Nogbad the Bad

Boxing Day has always been about going to the football, especially if it's a home game. Not so much away games, but well remember being at Brentford for Lita's late double (20 years ago ) and Watford when we won 4-2 in 2008.

City website says 1 appearance, Yeovil's says 4.

That Torquay defeat, we went on the Saturday and by then there were already media reports of numerous arrests after trouble at a night club the night before. In retrospect I wasn't far away from the Nolan car incident, heard the 'roar' go up nearby, but didn't stop to see what was going on. Quite a spate of car rocking/overturning post match in those days, and a van was overturned by City fans after a match at Eastville.

Stayed up in London the night before the game. DJ Emperor Rosko saying on the radio in the morning how Arsenal were going to slaughter the Bristol City upstarts with new record signing Malcolm MacDonald getting a hat trick. Didn't quite work out like that, bet he'd never heard of Paul Cheesley, but he had by 5 o'clock! And as we sang on the day. 'Old MacDonald had a w*nk, ee-i-ee-i-o!'

GJ didn't outstay his welcome afaic, several non trying mutinous players should have been booted out of the club rather than him leaving. As for LJ, he should never have been welcomed in the first place.

I remember, unusually for me, being in up the Williams Stand when about 30 fans at the back of the middle of enclosure turned round as one to wave their fists, flash V-signs and swear up at the Directors Box. 'W*nkers, Sack the board, **** off' etc., and so it went on for several minutes. They'd obviously agreed to meet up in that part of the ground to vent their spleen at the board. From my viewpoint I could see the fans' contorted faces and how furious they were, and no doubt at all their message got across to those in the Director's Box. Not sure exactly when this was now - probably early 80's - and it wouldn't happen these days, those fans would be on CCTV and quite likely confronted by stewards and possibly even banned, but it used to happen, be in no doubt about that. Ashton Gate used to be fiercely passionate - it's still passionate to a degree, but nothing like the old days and fans are well aware they can't actually effect things anymore.

Yep, I was mightily pissed off when Cotts was booted out and replaced by SL's absurd and selfish personal project, Lee Johnson. Then spent years mostly really not enjoying watching City until the surprising and reinvigorating appointment of a proper experienced football man in Nigel Pearson, which I lauded at the time as an outstanding appointment and how fortunate SL was that a man of his calibre was willing to take on his utter mess of a club. Now. after all his hard and productive work they've shat on Nige instead of backing him and we're back to square one (yet again). Manning seems like a decent bloke and, of course, I hope he comes good and quickly, but as a club leader and someone the fans could believe in he'll never be a patch on Nige unfortunately. Always been quite tiring supporting City but shooting yourself in the foot by getting rid of about the very best bloke they could hope to have really does test our goodwill towards the club to the very limit. Yet they've done it again, sacking an experienced and popular manager for a novice coach, and it's incredibly hard to maintain enthusiasm with such awful decision makers at the top.

First I've seen or heard of 'milquetoast' and tbh a word I want to instantly forget! Sounds horribly American.

A coach who wasn't good enough for Championship level himself imo. and almost certainly will never manage at this level again.

A possibility, except he named 8 at QPR.

Fair enough. It would be interesting to know if LM has a history of doing this at previous clubs. Although I think it's only 7 subs in L1 anyway?

So do I and that 1 sub wasn't even always used. Really don't get this 9 subs business, tbh I find it annoying.

Yep, but a bench with 9 subs is OTT and a bit weird in itself imo. Our 7 tonight is more than enough.

Yep, the season after in the same year. After we won at the Dell in March '75 we then played there again early in the new season in the August. Typically I missed the 1-0 win but was there for the evening match in August when we lost 3-1. Great goal by Gerry Gow though.

True but at a ticketed event it's the luck of the draw who gets the tickets, or should be anyway. I don't know why it's held at the H&C, on a non match day, with a limit of 200. The Q&A's I've attended were all held under the Dolman, a huge space as was. A couple were in the evening like the H&C but crucially not ticketed so anyone could turn up. Most though were either at 1pm before a match, or on an open day, so masses of fans were at the ground anyway. You could organise beforehand as much as you like these days to get the right people there asking the right questions but under the current format no guarantee any of them would get tickets. Btw, as I've said previously it was always an easy ride for the panel, there again none of the Q&A's were held at a controversial time for the club like this last one, more like an excited audience to 'welcome Steve Coppell', or those attending were charmed by GJ and Colin Sexstone. Even SL was smiley and forthcoming in those days!

The Cowherds was a really good pub in 1979, remember it well from before and after the match when City lost 2-0 at The Dell. Very pleasant location by a common iirc. Still going strong by the look of it, though it is 1.7 miles from St. Mary's. I don't know if it's one for 'the lads' these days, looks like it may be more for the early arriving fan who wants some decent grub with a pint of real ale in an old traditional pub perhaps? https://www.vintageinn.co.uk/restaurants/south-east/thecowherdssouthampton#/

Same as usual then, an easy ride for the panel with most fans seemingly just happy to be there, and no tough questions. Regarding the above pre H&C post, and that it only takes 3 or 4 tough questions to make things really interesting, I note the likes of @GrahamC, @Bristol Rob and @W-S-M Seagull (maybe amongst others from OTIB) obtained tickets but have said they were unfortunately unable to attend on the night. Who knows, perhaps these 3 were the ones who would have represented the majority on OTIB by asking those tough questions, thus making it a much less comfortable night for the panel and the whole event far more interesting. It doesn't take much to make a big difference to the whole event, and this trio of absentees may have been very fortunate for JL and BT.

If I'm thinking of the same incident the police decided to (had to?) change the escort route which meant going through local estates and it was a combination of Everton fans, Liverpool fans, and local yobs all involved in a largescale ambush. Local rivalries put on one side for Scousers en masse to take on the 'Mancs'.

He's far more than 'just the kit man', he has numerous responsibilities. As well as all the positive observations in this thread I also saw him at the Sainsbury's collection area one morning loading a huge van with crates of drinks and enough food to feed an army, obviously en route to the training ground. Chatting and laughing all the while to the Sainsbury's employee who was bringing his huge order out and was clearly a City fan. No doubt it made the bloke's day - Scotty's always cheerful, always has time for the fans, and is a fantastic ambassador for the club.

Didn't go to that one, wouldn't want to be in the same room as Pulis. My point was though to those who thought 200 tickets was insufficient. In my experience 200 is not only a decent number compared to some Q&A's of the past but anyway it only needs 3 or 4 of those there to ask 'tough' questions - and follow up on the answers if necessary - to make it really interesting. That doesn't generally happen in my experience, when it comes down to it fans are either a bit intimidated to be in the presence of the club's top brass, or the atmosphere is convivial and most fans are content just to be there and listen without any thought of giving any of the panel a hard time. This one could be different, I hope so anyway.

I've been to several Q&A's in the past, including one with GJ, SL and Colin Sexstone. I don't remember any tough questions and I doubt there were as many as 200 fans at any of them. The only ones I remember with a big turn were on open days, particularly the Steve Coppell one, when masses of fans were at AG anyway.

Not really interested in the foreign grounds. 8 for me then, though I've followed City to 10. Highbury Baseball Ground Upton Park Goldstone Ground Filbert Street Burnden Park Maine Road Victoria Ground Ninian Park Griffin Park.

Only happened upon this by chance but very interesting to us older fans who supported City in that era. It won't be seen by many on this completely unnecessary extra part of the forum unfortunately.

You're saying on average between 96 and 120 Championship players are unavailable for selection through injury every week. Sounds a lot, where do you get these figures from?

Bound to be, everyone smiles in as time goes by videos!