Ian M

That's on me. This is a thread I am dipping in and out of, I haven't read all 91 pages ?

As an aside, am I just being ignorant or have Castore seemingly come out of nowhere? I'd never noticed them before but now they seem to be everywhere, is it a rebranding of an existing firm?

As another poster said above "money". This is the only kit we are releasing this season after the switch last term so they are labelling it "away" to attach more importance to it subconsciously. As it stands we have a home kit and a change kit so operationally we are fine. However, from a financial POV, it's not a great look to be telling the fans "we are at our limit on wages" and then at the same time be missing out on a new kit release. As each week goes by slightly fewer people will end up buying it thanks to their own perception of "value" being diminished as the season counts down.

You left out the part about being linked to some very credible candidates first.

Can’t remember what it was exactly he said but in a recent press conference he was already talking about planning for next season, I just think he’s a good sort who regardless of personal job security, cares about the players and people he works with. You could see the pride in his face when talking about the likes of Sam Bell in his post match interview last weekend.

If the reason for cutting back on funding now is because SL believes there's a reasonable chance of selling up during this season, do we really think work will actually begin on the Arena? I think that decision would be delayed and let any prospective new owners decide if they want to go ahead with the plans as they are.

Seems to be “spin the tale whatever way necessary to justify not backing our popular with supporters but not with us manager”. Too many facts do not align. New owners ASAP please.

Teams involved at the top often ban the P word so not to jinx it, maybe we need to ban the I word? We simply cannot suffer many more if we want to continue in the top half.

SL seems to be saying he wants us to make £25m of sales each season (which is coincidentally what our current wage bill is estimated to be). If we don’t make those £25m sales do we need to reduce the wage budget further? We cut “numbers” by 2 this Summer, potential to go even smaller next season?

I feel we are in need of this reaction personally so we can celebrate every time our players are linked with a big money move ?

Quite. Whilst it’s admirable, the rest of the Championship will be spending what they are allowed and when we don’t renew the contract of our manager who has proven himself able to manage on a shoe string we will likely fall down the table. We’ll probably then chuck money at trying to stay up but recruiting into a club with a losing mentality often goes well doesn’t it? ??

Thanks for your suggestion ?

I am still digesting tonight's interview and a few things don't add up for me: Earlier in the summer, Brian Tinnion stated that there was a Plan A for recruitment if Alex stayed and a Plan B for recruitment if Alex was sold. Meanwhile, Pearson, said in answer to the press that the signing of Jason Knight was to play with Alex and not in place of him. However, Alex Scott was sold to Bournemouth in August for £25m. Following that sale, when the press asked Pearson for comment, he seemed genuinely annoyed/upset by the decision and said “it was the club that sold him” insinuating he was not pleased, almost sulky at the time. Since that sale, Bristol City signed just one player on loan, a midfielder capable of covering at full-back due to a long-term injury to Ross McCrorie. We have also since learned that the wage budget was set in March of this year, several months ahead of selling Alex and that we have maxed that and cannot sign anyone else. Tonight on Radio Bristol, Phil Alexander, the club’s CEO, revealed that the club was always working towards that budget set in March and that we had bought early to pre-spend the money that selling Alex would bring in. He also stated that TGH was not planned for and was a response to injuries. Based on these facts, it is difficult to determine whether Tinnion and Pearson were complicit in misleading fans or whether they were misled themselves. However, it is clear that there is a discrepancy between what was said earlier in the summer and what has been revealed tonight. It is up to fans to decide what they believe based on these facts.

Nige does seem the most relaxed he’s been at City in the last week.

It is my personal opinion that Nige’s card was marked when he described the transfer/wages policy under SL before he arrived as “stupid and unsustainable” in a pre-match interview even though SL clearly agrees but that given the financials involved, SL wasn’t prepared to pay up a difficult but performing employee. Extending their stay is an entirely different matter.

Can we test that theory please? Would be a hell of a lot of fun up till Christmas, even if it became hella toxic on here after with the SL sycophants defending that decision.

*semi final Sad times.

Ok, presided over the playing squad whilst those things were done to him. He has 71% of LJ’s wage budget and 18% of his transfer expenditure but the same objective.

Remember when Nigel led Leicester to “the great escape” and then got sacked? What price he gets us up through the play-offs and we don’t offer him a new contract?

Particularly given Nige has: reduced the wage bill by approaching £10m per annum, reduced amortisation cost by around £9m per annum, generated sales of around £35m, still kept us competitive on the pitch with a tiny injury hit squad. And yet he appears to have no supporters in the club’s hierarchy. ?

And keeping him fit. We have no one else of his vision.

We are currently not naming full matchday squads due to the number of injuries we have, most of them fairly long term. We are now left needing to not suffer any more injuries (or suspensions) for the next 2-3 months. Full strength we would be absolutely fine.

Sam Bell on course for 18 goals this season ?

I’m actually more confident against West Brom than I was for the Preston and Brum games. I know Nigel is trying to evolve us to a possession based game and we have got better at that but we still look at our best when given the opportunity to counter teams. I fully expect West Brom with their big club attitude to want to hold on to the ball and that could play into our hands.