RedRock

Normally, a lot of work on computers would be undertaken to calculate angles between properties to ensure any potential loss of light is calculated and design adjusted to ensure ‘acceptable levels’. Additionally, detailed analysis would normally be done to ensure anybody new development is not ‘overbearing’ on neighbouring properties. An alternative approach, to quote myself at a public inquiry ‘this development was designed on the back of a fag packet, the only problem being they didn’t even manage that’. Wonder which design method has been adopted for The Sags Cow Shed?

Another challenge, Devine was a class apart.

Oh no. That’s sad. Couldn’t get much more ‘City’ than him. A true red, and nice chap as well. Be at peace.

Semi-familiar. Would have been near to him on the East End back in the day. Happy shared memories and sleep well lad. As an aside, the picture doesn’t look the same guy from my hazy recollection, but mention of badges and scarfs around the wrists. Was there not a chap called ‘flagship’ (maybe just by our group!) who frequented The Gate at that time and subsequent decades?

Alex has a decent game imo. Tidy. Needs to work on his final ball around the box, a little ‘hit and hope’ rather than precision.

Anybody using an iPad? Can’t get rid of the centred circular blue arrow for some reason. Typical that it’s central midfield where Alex is playing. Maybe it’s an arrow added by Nige to hide Alex from watching scouts.

Super impressive. The two ‘stars’ Haaland and De Bruyne had quiet games by their standards, yet City just outclassed one of the World’s best teams. Hats off.

That’s about as good and dominant a team performance over 45 minutes as you’ll ever see in top class football. Brilliant.

I’ve heard the Horfield branch of Greater Crested Newts regularly march up and down that footpath too.

Our history is littered with ‘returnees’ who have failed to fully live up to expectations second time around, in on or off the field roles - whether loans to permanent (the Chelsea trio, Tomlin et al) or permanent to permanent (Joe Jordan). There are occasional exceptions. Hopefully, Joe B would be one of those. On the ‘hope’ side, the guy is super-intelligent and highly likeable. He was very fit and athletic. There is a ‘risk’ side though, the mental health aspect and whether that hunger for football and success really does still burn bright. I suspect even Joe doesn’t fully know that - but, logically, he may well view it that if he can’t do it for his hometown Club in familiar surroundings with family support, he wouldn’t be able to do it anywhere else. The other ‘risk’ is that Nige doesn’t know how to play him…for info. he just hasn’t the positional awareness to play full-back, so left/central midfield please. Let’s hope for an MA-style ‘vigorous’ assessment before we commit so neither parties end up regretting the move. That said, on an emotional level, I’d really love to welcome him back and for him to play a big part in pushing us on.

Stop Notice or Injunction anyone? If the height of the new stand is higher than the tent it replaces or capacity is increased by virtue of these works it might get a little interesting. Obviously, they are as confident in getting all the necessary consents before the start of next Season as they were about ‘coming to get us’ this Season. Glad they seem to be still employing the legal bods who were so successful with the Sainsbury’s case.

Worked with him during one of my Summer holidays at Canford Park. Think they had three full-time gardeners there at the time. He was an absolute gem of a guy.

Pretty sure Holden wasn’t Steve’s choice. Steve did an interview post-Holden where he said something along the lines that short term success doesn’t necessarily reflect in long term achievement. Think he was alluding to the fact that Holden got off to a flier and then - predictably in Steve’s mind - it fell apart (although injuries were a factor to be fair to Holden). Steve said it in a way that it was pretty obvious someone had said to him ‘told you so’ in justifying their decision when Holden was initially doing well. I‘d speculate that Jon and Ashton were the two behind the appointment. Jon likely on the basis of a non-confrontational manager and, critically, Ashton to ensure his almost complete control of the Club - Steve was implementing his own exit strategy by taking a back seat in Club affairs at that time - was not threatened. I could be totally wrong, but the snippets that Steve lets out make me think quite possibly not.

Wow. Now that’s entertainment!!!! Well done County. Wonderful game. Spectacular finish.

Dream - 1st - 3rd Hope - 4-6th Reality - 7 -10th Disappointment - sub 10th

Agree. Accurate, humorous and written with the passion of a real fan. Think they’re where we were 5 years ago. Pity their supporters, apart from the ****hole with our flag. It’s a long old haul back to becoming average -with potential - again. Excellent 10/10. Top of the class.

My immediate thought is that we’ve suffered seasons of pain, now for the glory. Solid foundations laid. At last we have a team with an identity, commitment, consistency, pace and power. A few tweaks in personnel and we have take off. Struth, if we can’t now match the likes of Luton, Boro, Sheff Utd, Sunderland et alI I give up.

I think your supporters might have been ‘well- managed’ by others back in the day! If memory serves me correctly, we had you at home early days in our new First Division experience. I think your lot assumed we were country-bumpkins and brought a couple of hundred ‘lads’ to take the place over. However, they were run ragged around the town by our mob all day. For future matches with you at ‘The Gate’ we only saw a few bubble-hat wearing families.

… and they’ve invested a good % of their ‘winnings’ in a highly impressive training centre building at an already very impressive training ground. Pity about Saturday’s result though.

I think that’ll be 5 to 6 to be frank and that will be just to survive. A lot of hard work on physicality and fitness required on the squad over the Summer. The next league up is for elite athletes, as well as quality footballers. Think we’re some way off tbh.

Lloyd Kelly is just top quality … just imagine Webster/Kelly as a centre back pairing.

I’d definitely go for the elephants in preference to the donkey’s that we normally rustle up. Actually have huge admiration for Steve’s conservation efforts.

Sad isn’t it. Think it goes … every action has an equal and opposite reaction. So ‘uncontrolled immigration’ goes to ‘no immigration’, globalism turning to nationalism, gender rights etc. Pity we don’t have a grown-up political system based on consensus, dialogue and science as opposed to conflict, vitriol and extreme religion/ideology. John Lennon imagined how it could be!

Pretty sure he’s been keen on Mark Robins for many a year. His comment that he was persuaded by LJ to give him the managers job, was I suspect a reference to a regret not having given it to Robins. There was a similar indirect comment of regret post-Holden... although, again, not specific to Robins.

Mark Chapman … please no. I don’t know why, as he seems to be a decent sort of chap, but he just grates with me. Really tough as while he’s got to be a bit ‘ladish’ with spontaneous humour, he needs to command respect of the up their own arses ex pro’s. The only one who possibly fits the bill would be Colin Murray but would still be a significant downgrade imo.