Onward And Upward

[Jimmy]

Wembley is in the past, our adventure is over, the dust has settled.

As the final whistle blew on our first game in the lofty heights of the Championship this season, if I had been confronted with the notion that Bristol City would be a Championship team again next year then I would have taken it in a heart-beat.

That game saw the dramatics of a wonder goal by Scott Murray and the quickfire reverse at the other end over-shadow the fact that a {then} average Q.P.R team had come to fortress Ashton and probably deserved more than a point. On my recent trip to Wembley a friend of mine amusingly reminded me how we had laughed that day at the supporters chants of climbing the football leagues and promotion, the last laugh of course was very nearly on us!

We as fans need to understand that as a football club we over-performed this season. That is in no way an attempt to take anything away from the manager or the players who have quite frankly been sensational this season. I remember not only how I felt after Q.P.R but also how I did as our proud unbeaten record came to an end at Barnsley in early October, a sense of 'right fun is over, lets not get relegated.' Of course we went on to win the next four, most notably against Premier League bound Stoke, and suddenly our pre-seaon tags as relegation candidates started to look mis-placed.

I could not be more proud of this football club right now. Our achievements this year have put Bristol back on the footballing map, have turned our name from a cosy well paid boys club into a hard working, honest football team. What we need now is a sense of realism.

On the trip back from Wembley I found myself increasing irritated by the comments of Steve Claridge, host of 606, who more through his tone than his words continued to push what I interpreted as a somewhat patronising line of 'Havent you boys done well this year, well lets hope you can stay up next year eh.' Sorry, not for me. Of course we must approach the season with a sense of realism. Of course we must know that this season we exceeded expectations and took people by surprise, but before we talk ourselves back to mediocrity lets embrace what we can achieve and push on to achieve greater things.

Having witnessed the events of this season then there is absolutely no reason why we cannot emulate or even surpass our successes this year. Why would we aim any lower. Why would anyone approach this season with the attitude that we were flash in the pan, we had our moment in the sun and now its back indoors with us.

Unequivocally no.

We were the 4th best team in this league. Through hard work and a team ethos we, against the odds, finished above many a more fancied rival. So for what possible reason would people now appraoch next season as I did our prospects after the Q.P.R game. Of course that is not to say we lose our heads. In amongst all the positivity it is essential that an over-riding sense of understanding is maintained. An understandig that yes, this season we over-achieved, that yes next year this league is tougher, but first and foremost that yes there is positively no reason why we cannot perform or surpass our results this year.

Our sense of realism must remain in the knowledge that we may not. And of course if we do not, and we find ourselves in and out of form, mid-table or worse at Christmas then it is at that time more than ever that we as fans must view the bigger picture. We must think back to how we now worry if our manager will be poached by a bigger club, how it felt to achieve and surpass our targets through graft and team spirit.

Do not play down our chances in this league next year, on what grounds do you do so. But if we do falter or do slide from the incredibly high standards we have set ourselves then ensure that you do not have short memories and a sense of realism wins through.

[Red Head]

Wembley is in the past, our adventure is over, the dust has settled.

As the final whistle blew on our first game in the lofty heights of the Championship this season, if I had been confronted with the notion that Bristol City would be a Championship team again next year then I would have taken it in a heart-beat.

That game saw the dramatics of a wonder goal by Scott Murray and the quickfire reverse at the other end over-shadow the fact that a {then} average Q.P.R team had come to fortress Ashton and probably deserved more than a point. On my recent trip to Wembley a friend of mine amusingly reminded me how we had laughed that day at the supporters chants of climbing the football leagues and promotion, the last laugh of course was very nearly on us!

We as fans need to understand that as a football club we over-performed this season. That is in no way an attempt to take anything away from the manager or the players who have quite frankly been sensational this season. I remember not only how I felt after Q.P.R but also how I did as our proud unbeaten record came to an end at Barnsley in early October, a sense of 'right fun is over, lets not get relegated.' Of course we went on to win the next four, most notably against Premier League bound Stoke, and suddenly our pre-seaon tags as relegation candidates started to look mis-placed.

I could not be more proud of this football club right now. Our achievements this year have put Bristol back on the footballing map, have turned our name from a cosy well paid boys club into a hard working, honest football team. What we need now is a sense of realism.

On the trip back from Wembley I found myself increasing irritated by the comments of Steve Claridge, host of 606, who more through his tone than his words continued to push what I interpreted as a somewhat patronising line of 'Havent you boys done well this year, well lets hope you can stay up next year eh.' Sorry, not for me. Of course we must approach the season with a sense of realism. Of course we must know that this season we exceeded expectations and took people by surprise, but before we talk ourselves back to mediocrity lets embrace what we can achieve and push on to achieve greater things.

Having witnessed the events of this season then there is absolutely no reason why we cannot emulate or even surpass our successes this year. Why would we aim any lower. Why would anyone approach this season with the attitude that we were flash in the pan, we had our moment in the sun and now its back indoors with us.

Unequivocally no.

We were the 4th best team in this league. Through hard work and a team ethos we, against the odds, finished above many a more fancied rival. So for what possible reason would people now appraoch next season as I did our prospects after the Q.P.R game. Of course that is not to say we lose our heads. In amongst all the positivity it is essential that an over-riding sense of understanding is maintained. An understandig that yes, this season we over-achieved, that yes next year this league is tougher, but first and foremost that yes there is positively no reason why we cannot perform or surpass our results this year.

However our sense of realism must remain in the knowledge that we may not. And of course if we do not, and we find ourselves in and out of form, mid-table or worse at Christmas then it is at that time more than ever that we as fans must view the bigger picture. We must think back to how we now worry if our manager will be poached by a bigger club, how it felt to achieve and surpass our targets through graft and team spirit.

Do not play down our chances in this league next year, on what grounds do you do so. But if we do falter or do slide from the incredibly high standards we have set ourselves then ensure that you do not have short memories and a sense of realism wins through.

I agree. The season past for us was on merit. We had a bad spell before the run in that cost us, after that our belief came back and we put in the performances again. Last year we outplayed teams, some games though we were very poor. Gary Johnson himself is still learning and he would have learnt an awful lot from last year. We have a very sound structure for next year and with a few stratgeic and careful signings there is no reason why we cannot improve.

(I do hope that we do not have to go through the circus of every name put being into the hat again)

[Geoff65]

We seen what we can do without any formidable strikers over the past two years - lets see what we can do with Adebola, Trundle, Brooker and the new faces we will be getting.

I think we will find that City wont get past the patronising comments for the next 5 years because the lack of presence in the top two divisions for 28 years - it takes time for perspectives to be changed especially those who don't have memories of what City were or the imagination of where we should be.