RedRock

Now then, top 5 favourite pitch invasions:- Coventry A 2-2 Sags A 5-0 Portsmouth H 1-0 Rotherham H we won Chester A 1-0/2-1?

Devastating news. Part of the Ashton Gate experience and Away Day adventures. His enthusiasm knew no bounds. A real loss of a true Club Legend. ‘The Gate’ will never feel quite the same place again. Rest easy.

Anyone read this as ‘Moving to Hull’ and thinking, poor sod.

Hope he does make it with us. Seems a talent and looks an exciting, entertaining player.

Actually, looking at that Dutch pundit I think we ought to rejoin the EU without delay.

Shoot me down - but credit to the women, the technical ability from the elite teams is on a par, if not exceeding that of top men’s teams. Even some of the keepers are pretty decent…in fact that Dutch keeper save was a worldie. Have really enjoyed this tournament. Put me down as a convert. So that’s Brexit and Women’s football I was wrong on. Still waiting to be convinced that CoD should have been given that contract extension mind.

Think there was a thread way back on City celebrities, several of whom are mentioned on this thread. From Formula One I think Jenson Button was/is(?) City, Lando Norris too but the later’s connection I believe was just between his dad and SL (did Steve sponsor Lando early doors?). Quite a few musicians and Banksy, having worked close to the Dirty Duck - despite what South Bristol people say about support north of the river - had to be a red. Somerset cricketers past and present are all over us. While Botham played for Scunthorpe spotted him at AG once too.

It was a release that I found a little surprising. Nige seems to like playing a big, strong, bustling forward and there were times last season where we played Martin to a near standstill. A few 20 minute sub cameos would have been useful to give Martin a break and given an opportunity to fully appraise the lad. We still have no like-for-like back up for Martin, which given he’s a year older makes the decision to release even stranger. Behind most of Nige’s decisions (notwithstanding a very few questionable subs, tactics, playing people out of position and incomings) but this player release is one I can’t quite fathom.

John Cleese - The Mighty Reds Helen Chamberlain - Torquay Chris Packham - Soton

Impressive. They don’t half hit the ball cleanly, and a couple of superb flicks. Really enjoyable game.

I’ve got a feeling we could have a ‘Europe in four years’ posting on this forum soon.

Don’t forget, it’s pre-season for the posters too! Like the players, it takes a while for this forum to return to its usual match sharpness. Some good signs though, when we were losing we had a wafer-thin squad and will struggle improve on last season. Good rally at the end though, where we look to have a squad that should walk the Championship. Things you like to see.

I like our direction of travel, and we will improve on last season’s league position. However, I’d like an under-study to Martin. Nige likes a big man upfront and it was proven last season that Martin is, at best, a max 2 games in 7 days forward. Also have a concern about the 2-3 forwards approach which is great to watch, but which seems to leave us short in midfield with large amounts of free space in front of our defence. Not sure we have the midfield players who can effectively fill that space, but maybe a re-designed defence can push players up to plug the gaps. If those two issues are effectively addressed, a pretty bullish upper mid-table for me, with a good start we could even seriously threaten the play-off places.

Tomlin …… hold my beer.

Because you have a ‘community asset’ car parking facility with significant capacity sat a few hundred yards from the largest stadium in the region, which either stands empty on evening matches /events or with many unused spaces during afternoon matches. Meanwhile the streets around the stadium are clogged full of cars, much to the annoyance of local residents, and charges for any off-street parking rise at about two thousand times the rate of inflation every season.

I’m looking forward to the zimmer range myself.

Odd commentary for me, aside from the fact that JP didn’t mention City, there seemed a fraction of delay between sound and vision. I knew the penalty had been saved before the keeper saved it. Most bizarre.

Another decent game - Iceland vs Italy. Got to say the technique of striking of the ball in front of goal has improved enormously in the Woman’s game. Absolutely belter for Holland’s third, and great one this evening too. The foot to ball contact so clean and precise, hit perfectly. Other observation is that the Woman presenter at half-time and the blonde pundit were excellent. No need for positive discrimination, appoint solely on talent and the cream inevitably rises to the top be that male, female or purple-coloured with green spots.

Yep… that full kit looks very smart indeedy. Always think that if you feel good in a kit it gives you an extra 0.1% performance. As LJ would say, every little % matters. Ticks the ‘visibility’ and ‘physical presence’ boxes too.

Just reading about the chap who blagged his way into the Open Qualifiers on the BBC Sport website. Hilarious. Reminds me of my only golfing ‘honour’. I played the Brabazon at The Belfry while working in Tamworth. We had a group of lads some of whom were proper golfers with single handicaps, others like me played the municipal course for fun. Anyhow, The Belfry in their wisdom released an offer, I think it was around £20 to play the Brabazon, Derby with a meal thrown in! The day arrived, I turned up with my antique set of clubs in a skeleton golf bag dating from the 20’s that had more metal frame showing than leather. First hole I think was sub -double figures, but excelled on the second going for 23! Bastards had designed a hole surrounded entirely by railway sleepers and bunkers. As it was a pure fluke if I managed to get the ball in flight, let alone 6’ in the air to clear the sleepers, then to stop it on a fast green before it fell off the edge, well, that hole exceeded my abilities x10! Wouldn’t give up - despite the pleadings of my group - as it was the second hole and I wanted to register a score! Can remember after I finally putted out, looking back at the tee where about a dozen golfers had collected waiting to play. Nightmare. Did, however, manage to recover and do recall a par on the back 9. My honour was… within two weeks the Belfry banned non-handicap golfers. Belated apologies to all those behind me. We did sprint around the rest of the Course though and managed to finish around the average time taken for 18 holes. Fortunately news of my golfing antics didn’t reach Cornwall, and at another work golf day down here I did manage a minor honour being second closest to the hole at St Merryn (if that’s the name of the Championship course outside of Plymuff).

Yes, it was strange. Even with sub-5,000 attendances the place didn’t feel that deserted and the atmosphere was generally ok (thanks mainly to Mr Harling). Those were the times (with others) when our ‘deflated’ attendance figures were a standing joke. Cue general mutterings from those in attendance about the tax man.

I like Bents. Not outstanding, but solid. Most of the time, comfortably a top six keeper. Needs to improve on dominating his area and distribution. Think he has the mental and physical abilities to do that. My one worry is his confidence. When it takes a knock it invariably triggers a dip in form - not just for one game, but a series. That’s more difficult to address and probably why we’ve decided we need quality back-up.

Why? The LDV Trophy is worth twice the value of any naff European Comp. So we’ll need 6 stars.

Twins congratulations! Give her a curry, that normally does the trick.

I used to park near the Cherry Tree PH. Have changed my parking habits when going to Plymouth more recently though!