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And it’d be easier for you to have got to Nevil Road from Thornbury back in the day - but I won’t go there! ?

I definitely fee your pain. I used to love the Jessop Tavern, singing about the chicken in the glory days of the late ‘90s or early ‘00s. I lament what we’ve become post-pandemic. During the lockdown season, under Harvey and Alleyne, we had identity and momentum. All of that was undone with the decision to dispose of them for Benkenstein. And there are parallels with City and Nige IMO. I don’t understand how people who’ve grown up in Bristol can support a county 40+ miles away. I support my local teams - City, Glos, Bears. Simple as that. @And Its Smith Awful news, cherish those memories and I hope you pass on the love of cricket (Tests in particular!) to your boy.

Fair point; I don’t disagree. What’s he got to do for a genuine promotion push? Be backed by an ambitious board. By backed, I mean give him enough of the Scott cash to get one or two players of real quality in and try to keep your best players for a little while longer. Nothing wild like the spending sprees under LJ. Nige has signed enough players who have improved us to warrant that IMO. My early season optimism of a top-10 finish was based on the increasing likelihood of Scott staying until January or there being funds to replace him, borne out of “what football makes, football can spend”. I definitely think Nige would’ve spend the vast sums afforded to LJ a heck of a lot better, but we will never know.

Who’s the non-established player you refer to? LJ’s two most successful signings were Brownhill (free) and Webster (£3.5m). There was a LOT of dross among that. The point @Kid in the Riot makes about a pre-COVID market is a valid one, as Nige has had nowhere near the resources (transfer fees, wages etc) available to LJ. But part of that was the pandemic, part of that was profligacy. I actually think the pandemic exacerbated the mistakes of LJ/MA.

Beat me to it. LJ was shopping at M&S, Nige is shopping at Aldi. And LJ was able to tap in to the European market pre-Brexit, so a comparison is pointless.

They have similar at Schalke as well. Their retractable pitch goes under one of the main stands and sits outside, though, so it’s open to the elements.

Excellent post. For me, Nige has been as straight as a dye with us whenever he’s been interviewed and I have no doubt Tinnion has the club’s best interests at heart. The fact both of them were singing off the same hymn sheet speaks volumes. Reading between the lines, I think it’s pretty clear the goalposts have been moved since March and there were not two separate budgets set in March (one with Scott, one without). What I also found interesting is that PA insisted it was a risk for SL to bring in four players before we received the Scott cash, completely ignoring the £10m we brought in from Semenyo. PA also made is very clear IMO that SL is responsible for every decision, right down to the details of the Scott deal. SL is misleading people and cowardly dodging explaining his rationale. Either that or he’s losing his marbles. If he no longer wants to invest, he can’t sell up soon enough IMO.

We had a villa in Pollensa last summer, which was lush. I know Mallorca like the back of my hand having been on many cycling trips over there, the last one being the 2019 Mallorca 312.

And that, in my opinion, once again shows us a) SL knows jack shit about football, and b) despite being fooled by Ashton in the past, he loves employees who blow smoke up his ass. It’s clear to see why Pearson’s face doesn’t fit. Bristol City Football Club is, and always will be, bigger, more important and longer lasting the Lansdowns.

Yes, I do. While he’s a mug when it comes to football, he’s no mug when it comes to money. I have no doubt he will make a decent wedge when he sells. And you’re probably fed up asking the same question as nobody has a crystal ball. Broadly speaking, the alternative is a new owner with ambition.

Haha. As you well know, mate, 31 - soon to be 32 - years of following us now. Shame two thirds of that has been under SL’s watch.

If there’s one thing the sale of Scott proves it that’s SL is out solely for himself. He could not give a flying **** about the fans, backed up by previous comments about it being “my club”. No, Steve, you’re a deluded custodian. I used to think he was a great benefactor but the fact of the matter is I, and thousands of other long-term sufferers, committed considerably more of our relative wealth towards supporting the City than he ever has. That self-interest will eventually see him profiteer from selling the club or any variation of it, while we are left in limbo until he does sell up. The one positive is we have a manager of experience who might be able to achieve something against all odds. No doubt SL would take all credit if he does.

The away performances have been great so far, but it only takes a few more injuries for things to nosedive. Despite the positive outcome today, I still think we’re a few players short of having a really positive season. We don’t have the depth to sustain these performances IMO and will need a lot of luck if we’re to get anywhere near 70+ points.

Sensible points as always, @Alessandro. I think your last sentence sums it up perfectly for me. Communication is key. If what you said is indeed our strategy, why can’t the board be open about it? Why feel the need to talk about a promotion push or compare us to Luton, ignoring all relevant context while doing so? Investment post-Scott would galvanise the club IMO, for players to fans and everyone in between. And I’m not asking for Nige to be given a £25m war chest, but to give up bugger all at a time when it’s really needed is abysmal IMO and only serves to fuel my feelings of the Lansdowns.

Good post. My view is not founded upon three poor home performances; I actually think Birmingham looked a decent side and the point v PNE might turn out to be a good one. My frustration (and, yes, it does build on a historical resentment towards the Lansdowns, for decisions and personal experiences with them both) boils down to not spending any of the Scott cash after a) SL said Nige could spend what he raised, and b) us having 17 fit players in a squad that lacks quality after Scott was sold. I fear lack of investment might risk our second-tier status and that SL is playing a dangerous game.

Thanks, troll. A lot’s changed since then in case you hadn’t noticed. Yes, I did fancy us to get off to a flier at a time when we still had Scott and Conway was fit. I also firmly expected at least a bit of the money raised from Scott’s sale to be spent on his replacement. After all, SL said Nige could “spend what he raised” so that wasn’t an unrealistic hope. And for the record, seeing as you have the time to troll through my historical posts, I’ve wanted the Lansdowns out for a very long time now. Not spending a penny of the Scott money has reinforced my opinion. If you can’t tolerate my view, don’t comment on it.

I think the Lansdowns need to **** off and close the door on their way out. Change is needed right at the top.

So there you have it, @sh1t_ref_again. The wage budget has been set (or “imposed” as you claimed) by the owners - Lansdown.

If anyone has “imposed” a wage budget, it’s SL who has imposed it on NP and those are the restraints he works under.

If that’s the case, it’s time a) he stops talking about promotion as it’s wholly unrealistic, and b) sells BCFC and Ashton Gate as soon as possible.

See my post on the other thread: if the wage budget was set in March when Scott was a BCFC player, why was there no plan in place to increase the budget when Scott was sold? I do not understand why SL, who’s made billions from financial services, cannot plan for various scenarios and kick those plans into action when needed. It’s mental.

What I struggle to understand is that the wage budget for 2023/24 was set in March. That sounds to me like it was set in stone, regardless of any plans to sell Scott or not. Surely, we would have one budget projection if we kept Scott and another increased budget if we sold him? It makes even less sense when you consider SL’s financial background.

I couldn’t care less if SL doesn’t like the man he appointed to run the side, but it’s inexplicable not to give him the best the chance of success by turning off the taps having sold the best player in the division last season. If I was Pearson, I’d consider walking and wouldn’t blame him either. He (and Gould) did a great job keeping us in this division following the financial mess they walked into IMO. Not for the first time, SL undermines.

20+ years of managerial decisions say otherwise, Spike.