it's my belief that Steve is done loaning us £10m a year that will eventually have to be converted to equity. Then if we make false promises to those "cheque book managers" to get them in the door only to go back on them, we end up with another irritated manager. Parker, for example, doesn't deal with irritation well.

….and at least a couple are what I’d call “cheque book managers” so would not be able to work for Austerity City.

Reading between the lines of everything, it seems Nigel expected some talk of his contract situation during the recent international break but instead was handed an ultimatum to pick up results against Cov and Ipswich or else! (With a depleted squad very much related to budget restrictions)

I personally have taken the conclusion that Lansdown is tired of spending good money after bad on Bristol City and whilst the strings may initially be loosened with a new appointment, it won't be long term. So as I said above, I don't think I trust anyone to work with no budget more than I trust Nigel.

He's only able to do that because he's the only person at the club saying anything at all.

I cannot profess to have changed my mind either but were we broadly operating under the assumption that we were going through a period of austerity and that when we emerged the other side, there would be a certain relaxing of the budgets to allow us to compete? It turns out that austerity is the permanent approach moving forward and given that, there's an element of "careful what you wish for"? Nige has shown he is capable of maintaining, and maybe even improving upon our position within the Championship despite having his best players sold and offered peanuts to replace them with. Last season we bemoaned our small squad size yet we now operate on -1 vs last term. To get to +1 vs last season we would have needed to not sign Knight and sign 3 players on average L1 wages. And yet we are 1 point outside the play-offs. How many managers have we seen falter at AG before when they've been given money to spend? If there's none to spend I know I'd damn well rather stick with Nige.

Tbf, if Knight had 90 mins in him he'd have started, so the back 5 did a good job somehow keeping it to nil til the point he could come on.

Midday kick off, sorted!

New idea: amend the forum rules so that anyone who posts "who cares?!" on a clearly titled thread gets a one week ban

I'd personally love it if I supported Wolves or Chelsea.

These are the words of someone who wants an extension, not someone who is planning on retiring. But it does sound like he isn't getting much feedback from above.

We also had a perfectly good goal ruled out for offside if my memory isn't failing me?

Clear handball from Bell, ref may have got this one right after all. ....but another 2 weeks closer to Big Rob returning Was just Rotherham being Rotherham and dragging their opponent down to their level. On their budget (must be the smallest in the Championship) they are very unlikely to have goals much above staying in the division so it's in their interests to turn home games into scrappy affairs which they often succeed at as evidenced from 1 defeat in 4 (Leicester) before our visit. Last season 2/3 of their opponents failed to win there. After Stoke anything less than a win would have felt deflating as a gap would be growing between us and the hope of a play-off spot. As it is, having missed Tommy for most of the season we currently sit 1 point off and can continue to hope.

New contract now for Tommy or this is his last season with us

Context is everything then

I wouldn't say he's wrong. Put together a good team so we want to buy tickets. Put out good merchandise so we want to buy it. Lay on good catering so we want to buy food in the ground. I'd happily prioritise more money towards City if I felt the value was there.

$15k a season ticket? Delete this post before the club get any ideas about growing that nest egg!

To anyone wondering, I just googled and they appear to play at the same level as Marine, step 7-8

We’re doing everything we can to win games of football for this football club. So you’re not trying to help the local school children learn how to make apple crumble?

That's 2 great pressers running after Nige'spre Leicester lesson in club building. Really enjoyed every minute of that. I just want Curtis to know he's not the only weirdo out there who gets as excited about a great block or tackle as a wonder goal. Just look at the evidence of OTIB in recent weeks where several great tackles have got their own threads. We definitely appreciate the efforts the defensive unit are putting in nowadays.

Benarous has also been capped at England Youth level which not a huge amount of our youngsters have. If we hadn’t had Scott we’d have high hopes of Ayman being our best ever prospect.