RedRock

We’ve got to do way better than that … attempts to cut out crosses to both goals was pretty Downs League standard. Anyhows, onwards we go. Not relegated or, seemingly, at any risk of FFP penalty were the two key objectives for me this season. Bonus of blooding youngsters. However, we need a new ‘spine’ of four quality players to push on imo - dominating keeper and centre back (two, if Kalas goes), goal scoring midfielder and forward. We need to recycle the Scott money wisely. Still worry that an apparent lack of a comprehensive scouting network will hinder us in identifying first team targets though.

Remember a trip to Watford with a big City following in 80’s or 90’s. Arrived late’ish asked a copper which pub was allocated to City and his response ‘take your pick’. City were everywhere in the town centre. Was the time a few lads and their wife’s/girlfriends went - somewhat bizarrely - into the ‘hard core’ away sections … remember this both at Watford and Cardiff. Good day out.

Norman Hunter - nobody bounced off him. Solid is an understatement.

Seems a genuinely nice bloke who is already well ‘on message’. Little wonder Nige called him ‘low maintenance’. Hoping for more ‘high output’ performances from him like yesterday. Good luck to the lad. Slowish start, but hope he becomes a real asset and key squad member in the future.

Good effort overall, but two poor goals given away. Pring did ok with the clearance, not great, but ok. King had a simple flick on which should have led to a decent breakaway for us. He should have been aware of our player running on to the side of him and had the energy to do the flick. Simple fact he was physically and mentally knackered. Disappointing he hadn’t been subbed a few minutes earlier. Really awful marking for their headed goal and I thought Max could have gambled with a dive in that direction tbh. I know Nige doesn’t bleat on about our injuries, but maybe would expect Sky to mention something. Ok saying we’re a small team…but Lummydaze we’ve 3 ‘giant’ what were our first choice centre backs out …Bakes permanently, Atkinson for the season and beyond and Kalas unknown.

Why should The Sags get free land? Lummydaze, the useless Mayor can’t even bang a few administrative neighbours heads together to allow us to use the LA Park & Ride for Bristol’s premier sport and entertainment facility. Nobody could argue that a professional football ground is essential, even vaguely connected, to needs generated by the development. My bet would be the developer merrily goes along with this until they get to an advanced stage/ have planning permission and then they’ll just dump the ground with the submission of further application. Only chance is if the City Council have some land holding essential to the development…. but that then comes back to the first question… why should The Sags benefit and not Bristol’s Ratepayers?

Yep. Despite have an arm in a sling at the time thought the gates looked a bit flimsy, one lean and they burst open. Can remember a load of ours then being chased back by plod and dogs back across the long side terrace. While we were on the first train special, think it was the second special that ‘took’ Woolworths en-route to the ground.

Done Rovers a few times preceding, including the 5-0 ‘Tulips Derby’. May have also been to Cardiff. Swindon though, was the first of the football away days train ‘specials’ for me. Millwall, I think, were on the East End the previous week and joined in with the chant ‘If you’re all going to Swindon..’ and cold blow me, they flippin went!!

Rovers, Cardiff, Millwall in that order. Probably an age/‘familiarity’ type - thing. Brum, Swansea and then Plymouth … would follow. Swindon were never on my radar really after we took over their place - I think - in the early 70’s (with Millwall present).

‘You’re not from around here are you’ … as they say down in Devon. We’re Bristol City. We have an unerring ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Until it’s mathematically impossible to go down, it remains a risk for us - perhaps not other teams but for us, yes. Just look at the City women’s result today…should have been a stroll in the park and promotion all but guarantee’d. What do we do?

Oh lor. I was rather hoping that Carroll might have been injured or suspended. Going to be an interesting afternoon trying to stop any high balls being launched towards him.

Talking about Devon football. Was out walking from my partner’s house with the hound yesterday. Met a bloke, as you do down here, with a Bristol City jacket on. Got chatting, became apparent …Mark Ashton’s father! Anyhow, by the end of the chat he had sold me a dozen Championship-ready footballers for a bargain price. If anyone from the Devon area wants to borrow them let me know. Coincidentally, there’s an Ipswich Town supporting lady I bump into quite frequently down here. As you do, I chatted to her about our ex-CEO. Somewhat alarmingly during the chat with MAs father, I found that he has also chatted to her. I just want to place on record now, for the benefit of certainty, that I think Mark Ashton is the most wonderful CEO that City had the privilege of employing, and our loss is very much Ipswich’s gain.

Hardly, of the last 12 matches against them 6 have been - remarkably - 2-2 draws. Think I can remember up at Oakwell we were leading in the 1006 minute of injury time 2-1 and the inevitable happened!

Agree. Not a bad effort from them to promote one of the most unmarketable products in the Universe. Now then ‘Fever Pitch’, let’s see how good we are. Perhaps start with the packaging - the shirts - and then the substance ..the facilities, team etc.

I remain of the view Ryley is an out-goer we will regret. Was he not utilised in our first team more than once as a full back? Think this was the period when Nige seemed to lose the plot a little - with the likes of Bell as well. Would have thought a youngster just making the gigantic leap up from Under 23’s to First Team should only be played in their favoured position at least until bedded in a bit.

I’d maintain that both are violent conduct, or neither. Both pre-meditated and involve a physical ‘attack’. Bizarrely, the one that could result, literally, in someone breaking a neck deemed the lesser of the two offences and a ‘yellow’. Only the FA!

We don’t do things easy do we. Think the team owe Bentley one!!! Outstanding performance.

Only drop in now and again with the women’s football so caveat comments with that, but our right side looks excellent; pacy, strong with skill and composure, Morgan truly outstanding. The left, however, looks the opposite - really vulnerable and weak in the extreme. A few players looking like they’re running in treacle, notably at the front with the attackers needing to be more front foot and alive, some alarming space and time too for the opposition in our own box. Far from over, but if we can grab another early in the second half, hopefully we can grab the 3 points.

Abysmal isn’t it. Really does look like they’ve gone to a Poundland shop, then ironed on a badge transfer. You’d think that having won a contract a company would initially try an impress their client with their wares. OK when you’re running a contract down with no chance of re-engagement take the p*ss, but this is just shocking at this stage of a client relationship. I’ll just give them the benefit of doubt that they just aren’t geared up to supply quality clothing - which makes you wonder why we engaged them in the first place - but come the Summer and retail sales time they will significantly raise their game (and product quality). It has been a totally underwhelming start though and if I had entered a contract with them, I’d already be reading the riot act. In all this mess, I do wonder where our new CEO is and why he hasn’t issued a statement about the (lack of) quality of their products. Could it be he’s a bit embarrassed about how this relationship is working out I wonder? Not a good start.

Couldn’t agree more about the ref. As ever, it’s about consistency. Great if this is a new directive, applied throughout football … my suspicion though is it’s just a one-off by a ref that had a dislike of either time-wasting, England or both. Think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen someone booked for ignoring a ball that was left by a bench. I just hope the result doesn’t reinforce Southgate’s negativity. It’s a game of fine margins. Our keeper and defence are error prone, particularly concentration lapses, so once ahead to rely on ‘parking the bus’ as a playing strategy is a big gamble imo.

Odd wasn’t it. Seemed more a case of our three ‘creators’ just disappearing - Sako, Bellingham and Jack - than the Italian raising their game. Whether the Italians cut the supply or our creators just lost their way I’m unsure. Sako’s confidence just seemed to sap away. Anyhows, dug in well and Rice was immense.

Imagine if England were managed by Warnock, we’d have no players left on the pitch after 66 mins with this ref. Good win England. Kane ‘the magnificent’.

It does, but Maguire has to do better with that pass. Not a difficult ball. Then typical Maguire trying to make good his mistake charges in without control, gets booked and leaves his man with a free run on goal. Needs to repay that with a slab-head finish from one of our corners.

Move aside Jack, our Alex would have buried that.

Get in. Classic penalty. Top drawer Harry.