Steve Lansdown's View On Anti-gj Otib Clan

[Martyn Hocking]

[CotswoldRed]

Glad he's come out with it to be honest. The more we get feedback on this sort of thing the better.

I wish he'd come out with this a long time ago though, rather than after the event.

I haven't read the EP thing but I guess he's talking about the few who constantly had bad things to say about GJ - often at a personal level. Of course there were many who questioned whether GJ knew 'where to go from here' and whether he knew how to turn things round (me included) - these were valid questions, but I don't think SL is referring to the majority of people who thought BCFC might need to consider a change - I hope he isn't.

I do find it sad and, if I'm honest, quite surprising that this forum has as much effect as he is inferring.

My opinion is that there will always be a minority who stoke the fire and want to stick the knife in, peddle a vendetta ...call it what you like. I can happily ignore the lot of them, but then its not directed at me I suppose.

EVERY forum in the land will always have "[insert manger here] OUT" slogans to throw around and GJ will get it when he moves to his next job.

By all means I can accept that SL made the change because the fans were unhappy, but to think that the ar*eholes who simply wanted him out, whatever happened, influenced the events of this week to a significant degree ...well ...

I truly hope that SL sees the bigger picture and doesn't lose faith in this club or its fans. There must be part of him that feels we don't deserve his efforts. For many that is probably true.

To think that SL might come to the point when he's had enough and wants to move on. Now that really worries me. Lets just have a think about that ...

[_Bristol-City_]

Correct.

[The Casual Connoisseur]

Before the Internet football fans across the country used to vent their feelings by demonstrations, chanting and or violence, I think comments on a forum are less damaging as only a minority read them.

I also have heard plenty of managers and chairman, players alike say they take no interest in reading what is written on the Internet or in the media.

I fully support SL he us doing a great job an he is the most important person st this club.

I don't kid myself in thinking my opinion is vaguely important, I am just a small voice in cyberspace, I am sure most of us think the same.

[allyolly]

As usual SL has hit the nail on the head perfectly. Anyone who heard him before the Derby away game will remember his views on how fans forums can give a completely distorted view of reality hence the reason he stopped contributing his own views through the SL forum.

[bristolcitysweden]

[Abraham Romanovich]

Paranoia -springs to mind.

I would have thought that a few half wits writing on a forum would have nil influence .

This was not a concerted campaign to rid the club of GJ but fans frustrated at the boring football and bizarre

selections and tactics.

Come on SL there is no hidden agenda just people parting with large amounts of cash who were disatisfied with

what they were getting in return.

Onwards and Upwards

COYR

[cityhead]

[bristolcitysweden]

I am going to stick my neck out here (just like Miarehoff) but I suspect SL had very similar thoughts regarding GJ as a lot of fans but maintained a more intelligent/cautious attitude because he knows what is really going on at the club and able to make a more informed decision.

He has publicly stated that he no longer reads these forums because it is all based on rumour and innuendo and probably has at times in the past thought why am i involved when these idiots continually undermine the club, however his strength of chasracter probably surfaces and then decides to continue in spite of them. Lets hope he continues for years to come.

As posted on anither thread it would be a good idea to show him our support today - lets show the goerdies how to support a club, they still hate their owner but show complete support for the management and players, let's show them and the football world we are as one.

A great chairman Steve Lansdown. Each single fan agree on that I'm sure but how can we best show our appreciation?

Tommy

[CotswoldRed]

how can we best show our appreciation?

In general? Buy a ST if you haven't already?

Today? Sing yer hearts out for the lads!

[miketh2nd]

Before the Internet football fans across the country used to vent their feelings by demonstrations, chanting and or violence, I think comments on a forum are less damaging as only a minority read them.

I also have heard plenty of managers and chairman, players alike say they take no interest in reading what is written on the Internet or in the media.

I fully support SL he us doing a great job an he is the most important person st this club.

I don't kid myself in thinking my opinion is vaguely important, I am just a small voice in cyberspace, I am sure most of us think the same.

Competely agree with this! is funny how some on here think this the only form of way city fans vent out on this alone forum!. even though is only most lightly a few thousand on this forum out of the 6,000 odd members on this site that actually attend the games of the 12-14k that have attended AG this year!

[CotswoldRed]

Before the Internet football fans across the country used to vent their feelings by demonstrations, chanting and or violence, I think comments on a forum are less damaging as only a minority read them.

I also have heard plenty of managers and chairman, players alike say they take no interest in reading what is written on the Internet or in the media.

I fully support SL he us doing a great job an he is the most important person st this club.

I don't kid myself in thinking my opinion is vaguely important, I am just a small voice in cyberspace, I am sure most of us think the same.

This is why I'm surprised that SL says its had such an influence.

I bet if you straw-polled fans today at the game then 85% of them wouldn't have a clue who Robbored, TomF, et al. were. And come matchday, the atmosphere in the ground doesn't reflect in any substantial way the really negative sentiment on here.

[red badger]

This is why I'm surprised that SL says its had such an influence.

I bet if you straw-polled fans today at the game then 85% of them wouldn't have a clue who Robbored, TomF, et al. were. And come matchday, the atmosphere in the ground doesn't reflect in any substantial way the really negative sentiment on here.

Very true - the matchday atmosphere where I sit doesn't in any way reflect what's said on this forum. Around me it had just got to the point of muttering about Johnson's sides...no one I know who attends regularly had suggested Johnson going until after the Doncaster match.

I know some posters will say they're only small voices...but they're always on here. And they dominate. And in recent times they've had very little that's positive to say about the club. The difference between sitting in the Williams and shouting abuse at the manager, or starting a chant, and posting criticism anonymously on here lies not just in standing up and being publicly accountable for what you say...it's also in the volume of criticism. There have been people on here for months...years...slagging off Gary Johnson. Every day. Nether he nor Steve could possibly have failed to notice that.

The tone of this forum is dominated by a handful of posters who are on here all the time. The people with well over a thousand posts to their "names". And the tone is macho and cynical. Folk who can't get online as often because they're at work or have other commitments are drowned out. I've got no solution...but it shouldn't come as a surprise if it has an impact on the club...what else were Robbored and others expecting? And wanting?

It's all very well to say that Steve and Gary and the players shouldn't care about what is said here because its unrepresentative...but I've both managed online forums and people in the public eye who were subject to criticism in forums and with the best will in the world it is human nature to have a look and see what's being said about you...and if it's negative it brings you down.

[CotswoldRed]

Very true - the matchday atmosphere where I sit doesn't in any way reflect what's said on this forum. Around me it had just got to the point of muttering about Johnson's sides...no one I know who attends regularly had suggested Johnson going until after the Doncaster match.

I know some posters will say they're only small voices...but they're always on here. And they dominate. And in recent times they've had very little that's positive to say about the club. The difference between sitting in the Williams and shouting abuse at the manager, or starting a chant, and posting criticism anonymously on here lies not just in standing up and being publicly accountable for what you say...it's also in the volume of criticism. There have been people on here for months...years...slagging off Gary Johnson. Every day. Nether he nor Steve could possibly have failed to notice that.

The tone of this forum is dominated by a handful of posters who are on here all the time. The people with well over a thousand posts to their "names". And the tone is macho and cynical. Folk who can't get online as often because they're at work or have other commitments are drowned out. I've got no solution...but it shouldn't come as a surprise if it has an impact on the club...what else were Robbored and others expecting? And wanting?

It's all very well to say that Steve and Gary and the players shouldn't care about what is said here because its unrepresentative...but I've both managed online forums and people in the public eye who were subject to criticism in forums and with the best will in the world it is human nature to have a look and see what's being said about you...and if it's negative it brings you down.

Spot on.

[Olé]

[mindjuicer]

He's talking about this forum?!??

And he's saying he knows who posters are?

Is Robbored Trundle?

[dafarms]

In general? Buy a ST if you haven't already?

Today? Sing yer hearts out for the lads!

I totally agree with you, all you posters who said you would not renew your ST unless GJ was removed, you have got your wish, now put your money where your mouths are.

[Olé]

I know some posters will say they're only small voices...but they're always on here. And they dominate. And in recent times they've had very little that's positive to say about the club. The difference between sitting in the Williams and shouting abuse at the manager, or starting a chant, and posting criticism anonymously on here lies not just in standing up and being publicly accountable for what you say...it's also in the volume of criticism. There have been people on here for months...years...slagging off Gary Johnson. Every day. Nether he nor Steve could possibly have failed to notice that.

The tone of this forum is dominated by a handful of posters who are on here all the time. The people with well over a thousand posts to their "names". And the tone is macho and cynical. Folk who can't get online as often because they're at work or have other commitments are drowned out. I've got no solution...but it shouldn't come as a surprise if it has an impact on the club...what else were Robbored and others expecting? And wanting?

The truest words this forum has seen this season. To be quite honest I've thought this for months but where do you start and how do you argue about the impact until someone at the club says it. Now our benefactor has.

Very true - the matchday atmosphere where I sit doesn't in any way reflect what's said on this forum. Around me it had just got to the point of muttering about Johnson's sides...no one I know who attends regularly had suggested Johnson going until after the Doncaster match.

Same where I sit in the Dolman. People bemused and frustrated by selection and tactics but nothing like the same spite or mistrust of the manager.

[Guest DanC]

Simple solution, Don't bother reading it.

[miketh2nd]

He's talking about this forum?!??

And he's saying he knows who posters are?

Is Robbored Trundle?

of course it is us I mean this forum is a huge majority of the fans at AG there aren't any more fans are there surely not?

[mindjuicer]

See, I thought all the detractors on here were talentless malcontents who think they're much more important than they actually are, whereas players we've signed are...

Oh crap...

[JudgeRed]

I was talking to a ex-forum member from on here on the phone thursday night. We both agreed this otib site should be closed down for ever. It's not a good site for the club it's very negative.

The problem with Ashton Gate on match days is it consistes of 4 officials, 22 players, & 15 thousand wanna be football managers who think they can do better than the other.

When Tinnion (Another Bristol City legend) departed he said the same thing a certain footbal website was partly to blame (& yes he was refering to this very site before you ask).

Close this site down before it causes more damage & disruption to Bristol City fc.

[Gazred]

Major influence? Oh come on Steve, yes there is the possibility that a few spread negativity about the team but major influence...im sorry but i just dont buy that, the atmosphere down the Gate is nothing like it is on here. It all starts with what the team do on the pitch and who told them to do it.

[WellRedPhil]

Interesting comments, I for one am surprised if it does have this much of an effect, after all it is a forum for fans to discuss their own personal opinions and will therefore be open to debate. I can understand how abuse on a personal level can be damaging, and clearly personal insults are out of order and do not appreciate the fact that Johnson has done a lot for us over the years. At the same time, criticising the teams performance or the managements tactics is just part and parcel of being a football fan, and with 4 wins in 25 criricism of the team is surely to be expected.

[Kingswoodactor]

I find the idea absurd that this forum could effect the performance/mentality or confidence of people who are meant to be Proffesional footballers! These guys earn thousands of pounds a week doing what they love and what they are supposedly good at... If they get put off by ramblings or digs from a few people knocking them on the internet then they should maybe think twice about stepping out onto the pitch in a Bristol City shirt.

Being a working professional actor, I have to be open to all sorts of criticism/slating all the time and especially from the internet where reviews, comments are rife in my industry ready to slag anyone at any time. I simply don't visit the websites where I might stumble across people slagging off my work or my movies etc, and if I do then I will often constructively break it down to see where I can maybe improve etc, but no way would I blame a bad performance on a previous slating or review. And lets face it, football is an entertainment business and footballers are in effect performers who are required to perform week in, week out to the best of their abilities...

Some of these players need to stand up and be counted, or quite simply go and play at a level where their ego's wont get affected. I'm pretty sure we want players who are willing to run themselves into the ground for this football club, to concentrate on their jobs at hand as well as playing as part of a team that want to push forwards as a football club.

[NATCHER]

This is why I'm surprised that SL says its had such an influence.

I'm sure Lansdown mentioned this forum when Wilson was sacked and I was as surprised then as I am now how much significance he sees in it and it's content.

Every football manager has their critics, always have, always will. Johnson chose to tackle his head on, which is fine so long as results were good, they weren't and his crictics grew louder and bigger in number.

I hope any new manager avoids such confrontation and recieves the certain critics a little less personally.

[Esmond Million's Bung]

I find it very strange that people on this forum can't see this, Brian 'the legend' Tinnion said much the same when he left, are they both wrong?.

The problem is as we are well aware the lazy sports journalists at the evil post obtain most of their so called exclusives by raking up some of rumours on this site.

i'm sorry if Tinnion and SL have both stated pretty much the same story over 4 years on and GJ has also made mention of it, There has to be an element of truth in it.

and please don't try to tell me RR was'nt aware that his revelations would be eventually picked up by evil post sports journos.

[CiderHider]

I was talking to a ex-forum member from on here on the phone thursday night. We both agreed this otib site should be closed down for ever. It's not a good site for the club it's very negative.

The problem with Ashton Gate on match days is it consistes of 4 officials, 22 players, & 15 thousand wanna be football managers who think they can do better than the other.

When Tinnion (Another Bristol City legend) departed he said the same thing a certain footbal website was partly to blame (& yes he was refering to this very site before you ask).

Close this site down before it causes more damage & disruption to Bristol City fc.

Bit repressive that, like it or not we live in the internet age, fans will have their say whether you agree with their opinion or not.

My concern is that its being used a as a tool to facilitate some peoples own personal agendas. Negativity is like a cancer, it spreads and some people will believe anything they read and the knock on effects can be powerful. Individually we are normal Fans, collectively we can probably come across as bickering old women.

[Bigdave60]

Paranoia -springs to mind.

I would have thought that a few half wits writing on a forum would have nil influence .

This was not a concerted campaign to rid the club of GJ but fans frustrated at the boring football and bizarre

selections and tactics.

Come on SL there is no hidden agenda just people parting with large amounts of cash who were disatisfied with

what they were getting in return.

Onwards and Upwards

COYR

Spot on that man, games have been boreing for over 18 months.

Time has moved on, manager moved on.

Lets let the club move on.

[Spud55]

Very true - the matchday atmosphere where I sit doesn't in any way reflect what's said on this forum. Around me it had just got to the point of muttering about Johnson's sides...no one I know who attends regularly had suggested Johnson going until after the Doncaster match.

I know some posters will say they're only small voices...but they're always on here. And they dominate. And in recent times they've had very little that's positive to say about the club. The difference between sitting in the Williams and shouting abuse at the manager, or starting a chant, and posting criticism anonymously on here lies not just in standing up and being publicly accountable for what you say...it's also in the volume of criticism. There have been people on here for months...years...slagging off Gary Johnson. Every day. Nether he nor Steve could possibly have failed to notice that.

The tone of this forum is dominated by a handful of posters who are on here all the time. The people with well over a thousand posts to their "names". And the tone is macho and cynical. Folk who can't get online as often because they're at work or have other commitments are drowned out. I've got no solution...but it shouldn't come as a surprise if it has an impact on the club...what else were Robbored and others expecting? And wanting?

It's all very well to say that Steve and Gary and the players shouldn't care about what is said here because its unrepresentative...but I've both managed online forums and people in the public eye who were subject to criticism in forums and with the best will in the world it is human nature to have a look and see what's being said about you...and if it's negative it brings you down.

Sorry but i can't agree with that at all, are you honestly telling me that because people on here were negative thats why we got rid of GJ, lets put it into context you think if people on the Man U forum were having a pop at SAF, that could in any way influence the glazers to get rid ? Sorry but if either of them were heavily influenced by what is said on here then i'm going to say both of them are in the wrong job, god help Johnson if he ever manages in the prem, whats he gonna do when he's not doing well and starts getting stick from fans on, Your on sky sports, 606 on radio five and then the multitude of sports writers and pundits who ignore him as it stands start putting the boot in ?

When the fans at the ground start then it's a problem and as soon as a significant enough portion of the dolman belted out "you don't know what your doing" directed clearly at GJ during a game and loud enough for everyone to hear that was the end, at that point nothing less that comfortable and good wins against Reading and Plymouth would have saved his job.

Largely the fans en mass gave him more time than nearly all managers would have got, if you can name any managers who can survive such a pittiful run of form as we have had over the last 50 games i'd be surprised.