gater2 Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 I know this has been mentioned quite a lot before, but I am worried that the same old problem is happening again. Think of the seemingly 'smaller' clubs that have overtaken us in the last few years: Gillingham, Wigan (OK money, but still only averaging under 10,000 in div 1!), Rotherham, Cardiff (again money, and OK they are a big club now, but they were behind us a few years ago), Brighton (although they are about our level now, but were bottom of the 3rd division until a few years ago), Fulham (money) etc. and clubs which we were meant to have been equal with have moved into the next gear, leaving us behind like Stoke, Reading, Watford, Millwall, Walsall etc. (old 2nd div clubs with the same problems as us now, but got out of it). This year we are playing at the same standard as teams like Colchester, Barnsley, Bournmouth, Swindon, Plymouth, Port Vale, Hartlepool, all of whom were meant to be a long way behind us even one year ago. Is it going to happen again? Obviously the answer would be to get promoted and that brings us back to all our other problems, but it's just a point which I am concerned about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WillsbridgeRed Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 I feel the same. but it's all swings and roundabouts. Think how Sheff Wednesday Fans feel, or Swansea for that matter. Cardiff and Wigan are the two that annoys me the most, They've never been big, bever had anything and all of a sudden they're big time. The worst part is the arrogance of the Cardiff fans, constantly bleating on about how they're such a big club ect. As the song goes "where were you when you were ######" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
screech Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 We must get promoted this season and then add to the team. We have been standing still for too long, we just cannot afford to be in this division any longer, when we are promoted from this cack division, i would hope to see 3 or 4 good, been there and done it players, at Ashton gate for the start of the next campaign, and for all the dead wood to be shown the door. The list of shame: Matthews Brown M Clist Hulbert Bell (maybe) Jones (maybe) We should not keep a squad any bigger than about 20 pros Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbored Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 What do you mean when you say small clubs? Bristol City are a small club.Average gates of around 11000 and a stadium that holds less than 20000.City have spent just 4 seasons in the top division in all their history.They have never won a major cup either. So whats a "small club"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotusman Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Nothing too different is happening than what has transpired over the last 40 years.Even when we had a current England international in our side we still made trips to Shrewsbury,Newport,Southend,Port Vale,Plymouth,Bournemouth,Colchester, & Mansfield on a regular basis.For the majority of my viewing span we have operated in the 3rd tier of Prof.soccer,just as we are now........... Fortunately the memories Garland,Gow,Collier,Whitehead,Merrick,& Co still live on and so too the dream of a brighter future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gater2 Posted November 18, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 What do you mean when you say small clubs? Bristol City are a small club.Average gates of around 11000 and a stadium that holds less than 20000.City have spent just 4 seasons in the top division in all their history.They have never won a major cup either. So whats a "small club"? I'm not saying that we are a massive club, but we certainly bigger than some of the clubs that have overtaken us. Our average gates are probably bigger than Gillingham's, Wigan's, Rotherham's etc. how many major cups have they won? Everyone says 'we belong in div 1', this is nonsence, we need to earn it, and I'm just saying we would not be as out of place in div 1 as some of these other clubs who average small crowds, because if we went up, our average gate would probably go up to at least 15,000+. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodges17 Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 The worst part is the arrogance of the Cardiff fans, constantly bleating on about how they're such a big club ect. An awful lot of city fans also do this - it's really annoying isnt it!!! Bristol City are a small club.Average gates of around 11000 and a stadium that holds less than 20000.City have spent just 4 seasons in the top division in all their history.They have never won a major cup either. Most intelligent thing i've heard said about city in a while. Unless you are in div.1 and/or getting 20,000+ crowds, you are small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redtrojan Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 [ Most intelligent thing i've heard said about city in a while. Unless you are in div.1 and/or getting 20,000+ crowds, you are small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedUn Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Most intelligent thing i've heard said about city in a while. Even though its wrong? That figures. City have had eight seasons in the top flight, eight more than any other Bristol team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
22A Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 What's most annoying is that last time City were promoted, they came straight back down. Bury, Stockport and Grimsby went up and stayed up for several seasons. Rotherham and Walsall have gone up and stayed there. Grimsby have spent longer in the top div than City, but in recent decades, (not years), City have been bigger clubs than those listed and I reckon most of us consider City still are bigger than them. Despite this Bury are the only ones we no longer have to look up to. :Rage: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbored Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Even though its wrong? That figures. City have had eight seasons in the top flight, eight more than any other Bristol team. You are missing the point! Whether its 4 or 8 is irrelevent.Its still barely any time at all over the history of the club. Clubs like Villa,Liverpool,ManUtd,N'castle,Leeds,Arsenal are all big clubs because they have a succesfull history and have won the league and cups over the years.All have spent most of their history in the top flight.In fact I think that Aresenal have never been relegated in thier existance. City have spent most of their existance in the lower leagues.Thats the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedUn Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 You are missing the point! Whether its 4 or 8 is irrelevent. No you are missing the point - if you are going to make bold statements of fact you are best off checking they are correct! Otherwise, people could form the impression you make everything else up off the cuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoke_Gifford_Red Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 http://www.bcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Honou...,,10327,00.html shows we may not be a big team like some of teh Premiership ones but we have had our fair measure of success (and disappointment a couple of seasons later most of the time) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy g Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Its all relative isnt it.... We arent as big a club as Arsenal or Wolves, but I would have said we are bigger than clubs like Grimsby and Rotherham. If you CAN define the 'size' of a club, then I think its a combination of their average gate, their financial muscle, the size and quality of their stadium and their history. And despite their recent success and big-money backing, I'd put clubs like Wigan and Gillingham in the 'small clubs' bracket, because I'm used to seeing them swimming around at the bottom of the league with the likes of Torquay. Basically its their potential. This isnt saying we have any divine right to be above these teams, but I don't think the original post suggested that. His point was that its annoying that WE haven't done better considering the resources available to us. And YES, I find it frustrating too when 'smaller clubs' overtake us. I think - 'if a club like Walsall can make it in the first division, why can't we ?' (still - it looks like Wimbledon, Bradford and Rotherham could be re-joining us next year) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thornbury Red Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 I think - 'if a club like Walsall can make it in the first division, why can't we ?' In a word Ambition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy g Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 In a word Ambition. I don't think we have been any LESS ambitious than Walsall. Apart from Paul Merson they haven't gone splashing out on superstars. Same goes for clubs like Grimsby and Rotherham. What do you mean by ambition ? Clubs like Cardiff, Reading and Wigan have more money, but if we had their money we wouldn't be sitting on it because we are naturally 'unambitious' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thornbury Red Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 I dont mean they are more ambitious than us - what i mean is that we have lacked the ambition to make our club a mainstay of the first division. We havent ever achieved success by buying 'big name' players - we may achieve success by nurturing a home grown team - maybe. Look at Cardiff - they have an ambitious chairman and theyve overtaken us (i know they were lucky in the playoffs). It proves it can be done. It wont be done by us though! Thats what i mean by lack of ambition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy g Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Fair enough, but I still think the main factor in the success of clubs like Cardiff is money rather than ambition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodges17 Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 Fair enough, but I still think the main factor in the success of clubs like Cardiff is money rather than ambition. Agreed. If city had a hammam-style chairman then you would be in div.1 If rovers had such a chairman we would also be in div.1 Disclaimer - I do not like Sam Hammam, he is a ##cking t##t from Cardiff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WillsbridgeRed Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 "I dont mean they are more ambitious than us - what i mean is that we have lacked the ambition to make our club a mainstay of the first division. We havent ever achieved success by buying 'big name' players " I don't think that's fair - the last time we went up we showed the ambition and signed players with good reutations. In div 1 we spent the money but bought the wrong people. I think it's easier to tell how big a club is by the view of other fans about the club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thornbury Red Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 I should have added a provisio that we lack ambition apart from the Davidson era. However his ambition nearly screwed us so maybe its just as well we are unambitious now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedUn Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 we may achieve success by nurturing a home grown team That to me belies a greater ambition because it means planning not just for tomorrow but the day after that as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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