Lansdowns Half Time Speech

[TRL]

Agree.

Chairman - Thankless task.

In case you didn't know, he ain't our chairman, he is our owner. We did not ask him to become our owner. He came in and ripped up what was in place, with no consultation with fans. What was put in place was there to stop people taking complete control of the club.

So, did he consult you, before pumping cash into the club, with the sole aim of owning it?

He has come into the club and got himself into a position to take control of the club through stealth.

[redmeanie]

In case you didn't know, he ain't our chairman, he is our owner. We did not ask him to become our owner. He came in and ripped up what was in place, with no consultation with fans. What was put in place was there to stop people taking complete control of the club.

So, did he consult you, before pumping cash into the club, with the sole aim of owning it?

He has come into the club and got himself into a position to take control of the club through stealth.

That's funny.

I'm aware he's no longer the chairman. But I think he might have been, right?

Yeah, he did consult me.

I said it was fine.

[TRL]

That's funny.

I'm aware he's no longer the chairman. But I think he might have been, right?

Yeah, he did consult me.

I said it was fine.

Ah, so you're the one to blame

[The Kaiser]

Mr TrueBrit, Take it from those of us who did go to the game that it was a welcome surprise to have him on the pitch and everyone around me in the Dolman Stand appreciated his words and the fact he puts his hand deep into this pocket to keep our football club going.

[REDOXO]

Why should he return as chairman?

The guy has made a lifestyle choice, but remains committed to trying to take the club forward.

There may be many business men who have no life apart from their business, ( you perhaps), or no one they trust to take over the reins.

SL has his son who is clearly on a steep learning curve, if it works out there may well be a Lansdown dynasty at Bristol City for many years to come.

We need the guys money because the money that comes through the turnstiles and from sponsorship isn't enough to support the club financially, it's as simple as that.

Because we lack a leader in the boardroom at the club so badly he had to fly from Gurmsey to make the speach himself!

[Guest]

Because we lack a leader in the boardroom at the club so badly he had to fly from Gurmsey to make the speach himself!

He spoke as the owner of the club, not as chairman, we don't know how the chairman performs in the boardroom, as none of us attend board meetings, we can guess that the chairman isn't a confident public speaker, but given the number of changes that have taken place (not all necessarily good) he does appear to be an active chairmen.

I didn't make the comment about living for your business as a dig at you or anyone else. I was merely stating that SL has chosen a different route, which I think he is entitled to do.

What might happen if he stayed at the helm and suddenly died like the guy at Forest?

He is taking the correct steps in my opinion to pass on his responsibilities and wealth while he is still able to advise how best to do that.

[REDOXO]

He spoke as the owner of the club, not as chairman, we don't know how the chairman performs in the boardroom, as none of us attend board meetings, we can guess that the chairman isn't a confident public speaker, but given the number of changes that have taken place (not all necessarily good) he does appear to be an active chairmen.

I didn't make the comment about living for your business as a dig at you or anyone else. I was merely stating that SL has chosen a different route, which I think he is entitled to do.

What might happen if he stayed at the helm and suddenly died like the guy at Forest?

He is taking the correct steps in my opinion to pass on his responsibilities and wealth while he is still able to advise how best to do that.

Clearly he spoke as the 'majority shareholder' not the Chairman, which of course the point!

How the Chairman performs in the boardroom is a matter for those that are in there, however the fact that David Lloyd has had to start a thread on why there is a disconnect at the club speaks volumes to most on the state of the club, if not some.

One of the prerequisites of being a leader is to be adept at public speaking, Ala The Kings Speach! If you cant do that you are at a very serious disadvantage and to have to have someone come and do it for you makes things look a lot worse.

As far as my underline, I just took it that you read the occasional post of mine!

[Guest]

Clearly he spoke as the 'majority shareholder' not the Chairman, which of course the point!

How the Chairman performs in the boardroom is a matter for those that are in there, however the fact that David Lloyd has had to start a thread on why there is a disconnect at the club speaks volumes to most on the state of the club, if not some.

One of the prerequisites of being a leader is to be adept at public speaking, Ala The Kings Speach! If you cant do that you are at a very serious disadvantage and to have to have someone come and do it for you makes things look a lot worse.

As far as my underline, I just took it that you read the occasional post of mine!

And the King is dead....long live the King.

[Bcfc3660]

Sorry opinions other than yours are boring ?

No just your SL bashing opinion. Your knocking the person who has spent millions on our club.

[City fan 1982]

in lansdown we trust

[DT The Optimist]

Bristol City was here long before Steve Lansdown and will be here long after he's gone, who knows where we would be without him, but it's impossible to tell, what we do know is that.

He's chairmanship, created repeated record breaking losses for the club and has created over £40m of debt, he's got us into the financial mess the club is in, so it's only right he gets us out of it.

Bristol City Football Club is OUR football club, not Steve Lansdown FC, not (and hopefully never Jon Lansdown FC) no one man is bigger than the club.

Yes, but without his wealth, his effort, we would be up the creek without a paddle. No doubt, another Portsmouth. Or Coventry or.......

It amazes me that he bothers when many seem to 'blame' him. I simply thank him, and appreciate that if we end up in League one, which still seems more likely than unlikely, then we will be a better position than other clubs in that league to try and bounce back pretty quickly

Sadly in the Championship we are NOT a big club, and punching above our weight, with an average attendance around the 13.5 mark, we are certainly smaller fry. He has supported 'some' idiot signings made by certain idiot managers. He has backed our managers, and he has said he will continue to do so.

what more do people want of him ?

[TRL]

Yes, but without his wealth, his effort, we would be up the creek without a paddle. No doubt, another Portsmouth. Or Coventry or.......

It amazes me that he bothers when many seem to 'blame' him. I simply thank him, and appreciate that if we end up in League one, which still seems more likely than unlikely, then we will be a better position than other clubs in that league to try and bounce back pretty quickly

Sadly in the Championship we are NOT a big club, and punching above our weight, with an average attendance around the 13.5 mark, we are certainly smaller fry. He has supported 'some' idiot signings made by certain idiot managers. He has backed our managers, and he has said he will continue to do so.

what more do people want of him ?

Of course it is his fault, we were running at a very modest loss, sometimes profit before he took charge. The losses are purely his fault, no one else's. It is as simple as that.

All this rubbish spoken about the state of the club if he hadn't joined is complete myth. We were financially in not a bad state, and we were still a yo yo club between div 1 and championship, like we have always been. Only difference now, we have a owner who has blown vast wedges of cash on not much, one promotion and 1 crack at promotion. Pretty bloody poor given the outlay.

You cannot deny his investment. Fair dos. But also you cannot deny it is his fault we are in massive debt and his fault the club is such a bloody shambles. His choices, right or wrong have put it in its pass poor position it is in now.... and I am not talking about league position

[Calculus]

Of course it is his fault, we were running at a very modest loss, sometimes profit before he took charge. The losses are purely his fault, no one else's. It is as simple as that.

All this rubbish spoken about the state of the club if he hadn't joined is complete myth. We were financially in not a bad state, and we were still a yo yo club between div 1 and championship, like we have always been. Only difference now, we have a owner who has blown vast wedges of cash on not much, one promotion and 1 crack at promotion. Pretty bloody poor given the outlay.

You cannot deny his investment. Fair dos. But also you cannot deny it is his fault we are in massive debt and his fault the club is such a bloody shambles. His choices, right or wrong have put it in its pass poor position it is in now.... and I am not talking about league position

All this is true and so far the money hasn't been a gift - it's a loan. IMO he's not going to get his money back from 'normal trading' My prediction is that at some point ownership of the ground will be transferred to a stadium company in exchange for some/all of the debt and then football club will be tenants.

[Mr Mosquito]

All this is true and so far the money hasn't been a gift - it's a loan. IMO he's not going to get his money back from 'normal trading' My prediction is that at some point ownership of the ground will be transferred to a stadium company in exchange for some/all of the debt and then football club will be tenants.

Indeed, I'm not sure if similar happened with Coventry City FC but they owned Highfield Road and then moved out to the 'Jaguar/ Ricoh Arena'. Now Coventry are tenants and they can't now afford the £1 million per annum rent. All very dodgy with a football club not owning their own ground, at least when BCFC went bust in 1982 we still owned Ashton Gate.

[Guest]

Indeed, I'm not sure if similar happened with Coventry City FC but they owned Highfield Road and then moved out to the 'Jaguar/ Ricoh Arena'. Now Coventry are tenants and they can't now afford the £1 million per annum rent. All very dodgy with a football club not owning their own ground, at least when BCFC went bust in 1982 we still owned Ashton Gate.

They rent from the local socialist government.

[CheddarReds]

Not going to comment on the "speech" as I wasn't there today, but I'm sick of this love in with the man.

Lets get something straight he has so much money BCFC and his losses are like "us normal people" popping down the shops and buying a scratch card, if we loose ahh well just a drop in the ocean if we win, bargain five more scratch cards and a chance to make more.

Ashton Vale will not make us a brilliant club, but will make SL a fortune if it works out, if it don't he can sale it on for a profit.

Come on people, if he loved Bristol and the club that much he'd pay a bit extra in tax and live here not skin out to his millionaire lifestyle and pop back once in a blue moon to con you mugs.

Happy New Year and yes I'm jealous as hell.

He keeps us a float all season, we lost, was it £14M, last year and he helped pay it off, if he were to leave suddenly we could find ourselves in an bad economic situation.

[NVMal]

Steve Lansdown didn't have to come onto the pitch, he did it for us - the fans! We shouldn't underestimate the impact he has had on our club. One look across the river shows where we might be without him backing us.

[Bowie]

Yes, but without his wealth, his effort, we would be up the creek without a paddle. No doubt, another Portsmouth. Or Coventry or.......

It amazes me that he bothers when many seem to 'blame' him. I simply thank him, and appreciate that if we end up in League one, which still seems more likely than unlikely, then we will be a better position than other clubs in that league to try and bounce back pretty quickly

Sadly in the Championship we are NOT a big club, and punching above our weight, with an average attendance around the 13.5 mark, we are certainly smaller fry. He has supported 'some' idiot signings made by certain idiot managers. He has backed our managers, and he has said he will continue to do so.

what more do people want of him ?

Of course it is his fault, we were running at a very modest loss, sometimes profit before he took charge. The losses are purely his fault, no one else's. It is as simple as that.

All this rubbish spoken about the state of the club if he hadn't joined is complete myth. We were financially in not a bad state, and we were still a yo yo club between div 1 and championship, like we have always been. Only difference now, we have a owner who has blown vast wedges of cash on not much, one promotion and 1 crack at promotion. Pretty bloody poor given the outlay.

You cannot deny his investment. Fair dos. But also you cannot deny it is his fault we are in massive debt and his fault the club is such a bloody shambles. His choices, right or wrong have put it in its pass poor position it is in now.... and I am not talking about league position

Yes, but without his wealth, his effort, we would be up the creek without a paddle. No doubt, another Portsmouth. Or Coventry or.......

It amazes me that he bothers when many seem to 'blame' him. I simply thank him, and appreciate that if we end up in League one, which still seems more likely than unlikely, then we will be a better position than other clubs in that league to try and bounce back pretty quickly

Sadly in the Championship we are NOT a big club, and punching above our weight, with an average attendance around the 13.5 mark, we are certainly smaller fry. He has supported 'some' idiot signings made by certain idiot managers. He has backed our managers, and he has said he will continue to do so.

what more do people want of him ?

Portsmouth or Coventry? Portsmouth recent FA Cup winner? Coventry new stsdium? If only

We wouldn't be in that position at all, because we wouldn't have been able to get into the finicial mess we are in the first place, we were doing modestly well before his chairmanship, the last two promotion seasons were based on teams which were assembled cheaply and in both occasions wreckless spending has got us into problem, thankfully last time we went down we had saleable assests in Brennan and Akinbiyi which wrote of the debt we created.

due to the way football has changed if/when we go down, we won't be in that position, shitcreek and paddle sping to mind, needless and wreckless if well meant spending has got us in this mess and the new stadium is the only way we will ever be able to get an even keel.

Lansdown has got this club in an almighty mess and we have very little to show for it, 6 years at this level is great the club accounts are an utter mess

He got us in this situation, he should be the man to get the club out of it.

[lifelong]

Portsmouth or Coventry? Portsmouth recent FA Cup winner? Coventry new stsdium? If only

We wouldn't be in that position at all, because we wouldn't have been able to get into the finicial mess we are in the first place, we were doing modestly well before his chairmanship, the last two promotion seasons were based on teams which were assembled cheaply and in both occasions wreckless spending has got us into problem, thankfully last time we went down we had saleable assests in Brennan and Akinbiyi which wrote of the debt we created.

due to the way football has changed if/when we go down, we won't be in that position, shitcreek and paddle sping to mind, needless and wreckless if well meant spending has got us in this mess and the new stadium is the only way we will ever be able to get an even keel.

Lansdown has got this club in an almighty mess and we have very little to show for it, 6 years at this level is great the club accounts are an utter mess

He got us in this situation, he should be the man to get the club out of it.

You are a cheery ;little soul, I`d rather be in our shoes with a chairman who is in it for the long haul than the increasing majority with ones who arent,

Happy New Year

[Mr Mosquito]

They rent from the local socialist government.

I don't know whether Coventry's Socialist local government is a symptom or the cause of the City of Coventry's economic decline (and massively increasing unemployment) but the knock-on effect is that their football club is going down the pan. Does BCFC still own Ashton Gate or is Ashton Gate now a different company with no financial link to the club?

[all* in*red]

steve landsdown is a legend end of story......

[NickJ]

All this is true and so far the money hasn't been a gift - it's a loan. IMO he's not going to get his money back from 'normal trading' My prediction is that at some point ownership of the ground will be transferred to a stadium company in exchange for some/all of the debt and then football club will be tenants.

The stadium is already owned by a stadium company - Ashton Gate Stadium Ltd - which in turn is owned by BCFC Holdings Ltd, which in turn is owned by Steve. That aside, I agree with your point, which is that it would seem that the stadium, whether Ashton Gate or more likely Ashton Vale, will eventually be owned by a company with no direct links to Bristol City, at which point the football club will become tenants no matter who it is ultimately owned by.

I'd very much like to be wrong, but logic says to me that if that isn't Steve's intention, he'd publicly say so.

[DT The Optimist]

You are a cheery ;little soul, I`d rather be in our shoes with a chairman who is in it for the long haul than the increasing majority with ones who arent,

Happy New Year

Exactly right! Yes our finances are bad, we lose 5 – 10 Million every year as the sums simply do not add up. Simple fact of life at Bristol city is that championship salaries are NOT sustainable on the revenue that comes in, from TV, gate receipts or whatever, here in Bristol at the moment. That is why every year SL buys more ‘worthless’ shares in the club, to write of the debt. Constantly trying to reduce the excessive spends, at the same time getting the best players. Bit of a Hobson’s choice !

I thank him for that.

However, in 2014 when the fair play rules come in is it right you can ONLY spend 60% of your income on salaries. We will not be able to match our competitors in this league unless the revenue streams increase, more bums on seats, more season tickets etc. etc

Or do those who moan about him ‘getting us in this mess’ somehow expect us to attract the best players who can get 3 times more up the road ? As for bringing on your own talent , great, same applies; the richer clubs will simply pluck them from you anyway.

I have been here a long time at the gate, and remember some ‘spiv’ Chairmen who promised the earth with nothing to back it up. SL makes us the envy of many a club. He puts he own wealth into the club, without him we would be just like the ‘ laughing Gas’ or Plymouth or….

[Mr Mosquito]

The stadium is already owned by a stadium company - Ashton Gate Stadium Ltd - which in turn is owned by BCFC Holdings Ltd, which in turn is owned by Steve. That aside, I agree with your point, which is that it would seem that the stadium, whether Ashton Gate or more likely Ashton Vale, will eventually be owned by a company with no direct links to Bristol City, at which point the football club will become tenants no matter who it is ultimately owned by.

I'd very much like to be wrong, but logic says to me that if that isn't Steve's intention, he'd publicly say so.

Thank you for explaining those ownership details. It's like trying to predict a game of chess with regard to the new stadium project and its implications for this club and what could happen next etc.

[CiderHider]

Of course it is his fault, we were running at a very modest loss, sometimes profit before he took charge. The losses are purely his fault, no one else's. It is as simple as that.

All this rubbish spoken about the state of the club if he hadn't joined is complete myth. We were financially in not a bad state, and we were still a yo yo club between div 1 and championship, like we have always been. Only difference now, we have a owner who has blown vast wedges of cash on not much, one promotion and 1 crack at promotion. Pretty bloody poor given the outlay.

You cannot deny his investment. Fair dos. But also you cannot deny it is his fault we are in massive debt and his fault the club is such a bloody shambles. His choices, right or wrong have put it in its pass poor position it is in now.... and I am not talking about league position

Oh my god!

Listen to what you are saying. you have absolutely no perspective.

The losses are his fault? I'm sorry but that came across as blame implying financial incompetence, maybe someone who has problems handling investments and projects.

[NickJ]

Thank you for explaining those ownership details. It's like trying to predict a game of chess with regard to the new stadium project and its implications for this club and what could happen next etc.

That's a good way of putting it. The thread about bridging the gap springs to mind.

The losses are his fault? I'm sorry but that came across as blame implying financial incompetence, maybe someone who has problems handling investments and projects.

I don't think he was implying blame or financial incompetence. Steve has spent his own money, thats up to him. But it's a fair bet that with an owner with a fraction of his wealth our history on the pitch over the past 10 years would have been very similar to what has happened, whereas the financial position would be a lot better.

[Mr Mosquito]

That's a good way of putting it. The thread about bridging the gap springs to mind.

I don't think he was implying blame or financial incompetence. Steve has spent his own money, thats up to him. But it's a fair bet that with an owner with a fraction of his wealth our history on the pitch over the past 10 years would have been very similar to what has happened, whereas the financial position would be a lot better.

If you think about the historic attitude of football club owners it was always one of one-upmanship. E.g. a Northern mill owner/ industrialist would sink a fortune into the likes of Preston, Blackburn, Burnley, Man U etc and want to get the better of a rival rich industrialist's football club by having the better ground or better performing players to get the highest league finish possible/ cup wins possible. As far as I'm aware, that's the game still being played these days especially by foreign owners such as Chelsea's Abramovich. If I had Steve Lansdown's wealth I'd be far from happy with my club languishing at the bottom of the second tier of English football. That's my observation because - quite honestly - there can't be many realistic football club owners expecting anything other than a loss from their investment in their chosen club.

[Calculus]

The stadium is already owned by a stadium company - Ashton Gate Stadium Ltd - which in turn is owned by BCFC Holdings Ltd, which in turn is owned by Steve. That aside, I agree with your point, which is that it would seem that the stadium, whether Ashton Gate or more likely Ashton Vale, will eventually be owned by a company with no direct links to Bristol City, at which point the football club will become tenants no matter who it is ultimately owned by.

I'd very much like to be wrong, but logic says to me that if that isn't Steve's intention, he'd publicly say so.

Yes, I knew about the Ashton Gate Stadium/BCFC Holdings stuff. Probably should have written 'independent' stadium company to be strictly accurate.

Of course, if we do end up as tenants at an independent stadium not only will we be paying rent, but all the other income, conferences, concerts etc., will not be to the benefit of the football club - a situation that has the potential to be much worse financially than current. All depends, of course, on what the actual numbers propsed are, but I think a clear statement of intent from Steve would be a good thing.

[You Do The Dziekanowski]

Mr TrueBritt. You're saying that without SL pumping millions into the club we will still be a Championship club. He loves the club and wont leave us owing him 40m we're lucky to have him SL or Venkys, SL or Glaziers, SL or Higgs. For me SL all day long as he wont leave us in the crap

[Timbo7]

Oh my god!

Listen to what you are saying. you have absolutely no perspective.

The losses are his fault? I'm sorry but that came across as blame implying financial incompetence, maybe someone who has problems handling investments and projects.

There maybe a planet somewhere in the solar system where half the people are always right and the other half are always wrong - and another where half the people are always good and the other half always bad BUT this is not that planet,

SL's personal (and magnificent) business success does not prove that he cannot make a mistake OR that he has invariably applied the same balance between speculation and caution to his most expensive hobby - plainly he has not.

The future of professional football (never particularly secure) has been put in jeopardy by the willingness of club owners to pay salaries that clubs cannot hope to sustain. Club owners who have willingly indulged in this practice are complicit in every respect. Our ex-chairman openly committed to getting the business on an even keel when he took control and for some years admirable progress was made - culminating in the Championship Play-off Final when we were no worse than a mildly sub-viable business.

For reasons only he will know we abandoned all sense and control from the start of the 08-09 season and subsequently losses have spiraled and performances (at best) stagnated at the smelly end of the Championship.

None of us can tell whether we would have been relegated in 08-09 or 09-10 in the absence of profligate spending on wages for players we only occasionally saw play BUT we can be sure that without the instant loan solution Gary Johnson would have continued to apply his efforts where his skills were proven - building a squad on a tight budget - getting the best out of mediocre players - building team spirit and when necessary a siege mentality. He was not the first to fail when presented with the instant solution of new players whenever the desire took him and he will not be the last.

The other thing we know is that if we had been relegated in 08-09 (or 09-10 or 10-11) because of the Chairman's unwillingness to fund increasingly absurd signings (I give you David James as the highest earner at the club!) - we would not be spending 160% of our income on wages - If, as SL's defenders seem to suggest, £12M-£14M per year is the price of Championship survival then perhaps someone should ask how much we want to survive if all we can hope for is more miserable home defeats in front of fading attendances.

It seems to me that FFP (in the League at least) is in reality some form of cartel where club owners have agreed they will cease pushing up players' wage demands for the benefit of all - We can only hope that they honour this agreement when the going gets tough and not feel the need to show how clever they can be at avoiding the adverse effects of voluntary regulation.

IF ANYONE IS IN ANY DOUBT - IT WILL BE A VERY SAD DAY INDEED WHEN BRISTOL CITY BECOMES A TENANT - WHETHER AT ASHTON GATE OR ANYWHERE ELSE