Mr Popodopolous

It's so close- not usually as close as that around halfway but that League table...well a defeat may well drop them bottom whereas a win maybe up to and this is half the division at the halfway stage. Crazy.

A factor about Cotterill and LJ difference in budgets. If we recall in 15/16 especially we were walking a bit of a fine line financially. Because of the redevelopment still ongoing we had a maximum capacity of less (average published attendance 15,292) as Lansdown Stand still being built. Throw in also the corporate facilities in the Lansdown. These weren't there in 15/16 so Cotterill was arguably by necessity on a restricted budget. This was something that wasn't the case for LJ as (average published) attendances the next year hit 19.2k plus the higher corporate revenue base from the Lansdown being complete. If somehow and it's all ancient history now, but had Cotterill managed just to see us through the season he may well have seen the benefits of the budget increase- one of those what if situations. Just something I think should be factored in.

My favourite thing about Hollowhead? He relegated 2 clubs in one season- he left them right near the drop zone in 2001 with no home win in late January then went to QPR in late February in a bid to keep them up- by the end of the season both were in the division below- takes some doing!! As for their most recent incumbent, he is surely better off out of there. Can't see GJ going there, but Cotts? Maybe.

That was fantastic derby, right before Christmas too.I They scored after 27 secs if memory served but we hit back in great style.

Hi @JulieH Regards the police free games or the policed games point, read increasingly up and down the country it's increasingly the case that games are police free? Read a year or 2 ago that Selhurst Park was for example. Would I be right in thinking that the technical definition of "police free" is basically one or 2 spotters? Or is that something separate?

Not like the Metro Mayor Tim Bowles is any good either... What's he done in his year and a half? Very little from what I can see. Ineffectual at best- both of them.

True- Newcastle seem to have regressed to the mean after being quite good 2 years ago, think they finished quite high up. Worcester at home is truly a must win and Sale also. Signs look a lot better than 2 seasons ago that's for sure.

Performance seemed good, as it did v Northampton- on the wrong end of a high scoring game once again. Things seem a lot better than Premiership 2 years ago though, Exeter are reigning Champions and Northampton are a good side usually. Still it could well be a relegation battle this season- Ashton Gate needs to be a bit of a fortress. Fine margins etc- last season Bristol won a few high scoring games or pulled away late on where extra quality gained the edge- in this division where the quality and professionalism is markedly higher, the side maybe on the end of a few games like this.

Gotta say- for sake of balance, I;m no fan of Rees but there is this so-called Metro Mayor- elected in no small part by South Gloucs as he did well there. What's he done for the region in his first year? Not much, by the looks of it- Tim Bowles. Still, I think Rees wins the most useless Mayor prize to date- shame the cost is for 2 when 1 useless regional/senior mayor would suffice.

Have you read his work in general @Robert the bruce ?

Potentially he wrote it in a hurry. His analysis of many clubs is fairly on point tbh- Operating Loss increase he has put down to potentially the expenditure on UWE- non-recurring Expenditure seems to be a decent chunk of it.

Kieran Maguire is excellent (perhaps most of the time- not always)- his blog the Price of Football is pretty comprehensive tbh.

Decent chunk of their Non-recurring losses could well be their UWE Project.

Sounds right. That rule probably isn't enforced properly down there- seen as unworkable?

Wasn't ours above turnover when we were down there in 13/14 and 14/15? Certainly well above from memory any notional 60% cap.

Owning up that I knew a bit more than I let on, I suppose. Doesn't really matter anyway.

Haha, wow- just read the whole thread- they really are in our shadow and they know it. There are decent Rovers fans obviously- know a few IRL, but wow they're so touchy on that site.

Yeah, I can well believe that. Anyone on here try and get banned off there? Reading their site, was there someone called "BrisRed" who posted on here? @Red Right Hand The echo chamber thing, that seems to ring very true reading their forum. Just to add to the clue- though I guess it's automated- my mate even had a City related theme as their password, from the get-go and still they didn't twig so quick!

I'll own up. My mate who is a City fan joined their site to do an experiment and see if they could get away with being a fair minded City fan on there. He got accused of being a Ted and subsequently banned- not only are we the best team in Bristol but the most tolerant and all. Took them sometime to twig mind.

Could be someone who is bored on a bit of a fishing mission maybe. They seem to be getting a few nibbles whether they have intent or not.

From memory, the threats were to Taylor from their fans which meant Taylor had to move house. Never any threats against LJ to the best of my knowledge- he probably had a lot of abuse online, but threats to make him move? Fake News.

Think it's late October- 28th maybe?

This now means we should- if it's across the board- reduce our away capacity to 10% or even 2k. Is this a new rule now??

Thread must have been removed- anyway they're so touchy on there it seems. You get mentioned on there periodically.

Porta-loo and standing on the steps it is! I see a new fan has triggered some of them- seem to jump on a poster as if they're 'They Gurt Teds'. http://gaschat.co.uk/thread/13037/bristol-rivalry