SecretSam

It's tragic, a young man, etc. I'msorry for his family and offer my condolences. I do think Cardiff and the media have overdone it, though. Anyone remember Dean Horrix?

I forgot to mention the weather, we went at them crazy batshit at the start, and paid for it later on. A decent point.

Agreed, he's a class act. Happy to take a point, we looked a work in progress with some rusty legs. Not sure about 442, we looked better when Smith came on and we moved to 433. Some loose passes and sloppy mistakes, but some flashes of real quality. Mid-table.

Some of their players have championss' league experience. We're happy to sign players with championship experience.

Bollocks, I have enough sisters

My son, too

I have a brother!

My Mum lives in Hanham. No patio set, mind...

I was born in Easton (well, actually in the maternity hospital, but you know what I mean)

So I was raised in St George. Should I be a Saghead?

Radio 5 commentators seem disappointed, they were hoping for an FA Cup shock... ...but Barrow held on to win

FTFY

As an exile, I can't keep up to date with the latest news from Bristol. When do the Sags move to UWE? And did that millionaire take them over? And did the horse ever recover from that punch?

Errrr...have I missed something Gas-related (Exile, BTW)

Kodj looked utterly f**ked by the time he went off! Wilbs and Agard a smart move, Tomlin's not fully fit IMHO. But given the conditions, and MK's turgid performance, I'm surprised we didn't bag a third

Because we are effectively the customers of the club, and therefore stakeholders in its success?

I think part of the problem was that we had managers who wouldn't use it. If you develop kids and play them, and they fail, so be it. But if you develop them and don't give them the chance, how can you judge your success? And the academy must be doing something right or big clubs wouldn't keep poaching our players from it.

That would be the same O'Driscoll who got appointed as a coach at Liverpool, that little club in NW England?

Well, that's kind of the aim of the business: saying "Bristol City - we want to win games!" isn't much of a strategy.

Right: now, then, cards on the table, I'm a strategist - no, not a gamer, I develop strategies and business plans for a living. Not in football, but hey, it's the same principles. So, my assessment of the five pillars, which are in effect a series of objectives and a kind of mission statement: Community engagement, etc: you always have to have an awareness of the environment in which you work. City are not going to attract floating fans; they can't pull in people via TV; so they have to go out and get 'em. Community engagement is crucial. For a good example, look at Millwall, who've really done a good job. This is a MUST these days, for any organisation - you can't ignore your current and future customers - it's sound business sense SL is rich. Bristol City are not. SL may quit, move on, etc etc. Let's be honest, no-one will join City rather than (say) QPR or Burnley or other Championship clubs - we aren't strong enough. So we need to grow our own. We've all been banging on about this forever, but are finally seeing some fruit - Joe Bryan, for example. See point 2, above. Sound business sense - develop organically from within, acquire when necessary, but don't risk too much - spread the risk and invest in potential growth. It's a cost-effective strategy: you may get the odd duffer, or kid who doesn't quite come through, or it doesn't work out - or you might get a nailed on star. Who the hell had heard of Kodjia before he signed? Yet he looks a real find, albeit a little raw... See point 2, above. We have to live within our means. Bleating about SL getting his chequebook out and moaning that we are a 'big' club is pointless: we have to grow as a financial entity, which will enable us to enhance the team, which will make us better, etc etc. For examples of clubs who over-reached and nearly died, look at...er, us, Portsmouth, Bolton, Bradford, the list goes on... These are the club's main fixed assets, which need to be enhanced to generate revenue. The 'old' AG was crap. Old, cramped, outdated, poorly laid out - but above all, it made NO MONEY outside match days. A fixed asset that sits idle for 6 days out of 7 is a terrible waste of money and potential. And a nice ground and facilities will help attract players; one would imagine some kid who's being chased by 3 or 4 clubs might come to the one with the nicest ground - I don't know - but Bristol's a lovely place, so if the ground's nice as well, this might just swing it. In short - it's nothing earth-shattering or innovative, but it is a sound platform for taking the business forward. It's a plan, and having been a City fan for 40 years it's about funking time we had one! Everyone seems to view these 'pillars' as a joke or corporate BS - but they are not, they are the basis for how the club - ANY club - should be run.

Plus he does like a wing back system...

Away point. Clean sheet. Bank that.

That Ferguson interview is unbelievable - for a manager - of any sort, let alone a football club - to come out and so publicly criticise his team is quite astonishing, it might work but it might do like the Orange Man's team talk on the pitch did for Hull a few years ago...

Hmmmm...actually, Pitman reminded me of Thorpe - good finisher but not an 'all round' team player, if you know what I mean

If he's having a dig at internet whingers, then does that mean he comes on here??? PS: Steve, it wasn't me, lend us a few quid, will you?