Mr Popodopolous

During that era we had some competent individuals- we did.

We had a questionable manager, hierarchy and ability to blend them together. I do think NP would pushed on the squad between say 2017-2020 than Lee Johnson did. In the League certainly.

Man management and fitness at times were also suspect, talking in general not just some individuals.

Just now, BrizzleRed said:

Sure, it’s a funny old league now, but I remember the days when losing 8 at homw was considered pretty poor.

I accept you’ve got to judge against current standards and not the past, but  I really can’t get too excited when we’ve lost over 1 in 3 of our home games.

As you’ve alluded to, fortress AG seems a long time ago now. and that’s probably not going to improve until we start really imposing ourselves on the opposition, rather than us worrying about them.

Feel free, all 24 Home records and multiple seasons back there.

https://www.soccerstats.com/homeaway.asp?league=england2

Think Home Advantage generally has frayed, or at this level anyway. It is a strange League, less vigorous home support due to changes in demographic of fans, regulations is one factor. More tactical gameplans, it is difficult to pinpoint a sole factor. Counterattacking gameplay another factor.

Divisional average of Home Wins 45% is rather low as a whole IMO! Lower than I thought it might be.

Given our penalty v Huddersfield was deemed an error and Chris Foy deemed Conway to have dived v Rotherham, swings and roundabouts or not?

Barrot was the referee, a linesman call offside isn't it?

I don't agree with the latter the dive but Chris Foy wrongly labelled it such and certainly stated it wasn't a penalty.

Decision not to back NP, or show a pathway to bring backed and provide with a new contract combined with the nest egg comments did it for me.

We can but hope that the opportunity to build on a solid base is taken this summer, to salvage it as best we can.

I'm hoping..

*New contact for James

*New contract for Williams

*New contract for Conway or at worst wait and go to Tribunal.

*Twine or other 10 and striker.

*Keep anyone else who is key, stand firm.

Plus without going nuts if we can get depth to improve the position a bit, we go for it. Still think a 4th CB but then I'm pro 4-3-3 so maybe I'm out of touch.

1 hour ago, BrizzleRed said:

Shows where we are, when 8 home defeats is considered ‘decent’.

Definitely a season to forget for me and can’t honestly see that improving next season either.

7th best Home Record tbh. Albeit a big gap to 6th and above.

I don't think the Home Fortresses at this level for a lot of sides are what they were 15 years ago, let alone longer. When I have time I'll go through Average PPG at the level for Home sides and Win Ratio.

25 pts from 23 League away games, notably 15 from 16 under Manning looks a bigger concern ironically on some levels.

3 wins in those 16 Away games...3 in 7 under NP, despite those under NP including trips to Leeds and Leicester.

27 minutes ago, RedM said:

Probably one of the worst away performances I've seen this season. Even when we have lost we've been in the game and made a bit of a fight of it, not today.

It's hard to believe Stoke have been around the relegation zone until recently. They played with confidence and drive that we lacked, cutting through our static players again and again.

None of our players shone. Good job them all having such a collective 'off day' didn't matter as such. 

Our joint biggest loss iirc since 6-2 at Fulham in Janaury 2022? Correct me if wrong.

Obviously we lost 3-0 at the other BCFC last year and Man City won 3-0 at AG last year but weighted towards the opposition today was terrible.

2 minutes ago, Henry said:

They got promoted then finished on 96 points. That’s nothing to do with luck or things going their way. They’ve had an absolutely incredible season. Not quite leicester levels but not far off it.

I agree incredible but everything went right broadly speaking. I agree but unsure how many times they would pull it off...the injuries or lack of, some hitherto unremarkable individuals at this level as a number did their squad surging as they did with 3 Relegated bolstered by Parachute Payments major clubs for the level.

1 hour ago, RedM said:

I saw them get off the coach when they arrived, several of them had more than their usual overnight bags. Very few were apparently getting the team coach back to Bristol so I'm told, so guessing they are straight off to the airport with friends and families.

Is that the norm, just out of interest.

Should IMO minimum be a post season debrief on the Monday following and then Holidays, fitness plans and Schedules etc although I assume that would already be in play.

Apologies for the source but sounds like their fans took it well..

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/27734173/birmingham-relegated-fans-invade-pitch-stewards-clash/

35 minutes ago, Jose said:

That’s how you keep the momentum after getting promoted from League One. Unfortunately we have Lansdown at the helm who royally ****** up our chance to push on. 

Genuinely 1 in 20 I reckon. Retaining momentum is of course very important and we very much botched that among other things!

I had some cautious optimism had certain provisos been met. I would perhaps have been alright with 11th although was hoping for a top 10 finish/push.

*A happy NP.

*Scott retained, with a better squad and better structured squad around him or..

*..A reasonable chunk of Scott money reinvested.

*A tactical framework, we had settled on 4-3-3 or some variation of and were steadily building on the counter attacking base in the  last chunk of 2022-23.

Our Away record has worsened.

For the last time this year! @Tim Monaghan maybe mentioned this thread a few days ago unless if was another thread.

I'll accept it as some good, some bad..in and around parity.

The Manning era. I'd argue parity eventually clawed back near enough.

When Fleming gave us the farewell vs Sheffield Wednesday.

Coupon Buster? Mind you our Away Record hasn't been up to much!

1 minute ago, Numero Uno said:

But that would need the case for us to go up. We do not have anywhere near the quality to dominate a division. Would we be bothered?

Our best hope realistically is certain stars align, keep James and Williams, plus Conway and anyone else who is important, manage to really have a good season for fitness, the number 9 and 10 and maybe one or two valuable depth players.

Even then playoffs most likely although the 3 who drop feel like they could be less strong.

Just now, Mr Hankey said:

No that’s true and you are right about Ipswich’s situation compared to our’s……it’s just bloody infuritating seeing another club get ahead, particularly when it’s our former CEO who we all ridiculed and even warned the Ipswich fans about!

Totally agree.

Not only that but check their continuity of a lot key players....infuriating and then some! That same combination helped to oversee average to terrible injury positions and of course given Ashton and his role in the financial disaster.

They've pulled a 1 in a 20 chance season IMO.

Of course credit is due but so very much will have gone their way in a big picture sense.

Not churlish but there is a bit of both.

Just now, Mr Hankey said:

We could of done exactly the same the season we came up with Cotterill FFP wise, but the board thought better of it. Fair play to Ipswich.

Fair points although the pedant in me points out that the rules were different then but there were no points deductions for breaches so could've gone either way.

The Rule changes seem to catch us at bad times..it was 1 year £13m loss plus Allowables but the following season snapped into 3 Year Losses.

On Ipswich I don't want to go on but they inherited and handed over a good financial position post Evans 

Nothing like for us, nothing like whatsoever. We nearly were ruined (in FFP terms). Their injury record? Abnormally good considering some of the player ages etc.

Just now, AshtonGreat said:

It's not a bad finish when you consider who most of the teams above us are

Finish is okay, could be worse.. how we got there however.

Their injury record has been abnormally good. To key players.

7th, according to this.

Albeit a major gap to the best 6!

Given that we had 10 points and 3 wins by the start of October and had played Leicester and Leeds away, our Away Record has tailed off! Just shy of a point per game.

Best of the rest, just about.

Fairly happy.

Had we done it in 2017 that would have been great.

A true dream could've been Birmingham dropping and us relegating Stoke but Stoke were likely to pull clear so Birmingham dropping is a very nice consolation prize.

2 minutes ago, Kingswood Robin said:

Is there bollocks. Where owed something worth watching next season.

Quite.

The recovery post Easter was positive, perhaps got us back to where we should be.

Today however smacked of Sunderland away but without some luck/great O'Leary saves. Certainly not plenty of credit, I agree.

1 minute ago, Sleepy1968 said:

Bristol Post headline for the City game should be:

'Birmingham spare City's blushes'

because, quite frankly, if losing 4-0 to Stoke means the football gods relegate the Small Heath Alliance, then I'm all for it. Well done City.

Only room for one BCFC in this League.