kmpowell

After over half a season waiting around for stock to arrive, various emails/calls to the club shop each week/fortnight for stock updates, fielding the questions from my daughter(8) and son(10) about when their new kit might be coming... I've finally given up trying to give my money to the club, and instead ordered some copy kits from the internet for them both. A total of £28.30 (£14.15 each) for shirt/shorts and name & number printing.

I know they probably won't be as good, I know it's not morally right, but if my club (who I've supported in different ways for 30+ years) can't do basic things such as allow parents to buy shirts and kit for their kids, then why shouldn't I?!?

13 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Shambles. This is exactly why all the stock should have been online - they would have sold the lot quickly last night and no one would have wasted a journey. In addition to a click and collect service for those who want it.

The reasons for them not being able to do this very simple thing:

1. The Shop stock (and availability) is different & separate to online stock (and availability).
2. All online orders are processed and fulfilled at Huboo warehouse, not the shop.
3. You are unable to buy anything from the shop over the phone and have it dispatched to you.
4. You are unable to reserve over the phone, anything which is physically in the shop.
5. Online orders cannot have personalisation (names/numbers) because online orders are processed at Huboo which has no printing facilities, and all stock can't be unwrapped during processing.
6. Click and collect isn't processed in-store, it's processed at Huboo and sent to the club shop for collection which takes 48hrs+
7. The shop staff have zero view of Huboo stock levels, and vice versa.

As you say, it's all a complete shambles.

As for the shirt. Great idea, and nice to see, but the story & narrative around it is just embarrassing. A QPR ST holder I work with saw the news and laughed at me about it. Leeds fans are ripping into it all over social media, and I had a Forest fan message me and say WTF.

I've ranted enough about this, but most of the issues are because of the following:

1. The Shop stock (and availability) is different & separate to online stock (and availability).
2. All online orders are processed and fulfilled at Huboo warehouse, not the shop.
3. You are unable to buy anything from the shop over the phone and have it dispatched to you.
4. You are unable to reserve anything in the shop over the phone.
5. Getting somebody to answer the phone in-store is nigh on impossible.
6. Online orders cannot have personalisation (names/numbers) because online orders are processed at Huboo which has no printing facilities, and all stock can't be unwrapped during processing.
7. Click and collect isn't processed in-store, it's processed at Huboo and sent to the club shop for collection.
8. The shop staff have zero view of Huboo stock levels, and vice versa.

So, as an exile who has been trying, since last October, the simple act of buying a complete Pink goalkeeper kit for my 7yr old girl (as well as a complete black away kit or yellow third kit for my 10yr old boy), I have to:

1. Accept she can't have her name and number on the back, unless I can get somebody to go in-store for me, and the shop has stock to get it printed, which I then have reimburse the person and ask them to post it to me.
2. Ring the shop periodically, which in itself is nigh on impossible to get an answer.
3. Check online stock daily because there is no email notification option for restock.

The whole process is a farce and embarrassing... and all that's before you get onto the lack of actual stock being available, which I find mind-blowing! We are on an amazing cup run and pushing for promotion, yet there has been **** all Away/Third/Goalkeeper shirt/kit available for pretty much all ages & sizes since Summer last year!

It really really really shouldn't be this difficult. 

Yeovil can do no wrong in my book, not since this...

44 minutes ago, redkev said:

nothing to do with the shop BUT
With the hopefully growing and younger fanbase would it not be a good idea to start running ground tours aka some of the bigger clubs I’m sure it would again add another dimension to attracting the future fan . This could happen on match days from about 10am as long as well organised you could do this whilst keeping out every bodies way whilst seeing what goes on behind the scenes . Finished off with a buffet lunch and perhaps a non match day player Injured etc ( Naismith most weeks )  doesn’t have to be hundreds at a time make a small party of about 15-20 with a parent and charge about £20 I’m sure it would be very popular . 

… and at the end of the ground tour, they can pop into the club shop with their parents to buy a youth kit, to spread the word and show support.

Oh, no, wait, all the youth kits have pretty much been out of stock since last October… 

Our club shop and its basic stock level, is an embarrassment. 

The finished stand. Quite literally "tinpot"... 

2 hours ago, archie andrews said:

Tis true.... Orient away cup game circ 82ish lost 4 1 iirc...... 

Yup, November 20th, away. We lost 4-1. Our team on the day...

• John Shaw
• Paul Stevens
• Peter Johnson
• Alan Nicholls
• Rob Newman
• Glyn Riley
• Jon Economou
• Tom Ritchie
• Gary Williams
• Terry Cooper
• Alan Crawford
• Steve Thompson (sub)

Johnson got the goal.

Jon Economou was friends with a guy who lived over the road from my parents house, so as a kid I grew up seeing him quite often.

Just now, Shauntaylor85 said:

I have been thoroughly disappointed with Tommy this season. I don’t think the lone role suits him at all

No it doesn't suit him, but that's not his fault, he's been put in that position. If I was Tommy I'd be looking for an Exit ASAP.

As I said after the QPR game back in Nov...

On 13/12/2023 at 20:08, kmpowell said:

Don't get me started on this absolute shit-show.

As mentioned on a previous thread. I'm an exile who lives 2.5 hours away from Bristol, with 2 young kids (10yr old boy and 7 yr old girl) who mainly live with their mum 3.5hours from Bristol. Each year in Oct, for his birthday I've bought my son a full kit with his surname and age printed on the back. This year; no away or third shirts (the two he likes) available online to buy for months, but even if they were available, printing is no longer available for online orders. Result, my son has to go without, and now starts talking about Arsenal away kits instead.

Out of nowhere, my daughter last weekend asked for her first football kit for Xmas, citing she liked the "Pink Messi kit" my stepson bought on holiday. Now, I know our Pink goalkeeper kit would be perfect for her, so without even thinking about stock I asked if she would like a Pink Bristol City kit. Excitedly she replied "yes!", and the smile on my face was wide as a cheshire cat, but then it hit me... with the dread in my mind I ventured online to see if there was anything available for Youths, and sure as eggs are eggs there's nothing in the GK section. Some Green youth keeper socks, some black home keeper socks, a green toddler kit and a green infant kit. No shirts, no shorts, the square root of bugger all.

Having stock issues with kids stuff is inexcusable at any time of the year, because for us parents it's how we can maintain & nurture our children's connection to the club, as the next germination of fans.

Thanks to @phantom asking the club at the fans forum for me about the lack of shirt printing available online, it transpires the online shop stock is separate from the store stock, becasue online orderes are all processed out of Huboo, so I spent Wed through to yesterday trying to call the shop directly to ask if they had any stock in-store of what in wanted. I rang the shop number (and also the number through the main IVR), solidly on Wed and Thurs, but no answer. I started ringing yesterday and again got no answer for the entire day. Late yesterday afternoon the wonderful @Dollymarie very kindly gave me @JerrySLO mobile number, and he very kindly went to check the shop even though it's not his job. Unsurprisingly, there was nothing available of what I wanted.

I am not at all surprised, but also very angry. Putting aside the fact nobody answered the phone for 3 days(!), I'm not asking for obscure things, just 2 shirts, 2 pairs of shorts and 2 pairs of socks. My son would have been engaged for another year whilst proudly turning up to football practice in his new kit, and my daughter would have her first City kit for football practice, and started her City journey. But no, thanks to the powers that be at our shit-show of a club, my kids will have neither. So frustrating, when something as basic as this is ****** up.

Quite frankly, right now, what with the Pearson/Manning situation, and now something as basic as buying shirts for my kids, as an exile I've never felt so disengaged with the club I've loved since I was a boy.  

3 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Just to come back to this, there is now a statement on the website as follows: -

Following unprecedented demand for the 23/24 Bristol City Away Kit, we are currently out of stock of online but have limited stock in-store. Additional stock will be added to the site and store, in the coming weeks.

What an absolutely shambolic state of affairs. The "coming weeks" won't cut it for Christmas. Also, why hold certain stock in the shop only? Not all of us live in Bedminster. Have I really got to make a special trip to the stadium for the mere possibility of finding something in my son's size? Why not just make whatever you do have available online?

There is currently not a single kit in stock that I can buy for my 13 year old. Not one.

I don't buy "unprecendented demand". They haven't even got any yellow shirts and most people hate that one.

Absolutely inexcusable at this time of year.

Don't get me started on this absolute shit-show.

As mentioned on a previous thread. I'm an exile who lives 2.5 hours away from Bristol, with 2 young kids (10yr old boy and 7 yr old girl) who mainly live with their mum 3.5hours from Bristol. Each year in Oct, for his birthday I've bought my son a full kit with his surname and age printed on the back. This year; no away or third shirts (the two he likes) available online to buy for months, but even if they were available, printing is no longer available for online orders. Result, my son has to go without, and now starts talking about Arsenal away kits instead.

Out of nowhere, my daughter last weekend asked for her first football kit for Xmas, citing she liked the "Pink Messi kit" my stepson bought on holiday. Now, I know our Pink goalkeeper kit would be perfect for her, so without even thinking about stock I asked if she would like a Pink Bristol City kit. Excitedly she replied "yes!", and the smile on my face was wide as a cheshire cat, but then it hit me... with the dread in my mind I ventured online to see if there was anything available for Youths, and sure as eggs are eggs there's nothing in the GK section. Some Green youth keeper socks, some black home keeper socks, a green toddler kit and a green infant kit. No shirts, no shorts, the square root of bugger all.

Having stock issues with kids stuff is inexcusable at any time of the year, because for us parents it's how we can maintain & nurture our children's connection to the club, as the next germination of fans.

44 minutes ago, Super said:

Weird how this is such an issue to people. Who on earth cares.

...because it's not about the action itself, it's the potential reason(s) why.

Seemingly, the home fans also had issues with the stewards on Saturday…

I’m going to hazard a guess this was at the entrance to Z2 in the lower tier? It started about 10mins before half time and carried on well into the second half with lots of fans being targeted and then all responding the same angry way.

There was one particular steward there who IMO caused it all, resulting in the unnecessary aggro. It could have been nipped in the bud immediately but the steward kept on and it got to the point where actual fighting broke out between fans and the stewards. 

The supervisor was called, and in fairness he was reasonable, but the damage had already been done and things were well out of control.

Not the greatest of experience for my 10yr old boy on his first away game. It all unfolded within touching distance of us, and when we tried to go for a quick wee at half-time I had to pull him away safely from the spilling over tussles and verbals. 

Lots of witnesses who I’d say would happily back your account, if it was the same steward/area. 
 

Edit: just reread your post and it would seem your incident was outside the ground coming in. So likely not the same steward. 

1 minute ago, AG City said:

Conway has great potential and looks a natural finisher, but I think too much is being loaded onto him

Nail on the head. A Championship side should not be relying on 1x 21 year old to score their goals.

Tommy needs decent & consistent service from a capable midfield, plus a strike partner to support/match/bounce off. Things which are totally lacking right now. 

My son got a pic with him after the game on Saturday, and when reflecting on the game and also looking at the picture on the train home, it really struck me the heavy  'ask' on Tommy's young shoulders right now.

Personally I think it would be a crying shame if anybody begins to start questioning his performances, let's get behind him and start demanding what he requires, not what we require from him. Then we can start to judge his capabilities.

Living is Sussex/Surrey, London games are technically 'home-away' games for me, so I ventured to Loftus Road with my son (10) for his first ever 'City away' match.

The things from the game which struck a chord with me:

1. Surrounded by 2500 other city fans who were virtually silent. A few people tried to get singing going, but nothing really of any note of length. Even through the darkest days of SOD etc, I always recall our away following up for singing, regardless. Yesterday was very sad to experience, and then from what I saw on the pitch, it's little wonder. I can't blame anyone, mainly people (from what I heard) baffled and angry by Pearson's exit, and unconvinced about Manning's appointment. Even basic things such as "Red Army" wouldn't get going.

2. We get the ball, and..... nothing. No movement (apart from Sykes in the second half) from any player, just static like somebody had hammered their feet into the ground with pegs. We don't push out from our box, and when we get the ball on the 18yd edge, the player with the ball looks up to see nobody, literally nobody, available or making themselves available. The amount of times it ended up back with Max after he had distributed it out 3-4 touches earlier, was literally soul-destroying.

3. On no less than 4 separate occasions in the first 60mins we had three players swarming/chasing after the ball (with 1 QPR player) like 6yr Saturday football practice.

4. I met up with my friend (and his son (7)) in the Adelaide pub afterwards. He's a QPR season ticket holder, and he said that it's the first time in a long time he's seen the away end so full, yet so quiet. He was very happy with the point because he went into the game convinced they were going to lose. He said it's the best they have played all season, but also conceded they were still shite and apart from Wednesday they're easily the worst in the league (although we pushed that thought of his by some margin!).

5. I think we are in a very sorry state on and off the pitch. The next few games are going to test loyalties from the fans after what many seemingly think is betrayal from the board. On the pitch, IMO if Manning turns it around, then he deserves all the credit because what I saw was a set of players playing outside their comfort zone, without the support of better plays to push and drive.

Make no mistake, QPR were dog-shit, and if it had been any other team I'm pretty sure we'd have taken a battering and it would have probably been more than over after the first 45mins.

Credit where credit is due though, the players did battle and that little flurry in the final 20mins came out of nowhere, and was welcome to see, but in reality it was never going anywhere as there was nobody there to finish or be in a position to connect.

When I was walking back to White City tube after the pint in the Adelaide after the game, the players were coming out, so me and my boy stopped to see if he could see any. Zak and Tommy appeared but didn't get into the coach and instead went off on their own looking for a Taxi. Both were good enough to stop and have a picture with my boy when he asked them, and they both smiled with him which made his day... but sadly they seemed deflated, detached and didn't really want to entertain any chat about the game etc. 

A tough day all round IMO, and I do genuinly fear there is worse to come.

1 hour ago, handsofclay said:

I'm somewhat with Sweeney's Penalties on this one. Okay, several of you give examples of countries that play in colours not on their flag. However, the home nations, England excepted, all play in the colour that is predominant on their flag, Ireland also being the case.

England play in the colours of The Union Jack, not the flag of St. George. England are also the only nation that plays the anthem of Great Britain and not an anthem for England. It rather smacks of England promoting being British with their kit and anthem while the other countries that are part of Britain project their own national identities in both the colours of their kit and their anthem. 

The reason for this is because England have historically been synonymous with the Union Flag.  It's only in 'recent' times we've have seen rise of the SG Cross.

1966

Mexico 86:

Italia 1990:

"No teeth please, Jon, just tickle my balls."

1 hour ago, pongo88 said:

Those were the days indeed. Pitches caked in compressed snow, players falling over and an orange ball. (Players didn’t wear gloves either in those days. It won’t be long before they start wearing scarves and balaclava hats) 

The Adidas Tango! 

I remember as a kid saving up and buying a pack for my Subbuteo set in the late 80's.

The below is a post I made in December 2022, a reply to a thread where somebody said the Lansdown's were a pox on our club. Sadly I think my prediction is now playing out (with the exception of the relegation bit, which still might happen should the worst happen)...

I hate the 'backed into a corner with no way out' situation that's been created, and I genuinely feel the way all this has been handled has driven a large wedge between fans and the club, a wedge that could have been avoided.

Reading this thread and others, it's also sad to see the 'connections' such as Joe Sims, 3 Peaps etc, who have never ever had any dishonest intent behind them, now also being judged and put in positions where they really have no option but to go along with the narrative/spin.

In my 38 years as a city fan, I've never witnessed such a split between fans and club. Perhaps it's because there wasn't forums/social media back in the day, but this feels different.

I was initially angry at all this, but that anger has turned to sadness and me wanting to distance myself from the club I love, until it's all over, and we have a common goal stability in an alignment of club and us fans. 

2 hours ago, Dr Balls said:

This is all about control by the owner

I’ve slept on it… and to be honest, now the disbelief has gone, I feel more angry than I did yesterday. 

I like to think I can be balanced and see all sides, but the more I mull it over I come back to the same conclusion. This decision was personal, it has no merit, warrant or validation.

5 minutes ago, Barrs Court Red said:

Any kind soul want to paste the thread?

@phantom Based on the news today, please don't ask my question to the club, please use the time to ask a question from another supporter.

The question is now a moot point, because after this weekend's appalling decision I won't be buying anything else from the club for a very long time to come.

I strongly urge (& hope) others to do the same.

If Nige does read this thread, then I for one would like to say thank-you.

Thanks-you for turning this club around on the pitch. Thank-you for making me proud to see a Bristol City side who fought, a Bristol City side who played together through thick & thin, a Bristol City side who if had the right investment I have no doubt would have gone on to great things.

Sadly, the vast majority of fans saw this coming, and we all wished it wasn't going to happen. You are better off out of the club, which incidentally I think is where a lot of Bristol City fans are now going to be, me included.

You can leave with your head held high, and with thanks and gratitude from a fanbase who recognised the very difficult things you achieved.

It's going to take a long time for us to forget the position you were put in.