Public Perception Of Bristol City

[RED4LIFE]

Now I'm not entirely sure about the differences between FFP in the football league as opposed to the Premier League, but for me, the fact that you have a shed load of fairweather fans just waiting to throw some money at the club is one of your biggest assets. How nuts would Bristol go if you got to another FA cup final for instance? Swansea are a great blueprint for you guys, not least for the decent football, but because they have a battle for supporters with the Rugby, yet very little competition for miles and miles around. Obviously you live in a fairly affluent place compared to the ****hole that is Swansea, but my point is if you followed their trajectory then when you got to where they are, with your potential fan base, you wouldn't be stalling. And of all the clubs in or around the championship the FFP rulings would make you a really good bet for being able to consolidate yourselves as a top 15 club. If you did it right you shouldn't have to go through the process of being a yo yo club. Id say Middlesboro, Wednesday, Forest, Leeds and maybe QPR if they sorted themselves out could have the same aspirations as you in that regard. Based on the size of the potential fan base and the clubs historys.

As a Villa fan I have to conceed the horrible reality that Stoke, Swansea and Southampton are better run, more stable clubs than my own. Are they bigger? not in my eyes. But are they a more attractive proposition for any potential transfer targets? you bet they are. I feel a bit sorry for you all that all the ridiculous FFP regulations are holding you back from just splashing the cash tbh. I am not a fan of the closed shop mentality and know alot of Man City fans and Chelsea fans who have tasted alot more relegation than me in their lifetimes and I dont begrudge them their moments in the sun. But seeing as you are constrained that means the hard battle for more income to allow you to increase spending "within your means" has truly begun, and THAT is what might mean it will take a little time to get to the promised land.

Looking in I think the whole thing with Gayle was because they recognise the need for a marquee signing to really kick start something positive. For you, like us at the moment, in order to beat away the competition you may very well have to pay a little over the odds in transfer fee's, Agent/signing on fees and most importantly wages. And wages really is the key thing here imo. Was it Ranieri yesterday saying Inler would be Leicester's Maradona (no pressure lad!), well I think something like that. I almost hate to use him as an example, but the polarising nature of Joey Barton could illustrate my point perfectly. Is he a ****? obviously. Would at least 50% of you want him anywhere near your club? probably not. Would other players want to come and play in a team with him? probably. Would it make the rest of the armchair fans sit up and take notice? get you in the media spotlight? Yup. Now I'm not suggesting he's going to Bristol or anything but the point is one big signing could really make all the difference for you guys at this stage. Whether you'll be "allowed" by the rules to offer them the wages they want though is completely a different problem.

Bristol is a great city though. Close to major transport networks. 2 hours from London, Airport, Great nightlife and importantly lots of nice green bits around it with big expensive houses that footballer types like living in. It's all there. I dont think you have an image problem at all. (mind you 4 stands would help a bit ). I just doubt you can compete with Hull, Burnley et al in the transfer market because they can spend their parachute payments on wages because it's part of their income. Whereas you can't spend the money sat in your owners bank account because it's his and not Bristol City's.

Just an outsiders perspective

Good post and pretty much hits the nail on the head.

As a club we have huge potential but until we actually start achieving things in the upper echelons of the football pyramid it will be very difficult to persuade others of this potential. Especially in todays 'want it now' society.

[Murraysrightplum]

And who does this wordsmith support?

Isn't semi-fascist a bit like slightly pregnant?

Histrionic? I'd say generally we are the opposite. Slightly melancholic even.

Read any transfer thread and histrionic is Bob on

[CotswoldRed]

Read any transfer thread and histrionic is Bob on

In which case, that applies to every club.

[Murraysrightplum]

"If we don't sign 6 players this week we will be relegated"

[Major Isewater]

I would know Hull better if they were called something like , i dunno, Tigers for example ?

[ten minutes of rough]

I have lived away from Bristol for a while now and can tell you around the country we are seen as a small club.

I live near Watford now and even their fans see us as a small club even though their ground and fan base is smaller their ours.

I think it's purely down to lack of history and lack of time in the top division. Not long a go Hull would have been seen as smaller than us but a few seasons in the Premiership and that has all changed.

Well I never Watford fans think we are a small club, talk about deluded wannabes cockerneys.

[spudski]

Until we start to do something slightly different, then imho, we will always be like we are....regardless of new stadium.

 

This League is full of teams that just throw money at players. Same players doing the rounds, from Club to Club. It's a merry go round of mediocrity.

 

Look at the likes of Watford, Bournemouth, Brentford, Swansea, Southampton....even Burnley....and to a lesser extent Stoke....they are all clubs that have been where we are, and even below, and they've all looked at trying to do something different to what the rest of the Championship Clubs do.

 

Since SL has been in charge, apart from the last two seasons, he's thrown money at short term fix's. Tbh...I have no idea what we are doing now...I'm totally confused with the whole scenario.

[CiderHider]

Until we start to do something slightly different, then imho, we will always be like we are....regardless of new stadium.

 

This League is full of teams that just throw money at players. Same players doing the rounds, from Club to Club. It's a merry go round of mediocrity.

 

Look at the likes of Watford, Bournemouth, Brentford, Swansea, Southampton....even Burnley....and to a lesser extent Stoke....they are all clubs that have been where we are, and even below, and they've all looked at trying to do something different to what the rest of the Championship Clubs do.

 

Since SL has been in charge, apart from the last two seasons, he's thrown money at short term fix's. Tbh...I have no idea what we are doing now...I'm totally confused with the whole scenario.

 

We are lucky, Bristol is a great City, large City, great catchment, the potential for us is staggering.

 

Same cant be said for Hull, Heathrow FC, Sjoke and all the no mark northern towns like Blackburn, Bolton, Burnley etc.

 

We are the epitome of the sleeping giant, the English Barcelona not yet awakened... 

[bristolcitysweden]

We are a laughing stock and do our outmost to uphold the position

[CiderHider]

Until we start to do something slightly different, then imho, we will always be like we are....regardless of new stadium.

 

This League is full of teams that just throw money at players. Same players doing the rounds, from Club to Club. It's a merry go round of mediocrity.

 

Look at the likes of Watford, Bournemouth, Brentford, Swansea, Southampton....even Burnley....and to a lesser extent Stoke....they are all clubs that have been where we are, and even below, and they've all looked at trying to do something different to what the rest of the Championship Clubs do.

 

Since SL has been in charge, apart from the last two seasons, he's thrown money at short term fix's. Tbh...I have no idea what we are doing now...I'm totally confused with the whole scenario.

 

Sorry cant find any fault with SL or SC right now, we nearly broke the transfer record for a Championship side and smashed our own, im happy with that.

 

this proves to me the ambition they have, not afraid to go for top quality, money to back it up, and the sense not to sign players that would break our wage budget, we could have signed both Galye and Grey, the pair of them without a second thought, just pay them more money, but that would suck for everyone else and maybe destabilize the harmony we have here. 

 

 

and its the principle, SL and SC are principled men, i trust them both fully.

 

Still excited about who we are going to get in, hopefully ASAP to make an impact, it must be annoying for the team too knowing theya re short and would benefit from strengthening, they want prem aswell and want to win games

[CiderHider]

We are a laughing stock and do our outmost to uphold the position

 

bloody Judith!

[Palmers Green Red]

We are lucky, Bristol is a great City, large City, great catchment, the potential for us is staggering.

Same cant be said for Hull, Heathrow FC, Sjoke and all the no mark northern towns like Blackburn, Bolton, Burnley etc.

We are the epitome of the sleeping giant, the English Barcelona not yet awakened...

As a born and bred Bristolian, I love my City. I agree with your first paragraph.

However, why are the Northern towns you mention no marks ... I am not sure what criteria has been used here but as someone who has lived outside of Bristol for years and know many people from these towns, don't see them as no marks. If so, they have managed to shake off this no mark status and been more successful than us in the past 20 years mores the pity.

I love my home City, but not to the detriment of the wide and rich tapestry of the UK as a whole, with City's, towns and villages of all shapes and sizes.

In respect of sleeping giant, I stared watching City in 78 so saw us go from the pinicle to bottom and have spent the past 30 years trying to return ... just hope we awake in the remaining years I have on this planet.

COYRs

[Red Exile]

[CiderHider]

As a born and bred Bristolian, I love my City. I agree with your first paragraph.

However, why are the Northern towns you mention no marks ... I am not sure what criteria has been used here but as someone who has lived outside of Bristol for years and know many people from these towns, don't see them as no marks. If so, they have managed to shake off this no mark status and been more successful than us in the past 20 years mores the pity.

I love my home City, but not to the detriment of the wide and rich tapestry of the UK as a whole, with City's, towns and villages of all shapes and sizes.

In respect of sleeping giant, I stared watching City in 78 so saw us go from the pinicle to bottom and have spent the past 30 years trying to return ... just hope we awake in the remaining years I have on this planet.

COYRs

 

Fair play, yeah im just taking the piss, i'm a northern myself, born in Salford 

 

basically it doesn matter where you are or who you are called if you have the right players, you will win stuff, look at Blackburn, and how Swansea have somhow got themselves in the Prem, and Bournmouth?! ****ing Bournmouth, granny town of the UK and BLACKPOOL!!?

 

Its a joke, is our giant in a coma? WAKEY WAKEY SLEEPING GIANT! 

[CiderHider]

[havanatopia]

We are a laughing stock and do our outmost to uphold the position

 

Stop talking about yourself again.. although i would agree.

 

And in case of any misunderstanding its not City who are the laughing stock.

[LostVillaFan]

Thing is in the NW, Blackburn, Burnley, Wigan, Bury, Bolton, Stockport even Macclesfield and Preston are competing with the behemouth of the Manchester clubs basically on their doorsteps.

 

In the NE I have a little trouble viewing Leeds as a bigger club than Wednesday. Sheffield is a massive place. Maybe they are held back by having competition from Utd? I don't know, but Huddersfield, Barnsley, Halifax, Doncaster, Rotherham, Bradford, Chesterfield are always going to be living in the shadow of their bigger neighbours. Hull might be picking up the odd follower round Grimsby, S****horpe and Scarboro maybe even York or Lincoln but that's not a massive catchment area in terms of population.

 

Wolves? ok I'm well biased but don't make me laugh. Forest is where I wind my neck right in coz they have double the amount of European Cups than my lot. Respect.

 

What's your potential competition? Cheltenham, Swindon, Exeter and the other lot? From Newport up to Birmingham and Coventry down to Oxford/Swindon and down to Bournemouth. The only ones left in that whole SW I haven't mentioned is Plymouth eh. That's a massive catchment area and they are tiny clubs.
 

Mobilising that fan base will be hard and it will probably take a Cup win or a year in the Premier League to do it. Modern football rules dictate that as soon as you get into the Premier League it's all about who's got the biggest income stream rather than who has the biggest **** anyway. Hence your owner is doing things right by investing in the stadium. Things like sponsorship become massive things. A good/bad deal on sponsorship at the top level is the difference between affording another player in the squad. The rules have been designed to specifically stop people like SL living out their dream and taking you all along for the ride so he's going to have to be smart as hell to do it quickly and make it stick. 

[Olé]

Who gives a flying f what armchair supporters around the country think? People who know football (by which I mean top to bottom and the game itself) know where we fit.

Exactly. The issue with the perception of us is really only a problem when it comes to the 'was not in Premiership therefore does not compute' brigade. Simple logic tells you most Prem fans don't go to games - I have things on the bottom of my shoe whose opinion of Bristol City I have more interest in. Everyone else knows who we are and we get precisely the amount of respect we deserve for being a popular lower league club. The opinion of Premiership fans who have never set foot in a football stadium is worth about the same as the quality of their support. 0 = 0. QED.

[LostVillaFan]

I'd say because the armchair fans money is just as good as yours and mine. They dont have to know what the hell they are talking about to buy a shirt or a scarf or a mug. Also once you fill your new stadium every week, they'll be your only available marketplace and theres a hell of alot more of them than there will be of you. You know, maybe I'll think about getting a Robinson 8 shirt? I dont want to be in love with your club for ever and ever, I have a lifetime of underacheivement at my own club to obsess about. But I'm still a potential customer.

[spudski]

I think some also fail to remember, that once you get into the Prem, your exposure becomes Worldwide.

 

I'm always astonished at how many 'foreigners' fill the seats at some Prem Clubs and larger Clubs abroad.

 

When I used to watch Man Utd regularly, ( I lived their, and family business had hospitality their...so don't have a go  ) certain parts of the ground were full of foreign visitors...especially Asians ).

 

Since Southampton made the Prem, they have become the fastest growing club/brand in the world. Just show's you what the Prem does for you.

[LostVillaFan]

Asian market is huge. And you have red shirts. Look how important an issue that was to the nutter at Cardiff.

[Chappers]

Can you expand on this? How long have we been in the middles league compared to the second place club? would do my research but am at work.

We were promoted in 1984, and from memory when I worked this out, I think we were in this category by quite some margin.

I think it is Preston 1996, feel free to correct me anyone

Further useless stat, Sags were not in top or bottom tier from 1953-2001, first part was Div 2 rather than Div 3 S.

[bristolcitysweden]

Asians or not the athmosphere in English grounds is truly poor. If you wish to have an experience - visit a Stockholm derby.

[Murraysrightplum]

Asians or not the athmosphere in English grounds is truly poor. If you wish to have an experience - visit a Stockholm derby.

Seriously why do you bother?

[GodEmperor Palpatine]

Until we start to do something slightly different, then imho, we will always be like we are....regardless of new stadium.

 

This League is full of teams that just throw money at players. Same players doing the rounds, from Club to Club. It's a merry go round of mediocrity.

 

Look at the likes of Watford, Bournemouth, Brentford, Swansea, Southampton....even Burnley....and to a lesser extent Stoke....they are all clubs that have been where we are, and even below, and they've all looked at trying to do something different to what the rest of the Championship Clubs do.

 

Since SL has been in charge, apart from the last two seasons, he's thrown money at short term fix's. Tbh...I have no idea what we are doing now...I'm totally confused with the whole scenario.

 

Agreed and with the clubs you mentioned plus others... Reading, QPR, Hull, Cardiff could be added to that list have all bypassed us in the last 15 years.

[spudski]

Agreed and with the clubs you mentioned plus others... Reading, QPR, Hull, Cardiff could be added to that list have all bypassed us in the last 15 years.

You could also add tomorrows opponents....remember well our battles with them in DIV 1.

[CyderInACan]

Asians or not the athmosphere in English grounds is truly poor. If you wish to have an experience - visit a Stockholm derby.

Derby didn't qualify for Eurpoe so they won't be playing Stockholm any time soon.

[Out of his pie crust]

The concept of a big club is so bloody nebulous.

If you want to define big, first state your criteria and it's easier for all of us to agree or disagree.

Now, can we move on to what a MASSIVE club is.

Oversize Ping or taylormade. But that's just cheating in my book. And as for belly putters....don't get me firkin started

[Out of his pie crust]

Asians or not the athmosphere in English grounds is truly poor. If you wish to have an experience - visit a Stockholm derby.

I'm moist at the words you used

[JackIKnowski]

The reality is if we get in the Prem and were established we could easily fill any stadium, we are the 8th biggest city by population in England, to say nothing about catchment area. Derby fill nearly 30,000 a week in champ and they are way smaller town.