City1970 Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 The season we pipped Forest to promotion from league 1 proved that the club was heading in the right direction. The following season proved we were doing well in the championship. However, the night before the play-off final, McCombe became ill and could not play. That was when it all started to go pearshaped because our central defence was never the same. Johnson had a couple of decent seasons but then the writing was on the wall where we needed to strengthen central midfield and in particular central defence. The amount of times we conceded late late goals under Johnson was worrying and culminated in that dreadful performance at Plymouth, then Johnson was out. It got worse under Copple because he left the club so soon and made a couple of poor signings but did sign Albert. Millen should have seen the main problem was central midfield and central defence but chose to ignore that problem. The amount of times we conceded 3 or more goals was worse than worrying. McInnes had a great opportunity to address these problems but like the previous managers chose to ignore. O`Driscoll have now got the whole summer to address the problem, so hopefully we will see a new central defence and a new central midfield next season. It would be great to have another season in league 1 like the one we had when we pipped Forest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashton_fan Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 The season we pipped Forest to promotion from league 1 proved that the club was heading in the right direction. The following season proved we were doing well in the championship. However, the night before the play-off final, McCombe became ill and could not play. That was when it all started to go pearshaped because our central defence was never the same. Johnson had a couple of decent seasons but then the writing was on the wall where we needed to strengthen central midfield and in particular central defence. The amount of times we conceded late late goals under Johnson was worrying and culminated in that dreadful performance at Plymouth, then Johnson was out. It got worse under Copple because he left the club so soon and made a couple of poor signings but did sign Albert. Millen should have seen the main problem was central midfield and central defence but chose to ignore that problem. The amount of times we conceded 3 or more goals was worse than worrying. McInnes had a great opportunity to address these problems but like the previous managers chose to ignore. O`Driscoll have now got the whole summer to address the problem, so hopefully we will see a new central defence and a new central midfield next season. It would be great to have another season in league 1 like the one we had when we pipped Forest. Re Millen he did realise about the Centre Back issue and signed Caulker. At the end of that season he was going to sign a replacement but was told he couldn't sign any more players without selling first, this was in the middle of the summer break when Steve Lansdown stepped down and Colin Sexstone took over, there seemed to be a communication problem at the time. I think this is what eventually led to Millen being sacked but I'm sure he recognised he needed a replacement for Caulker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myol'man Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 I blame Dean Windass!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aizoon Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 I blame Dean Windass!!! Be fair, they were allowed one over-age player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers-ran-away Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 I cannot believe people still go on about the bloody play off final to blame Johnson and how it started to go wrong from there!! The fact is the squad is awful and have played awful all season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendip City Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 Re Millen he did realise about the Centre Back issue and signed Caulker. At the end of that season he was going to sign a replacement but was told he couldn't sign any more players without selling first, this was in the middle of the summer break when Steve Lansdown stepped down and Colin Sexstone took over, there seemed to be a communication problem at the time. I think this is what eventually led to Millen being sacked but I'm sure he recognised he needed a replacement for Caulker. I've got to be honest and say I think we might actually be in a better place now had Millen been left in charge. We'll never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newarkred Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 I have decided its down to my Mrs. I met her the day before the play off final. Its been downhill ever since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuedgeRed Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 January transfer window, 5 months previous, is when it started to go downhill. We should've gained automatic promotion that season! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exiledinwatford Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 Promotion was thrown away with five games to go. Top of the Championship and we needed a performance at Stoke, Southampton, Sheffield United and at home to Wolves. 1 point from four games. It was almost as if GJ didn't quite believe the side was good enough and tried to crawl over the line instead of taking games by the scruff of the neck. I wonder where we'd be now of DMC hadn't lost his nerve after the Blackburn home game and carried on attacking? Couldn't be in a worse position in the table! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tall King Blox Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 Ime with aizoon on this one, Dean Windass, had something to prove all his tormented life and it came to fruition against us...all those lonely days in the school playground being taunted...still happens now for his unorthadox punditry...a sad costume of a man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old_eastender Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 January transfer window, 5 months previous, is when it started to go downhill. We should've gained automatic promotion that season! Spot on, had GJ signed a striker in the Jan window we would surely have gone on to automatic promotion. All water long under the bridge now though. Time to look forward to a new beginning with much of the current squad out of contract, we will have a very different team for first match next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fodbarmyarmy Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 January transfer window, 5 months previous, is when it started to go downhill. We should've gained automatic promotion that season! Correct ......top with 5 games to go and ....well we all know what happened.....IMO GJ incorrect tactics and play safe options / attitude showed he was out of his depth and did not have what was required to get us over the line and keep the forward momentum..... IMO the club should have had the sensible foresight to realise this was not the man to go forward with and got rid of GJ after the PO Defeat and brought in someone who could have kept that momentum going... Easy to say with hindsight I know but is clear since then that this was the way we should have gone..... Nice guy , put us back on our feet and heading forward, no doubt about that, but his level is his level... the days of sentiment in football are gone and we as a club were simply too soft....and are still too soft today really.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strictly Obi Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Correct ......top with 5 games to go and ....well we all know what happened.....IMO GJ incorrect tactics and play safe options / attitude showed he was out of his depth and did not have what was required to get us over the line and keep the forward momentum..... IMO the club should have had the sensible foresight to realise this was not the man to go forward with and got rid of GJ after the PO Defeat and brought in someone who could have kept that momentum going... Easy to say with hindsight I know but is clear since then that this was the way we should have gone..... Nice guy , put us back on our feet and heading forward, no doubt about that, but his level is his level... the days of sentiment in football are gone and we as a club were simply too soft....and are still too soft today really.... If GJ (a manager that got us promoted to the championship and within a whisker of the Prem) is deemed out of his depth......what does that make all our previous managers in the last 30yrs who never got us anywhere near the top half of the championship? Answers on a postcard please.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aizoon Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 I have decided its down to my Mrs. I met her the day before the play off final. Its been downhill ever since. I met my wife that day as well. Mind you, we have been an item for 14 years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aizoon Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 If GJ (a manager that got us promoted to the championship and within a whisker of the Prem) is deemed out of his depth......what does that make all our previous managers in the last 30yrs who never got us anywhere near the top half of the championship? Answers on a postcard please.... Ouch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i hate rovers Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 I cannot believe people still go on about the bloody play off final to blame Johnson and how it started to go wrong from there!! The fact is the squad is awful and have played awful all season. ear ear.the last two if where honest.lets see what the future brings. get rid of the money grabbers and bring in youth/people who want to play for the shirt.....lets take a few steps back give them a few games and judge them after, we might be surprised Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS34Red Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 January transfer window, 5 months previous, is when it started to go downhill. We should've gained automatic promotion that season!Exactly right. We was in a good position and we just needed a bit of ambition and got in that extra bit of quality that would have saw us over the line. Stoke and Hull both strengthened. We didn't. Their recruitments gave them that little extra to push on. Frazer Campbell At Hull and Shawcross, ameobi etc at Stoke. That game at Stoke was a winner takes all and whoever won that would go on to win promotion. My belief is had we not lost Lee Johnson for that run in we would have gone up automatically. His contribution that season was pivotal. We turned up at Stoke and wasn't up for it at all. We didn't start playing until half time when the game was already lost. I'll never forget walking out of the stadium surrounded by their fans knowing they was heading for the premier league. That should have been us. We had two chances, one in the league by being in a great position and then another in the play offs and we choked. Johnson should have gone then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers-ran-away Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 Exactly right. We was in a good position and we just needed a bit of ambition and got in that extra bit of quality that would have saw us over the line. Stoke and Hull both strengthened. We didn't. Their recruitments gave them that little extra to push on. Frazer Campbell At Hull and Shawcross, ameobi etc at Stoke. That game at Stoke was a winner takes all and whoever won that would go on to win promotion. My belief is had we not lost Lee Johnson for that run in we would have gone up automatically. His contribution that season was pivotal. We turned up at Stoke and wasn't up for it at all. We didn't start playing until half time when the game was already lost. I'll never forget walking out of the stadium surrounded by their fans knowing they was heading for the premier league. That should have been us. We had two chances, one in the league by being in a great position and then another in the play offs and we choked. Johnson should have gone then. He should of gone after getting a small fish club like ours to the playoffs in our first season in the championship ...really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jambodinho Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 Play off final. Bradley Orr gets injured and can no longer continue. Most managers would have switched Carey to right back and brought Vasko on at centre half. GJ decides that he'd rather take the best midfielder in the league that season, the all action Marvin Elliott, out of midfield, and bung him at right back. In comes little lightweight Lee Johnson into midfield and bang goes any hope of us getting back into the game. It's been down hill from that point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1975Legend Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 Play off final. Bradley Orr gets injured and can no longer continue. Most managers would have switched Carey to right back and brought Vasko on at centre half. GJ decides that he'd rather take the best midfielder in the league that season, the all action Marvin Elliott, out of midfield, and bung him at right back. In comes little lightweight Lee Johnson into midfield and bang goes any hope of us getting back into the game. It's been down hill from that point. Wrong we had plenty of chances I can remember 3 trundle failed to convert hull created nothing after their goal so that sub had f all to do with it.http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Football_League_Championship_play-off_Final Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Taylor's Knob Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 Ime with aizoon on this one, Dean Windass, had something to prove all his tormented life and it came to fruition against us...all those lonely days in the school playground being taunted Do you reckon the other children used to fondle his bits? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aizoon Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 Do you reckon the other children used to fondle his bits? Too much speculation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorset_Cider Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 Promotion was thrown away with five games to go. Top of the Championship and we needed a performance at Stoke, Southampton, Sheffield United and at home to Wolves. 1 point from four games. It was almost as if GJ didn't quite believe the side was good enough and tried to crawl over the line instead of taking games by the scruff of the neck. I wonder where we'd be now of DMC hadn't lost his nerve after the Blackburn home game and carried on attacking? Couldn't be in a worse position in the table! Said much the same at the time & since.........automatic was thrown away..... bemuses me to this day that we kept being told that we had secured a place in the prayoffs and made a right hash of the last few games when we could have taken automatic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strictly Obi Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 Said much the same at the time & since.........automatic was thrown away..... bemuses me to this day that we kept being told that we had secured a place in the prayoffs and made a right hash of the last few games when we could have taken automatic. Most people thought we come straight back down anyway, so try seeing that season in a more positive light that we did so well. Over the season we just weren't good enough, and the players were playing well beyond expectations! But if you thought we were shit then, i would hate to think what you thought of the previous 30yrs of abstract failure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dorset_Cider Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 Most people thought we come straight back down anyway, so try seeing that season in a more positive light that we did so well. Over the season we just weren't good enough, and the players were playing well beyond expectations! But if you thought we were shit then, i would hate to think what you thought of the previous 30yrs of abstract failure! I thought & think we are always the best team in the universe (don't you?) .... why let reality get in the way Over the season we were good enough but did the usual IMO Wow wouldn't it be nice to see players (erm) playing beyond expectations (again) I THINK WE ARE THE BEST TEAM IN THE UNIVERSE ( but why let reality..... sorry repeating myself) Pah 30 years of failure....... We are Bristol City FC are we not ...... what's a lifetime of failure to us eh Our highs are other's lows but they are still highs to us John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Humble Realist Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 Play off final. Bradley Orr gets injured and can no longer continue. Most managers would have switched Carey to right back and brought Vasko on at centre half. GJ decides that he'd rather take the best midfielder in the league that season, the all action Marvin Elliott, out of midfield, and bung him at right back. In comes little lightweight Lee Johnson into midfield and bang goes any hope of us getting back into the game. It's been down hill from that point. Absolute rubbish . Watch that chip on your shoulder you'l have someone's eye out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS34Red Posted April 25, 2013 Report Share Posted April 25, 2013 He should of gone after getting a small fish club like ours to the playoffs in our first season in the championship ...really?Yes because he had proven he had taken us as far as he could. Even that season when we was scrapping wins we all knew we was bloody lucky. When that luck ran out it all turned sour. Had he left after the play off defeat our stoke was still reasonably high and we could have attracted someone decent to help push us on to the next level. As a club we tried to make the jump from league one to the premiership far to quick. We didn't have the resources or facilities in place. Thinking back now I'm kinda glad we lost cos we would have finished rock bottom on a record low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rovers-ran-away Posted April 25, 2013 Report Share Posted April 25, 2013 Yes because he had proven he had taken us as far as he could. Even that season when we was scrapping wins we all knew we was bloody lucky. When that luck ran out it all turned sour. Had he left after the play off defeat our stoke was still reasonably high and we could have attracted someone decent to help push us on to the next level. As a club we tried to make the jump from league one to the Premier League far to quick. We didn't have the resources or facilities in place. Thinking back now I'm kinda glad we lost cos we would have finished rock bottom on a record low. At the time Johnson was regarded as one of the best English managers outside the prem!!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downendcity Posted April 25, 2013 Report Share Posted April 25, 2013 I met my wife that day as well. Mind you, we have been an item for 14 years Downhill since then for you as well then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Casual Connoisseur Posted April 25, 2013 Report Share Posted April 25, 2013 Play off final. Bradley Orr gets injured and can no longer continue. Most managers would have switched Carey to right back and brought Vasko on at centre half. GJ decides that he'd rather take the best midfielder in the league that season, the all action Marvin Elliott, out of midfield, and bung him at right back. In comes little lightweight Lee Johnson into midfield and bang goes any hope of us getting back into the game. It's been down hill from that point. Agreed. Plus not signing a striker in January was criminal, that cost us automatic promotion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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