Should we really expect anything else from this club?

[KeepUpLino]

 We've always been a league 1 yoyo club and always will be so why are we all so hung up about the situation we're in, its the norm isn't it?

  I dared to dream again as have thousands of other fans after last years heroics, but just when we think we've finally turned the corner and the club is positioned perfectly for a better future we have been treated to another abomination of bad board room decisions which has again left our club on the brink of the unknown... AGAIN!!

 I would love to write to the club to voice my views at how poorly this club is being run but really wouldn't now where to start... Maybe i should just send them my season cards!!

 

 

 

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, 'keepuplino' said:

 We've always been a league 1 yoyo club and always will be so why are we all so hung up about the situation we're in, its the norm isn't it?

  I dared to dream again as have thousands of other fans after last years heroics, but just when we think we've finally turned the corner and the club is positioned perfectly for a better future we have been treated to another abomination of bad board room decisions which has again left our club on the brink of the unknown... AGAIN!!

 I would love to write to the club to voice my views at how poorly this club is being run but really wouldn't now where to start... Maybe i should just send them my season cards!!

You`ve been throwing the towel in for a while now, but don't send them your cards.........give them to me

 

 

 

[exAtyeoMax]

Should we really expect anything else from this club?

Yes.

[extonsred]

Really feels like we are being taken for a ride this time.... no announcements all season of any vision or plans and a magnificent lack of action as evidence. Like you I really am angry. Before Cotts came in I was pretty despondent then and was about to give up my season ticket --  and glad I did not. However i know we will never have another season like it and at this point in time and unless something dramatic happens again after 56 years support I will be on the brink of being an ex attender -- and so sad to say this because as we all know it is a huge part of our lives. I am totally speechless almost when thinking and discussing this season -- what a shocking loss of momentum.

I firmly believed if we could have added a couple of real strong players in the summer we would easily be in the play offs. The evidence of our play in many games supports this too as i believe we have as good a team as others -- as in QPR vs Hull last week, it was awful stuff --  but we are too nice and have no brutes or real presences on the field. as it is even our good players have lost their confidence AND their value!!

really dont think they have it in them to turn this round even if they want to -- if they do then lets hear the plan shouted from the rooftops please. I need to feel there is some inspirational thinking somewhere. Ha!

 

[marmite]

I am as disappointed as anyone by what's happening at the moment but can we please reserve judgement until the end of the window before talk of returning season tickets. Everyone at the club can see what appears to be happening and surely doing nothing is not an option. Who is coming in during the window has been replaced by how many more are moving out!  It cannot  go on like this and I'm sure it won't. The club must have players lined up to replace those loans that have been returned to their clubs. The squad was thin before but its transparent now. Lets hold on to our tickets for now but if we fail to recruit in the window, this fan base  could go into meltdown.

[slartibartfast]

18 minutes ago, 'keepuplino' said:

 on the brink of the unknown... AGAIN!!

 

 

 

Contradiction in terms ?

[tts_city]

1 minute ago, marmite said:

I am as disappointed as anyone by what's happening at the moment but can we please reserve judgement until the end of the window before talk of returning season tickets. Everyone at the club can see what appears to be happening and surely doing nothing is not an option. Who is coming in during the window has been replaced by how many more are moving out!  It cannot  go on like this and I'm sure it won't. The club must have players lined up to replace those loans that have been returned to their clubs. The squad was thin before but its transparent now. Lets hold on to our tickets for now but if we fail to recruit in the window, this fan base  could go into meltdown.

It wil be to late by the end of the window, we could be adrift by then, a couple of injuries against WBA would really put the cat amongst the pigeons, we need them in before Preston imo.

[exAtyeoMax]

Just now, tts_city said:

It wil be to late by the end of the window, we could be adrift by then, a couple of injuries against WBA would really put the cat amongst the pigeons, we need them in before Preston imo.

They are talking about tickets not players

[Goatersfloater]

11 minutes ago, extonsred said:

Really feels like we are being taken for a ride this time.... no announcements all season of any vision or plans and a magnificent lack of action as evidence. Like you I really am angry. Before Cotts came in I was pretty despondent then and was about to give up my season ticket --  and glad I did not. However i know we will never have another season like it and at this point in time and unless something dramatic happens again after 56 years support I will be on the brink of being an ex attender -- and so sad to say this because as we all know it is a huge part of our lives. I am totally speechless almost when thinking and discussing this season -- what a shocking loss of momentum.

I firmly believed if we could have added a couple of real strong players in the summer we would easily be in the play offs. The evidence of our play in many games supports this too as i believe we have as good a team as others -- as in QPR vs Hull last week, it was awful stuff --  but we are too nice and have no brutes or real presences on the field. as it is even our good players have lost their confidence AND their value!!

really dont think they have it in them to turn this round even if they want to -- if they do then lets hear the plan shouted from the rooftops please. I need to feel there is some inspirational thinking somewhere. Ha!

 

Couldn't agree more really

After last season it just feels like the rug has been pulled 

I just hope we can turn it around...........

[Inactive user]

1 hour ago, 'keepuplino' said:

 We've always been a league 1 yoyo club and always will be so why are we all so hung up about the situation we're in, its the norm isn't it?

  I dared to dream again as have thousands of other fans after last years heroics, but just when we think we've finally turned the corner and the club is positioned perfectly for a better future we have been treated to another abomination of bad board room decisions which has again left our club on the brink of the unknown... AGAIN!!

 I would love to write to the club to voice my views at how poorly this club is being run but really wouldn't now where to start... Maybe i should just send them my season cards!!

 

 

 

Spot on brother.

[spudski]

1 hour ago, 'keepuplino' said:

 We've always been a league 1 yoyo club and always will be so why are we all so hung up about the situation we're in, its the norm isn't it?

  I dared to dream again as have thousands of other fans after last years heroics, but just when we think we've finally turned the corner and the club is positioned perfectly for a better future we have been treated to another abomination of bad board room decisions which has again left our club on the brink of the unknown... AGAIN!!

 I would love to write to the club to voice my views at how poorly this club is being run but really wouldn't now where to start... Maybe i should just send them my season cards!!

 

 

 

I think a lot of the disappointment stems from the continued talk, season after season of promotion to the Prem by SL.

Building a brand new stadium has also heightened those expectations.

This Club has fantastic support considering how poorly it's run.

The fans and this bunch of players seem united together...but most fans I speak too are thoroughly disillusioned by the board, SL and to a lesser extent SC.

A brand new stadium, bringing in a little more money, isn't going to bring this Club success.

Lots of money needs to be invested in Scouting, Academy, Coaching, technology, Analysts etc.

What do SL and these board members bring to this Club apart from money and dreams?

Who's running the finances now Pelling has gone and what qualifications and experience do they have to do it?

Why do we never hear from KB anymore?

Who's implementing the football at this club...KB or SC? etc,etc, etc....

As fans...not many have a clue about what's going on at the Club they support week after week...they are asked to pay up...be supportive...sing and chant...but don't ask any questions. Basically....Support...but don't question what's going on.

Fans question...because the Club are less than transparent.

If the Club actually came out and spoke more about situations, rather than empty dreams....then i'm sure frustrations would be less.

[Vincent Vega]

Same circus different clowns...

[oldstandrobin]

2 minutes ago, spudski said:

I think a lot of the disappointment stems from the continued talk, season after season of promotion to the Prem by SL.

Building a brand new stadium has also heightened those expectations.

This Club has fantastic support considering how poorly it's run.

The fans and this bunch of players seem united together...but most fans I speak too are thoroughly disillusioned by the board, SL and to a lesser extent SC.

A brand new stadium, bringing in a little more money, isn't going to bring this Club success.

Lots of money needs to be invested in Scouting, Academy, Coaching, technology, Analysts etc.

What do SL and these board members bring to this Club apart from money and dreams?

Who's running the finances now Pelling has gone and what qualifications and experience do they have to do it?

Why do we never hear from KB anymore?

Who's implementing the football at this club...KB or SC? etc,etc, etc....

As fans...not many have a clue about what's going on at the Club they support week after week...they are asked to pay up...be supportive...sing and chant...but don't ask any questions. Basically....Support...but don't question what's going on.

Fans question...because the Club are less than transparent.

If the Club actually came out and spoke more about situations, rather than empty dreams....then i'm sure frustrations would be less.

Spud I think you have hit the nail on the head....we hear nothing from AG, the way they treat their paying supporters, they should be grateful to have any. A lot of us have supported this club since being in short trousers but as we get older we question things as everyone who pays their money has a right to but we get no answers and at a time like this  after last seasons successes, WHY NOT ???

[BS4 on Tour...]

Totally get your frustration mate, totally understand where you are coming from.

It's really difficult, I've always tended to be with the 'be careful what you wish for' brigade regarding our club's ownership.

At least Mr Lansdown is Bristolian and genuinely cares about our city and our club. He's an extremely successful businessman but it could reasonably be said he may have limitations when it comes to running a football club.

But, would we prefer any of the clowns at the helm who have ended up running Charlton, Hull, Cardiff, Leeds etc etc etc?

I wouldn't. The Charlton owner also owns other clubs, such as Standard Liege, and hadn't attended a Charlton match since 2014!

And we all know about the guy at Hull trying to change their name, the circus over the Bridge with kit colour changes etc and the 'let's have a new manager every fortnight' debacle at Elland Road.

It's a real conundrum, we have one of our own at the helm who loves the area and Bristol City FC but we aren't progressing. So what do we do?

If he sold up it would be a total lottery as to who came in and whether it would just be another chancer who wants to be able to boast to his business contacts that he or she 'owns a football club.'

I think I'd rather stick with the Lansdowns, but as I said, I totally get your frustrations fella because I share them...

[Red Si]

The fact SL on radio bristol only a few weeks ago said he was disappointed in where we were and was expecting better and we were going to challenge for the play offs next season,  how did he expect us to do that with a weaker squad then last season!! I know how we could save money for wages. Sell the swanky bristol sport coach and get a mini-bus. The whole squad would still fit.

[CotswoldRed]

1 hour ago, 'keepuplino' said:

 We've always been a league 1 yoyo club and always will be so why are we all so hung up about the situation we're in, its the norm isn't it?

  I dared to dream again as have thousands of other fans after last years heroics, but just when we think we've finally turned the corner and the club is positioned perfectly for a better future we have been treated to another abomination of bad board room decisions which has again left our club on the brink of the unknown... AGAIN!!

 I would love to write to the club to voice my views at how poorly this club is being run but really wouldn't now where to start... Maybe i should just send them my season cards!!

 

 

 

I don't believe that sentiment. It's a bit like Trigger's broom. 

New stadium, new players, new board etc etc. What happened 20/30/40/50 years ago has very little bearing now. Should never be an excuse. 

[EnclosureSurge]

26 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

Totally get your frustration mate, totally understand where you are coming from.

It's really difficult, I've always tended to be with the 'be careful what you wish for' brigade regarding our club's ownership.

At least Mr Lansdown is Bristolian and genuinely cares about our city and our club. He's an extremely successful businessman but it could reasonably be said he may have limitations when it comes to running a football club.

But, would we prefer any of the clowns at the helm who have ended up running Charlton, Hull, Cardiff, Leeds etc etc etc?

I wouldn't. The Charlton owner also owns other clubs, such as Standard Liege, and hadn't attended a Charlton match since 2014!

And we all know about the guy at Hull trying to change their name, the circus over the Bridge with kit colour changes etc and the 'let's have a new manager every fortnight' debacle at Elland Road.

It's a real conundrum, we have one of our own at the helm who loves the area and Bristol City FC but we aren't progressing. So what do we do?

If he sold up it would be a total lottery as to who came in and whether it would just be another chancer who wants to be able to boast to his business contacts that he or she 'owns a football club.'

I think I'd rather stick with the Lansdowns, but as I said, I totally get your frustrations fella because I share them...

BS4 I like a lot of your posts and I'm not picking on your words here, per se, but the notion that we should be grateful to have Lansdown as otherwise we might have one of the berks in charge of Leeds (midtable Champs), Hull (ex Prem), Cardiff (ex Prem), Charlton (I'll give you that one).

But what about all the other flippin' clubs who are doing better than us - Rotherham (ffs!), Brentford (FFS!), Bournemouth (FFS!).

These clubs haven't got clowns in charge and there should be no reason why, if we didn't have Lansdown, we shouldn't have someone else who can actually bring us sustained success (and by that I simply mean establishing ourselves comfortably in this div for 5 years, 10 years, without having to contemplate League friggin One again for a while).

Surely, surely, the list of chairmen who are outperforming Lansdown is greater than the list of clowns in charge (apart from the three mentioned above, are there really that many more? They're in the minority.)

Like I say, BS4, I'm not highlighting your post, more the notion, held by many, that we should be grateful for what we've got otherwise we might have a tit in charge (which in my irrelevant opinion, we do have).

[Vincent Vega]

6 minutes ago, EnclosureSurge said:

BS4 I like a lot of your posts and I'm not picking on your words here, per se, but the notion that we should be grateful to have Lansdown as otherwise we might have one of the berks in charge of Leeds (midtable Champs), Hull (ex Prem), Cardiff (ex Prem), Charlton (I'll give you that one).

But what about all the other flippin' clubs who are doing better than us - Rotherham (ffs!), Brentford (FFS!), Bournemouth (FFS!).

These clubs haven't got clowns in charge and there should be no reason why, if we didn't have Lansdown, we shouldn't have someone else who can actually bring us sustained success (and by that I simply mean establishing ourselves comfortably in this div for 5 years, 10 years, without having to contemplate League friggin One again for a while).

Surely, surely, the list of chairmen who are outperforming Lansdown is greater than the list of clowns in charge (apart from the three mentioned above, are there really that many more? They're in the minority.)

Like I say, BS4, I'm not highlighting your post, more the notion, held by many, that we should be grateful for what we've got otherwise we might have a tit in charge (which in my irrelevant opinion, we do have).

Quite noticeable that the board are coming in for a bit of stick lately and rightly so in my opinion. Poor leadership leads to poor results in whatever business. .

[BS4 on Tour...]

6 minutes ago, EnclosureSurge said:

BS4 I like a lot of your posts and I'm not picking on your words here, per se, but the notion that we should be grateful to have Lansdown as otherwise we might have one of the berks in charge of Leeds (midtable Champs), Hull (ex Prem), Cardiff (ex Prem), Charlton (I'll give you that one).

But what about all the other flippin' clubs who are doing better than us - Rotherham (ffs!), Brentford (FFS!), Bournemouth (FFS!).

These clubs haven't got clowns in charge and there should be no reason why, if we didn't have Lansdown, we shouldn't have someone else who can actually bring us sustained success (and by that I simply mean establishing ourselves comfortably in this div for 5 years, 10 years, without having to contemplate League friggin One again for a while).

Surely, surely, the list of chairmen who are outperforming Lansdown is greater than the list of clowns in charge (apart from the three mentioned above, are there really that many more? They're in the minority.)

Like I say, BS4, I'm not highlighting your post, more the notion, held by many, that we should be grateful for what we've got otherwise we might have a tit in charge (which in my irrelevant opinion, we do have).

A great post ES and I actually find myself agreeing with a lot of it. Perhaps we have been too cautious. At this time I'm not interested in the premier league, I would be happy to just consolidate in the championship for a few years and really set some solid foundations for a future push upwards. 

Having Steve L in charge is a safe option, a safe pair of hands, we don't have to worry about a financial future but is that enough for the majority of fans?

Probably not, and you're probably right, not every potential owner out there is a basket case, but a few are!

It's a difficult one, but as I said, I agree with a lot of your post upon reflection...

Cheers...

[Numero Uno]

7 minutes ago, EnclosureSurge said:

BS4 I like a lot of your posts and I'm not picking on your words here, per se, but the notion that we should be grateful to have Lansdown as otherwise we might have one of the berks in charge of Leeds (midtable Champs), Hull (ex Prem), Cardiff (ex Prem), Charlton (I'll give you that one).

But what about all the other flippin' clubs who are doing better than us - Rotherham (ffs!), Brentford (FFS!), Bournemouth (FFS!).

These clubs haven't got clowns in charge and there should be no reason why, if we didn't have Lansdown, we shouldn't have someone else who can actually bring us sustained success (and by that I simply mean establishing ourselves comfortably in this div for 5 years, 10 years, without having to contemplate League friggin One again for a while).

Surely, surely, the list of chairmen who are outperforming Lansdown is greater than the list of clowns in charge (apart from the three mentioned above, are there really that many more? They're in the minority.)

Like I say, BS4, I'm not highlighting your post, more the notion, held by many, that we should be grateful for what we've got otherwise we might have a tit in charge (which in my irrelevant opinion, we do have).

You've got to question what the hell a man who took over when we were in League 1, has pumped in SIXTY MILLION QUID and yet we are looking like we could end up exactly where we were before he spent a penny, has done in his 15 or so years in charge?

He's Bristolian so the fact he has pissed so much money up the wall whilst old foes like Watford, Bournemouth, Swansea, Brentford, Leicester City and the like have pissed all over us makes everything ok I suppose and we should be grateful?

I'm praying that we can get the four players in that we need in order to stay in this division but if this shambles of a season continues over the next month then the thought of pumping in another four hundred quid for a Bristol Sport FC season ticket to see League 1 football again in front of swathes of empty seats at the biggest white elephant in the South West of England is not exactly appealing unfortunately.

[Bowie]

1 minute ago, BS4 on Tour... said:

A great post ES and I actually find myself agreeing with a lot of it. Perhaps we have been too cautious. At this time I'm not interested in the premier league, I would be happy to just consolidate in the championship for a few years and really set some solid foundations for a future push upwards. 

Having Steve L in charge is a safe option, a safe pair of hands, we don't have to worry about a financial future but is that enough for the majority of fans?

Probably not, and you're probably right, not every potential owner out there is a basket case, but a few are!

It's a difficult one, but as I said, I agree with a lot of your post upon reflection...

Cheers...

The problem with lansdown is we keep hearing this....Premier League dream and his recent comments of a full ashton gate next season, he's off his rocker!  comments like that make me think it's time for his son to commit his dad to the looney bin!

The club in the last 6 months have managed to completely destroy the glorious feeling of last seasons Double and a significant part of the fan base is at it's lowest ebb.....all this while coming out will bull crap statements of how we will soon get to the premier league!

If the club came out and said....lets establish ourselves in the championship and make sure we are pushing upwards and not fighting relegation which is what we seem to have been doing for years.

The club constantly boost unrealistic expectations the fans lap it up and then understandably kick off when it turns out it's nothing but cheap talk to sale season tickets 

[bristolcitysweden]

It's impossible to be so inept season after season only on total incompetence. Bad luck is also involved.

 

[MarkRed!]

Great posts... The board is 100% to blame. I am not sure SL is actually in charge anymore - he just holds the purse strings. He has been more prominent recently, but other than SC we have seen no other visible presence from the powers that be. The communication strategy with the fan base is appalling. 

Momentum is such a key thing in football. We had it in spades and have royally blown it and tossed away the benefits of a superb Lg 1 season which brought so much promise and belief back into the fan base for this season. Bear in mind the diabolical state of affairs before SC, also caused by the board's poor appointment of a succession of managers. 

Plainly the board are to blame - they are responsible for this shire and have let down SC.  The team is down to the bear bones and unless someone gets a good kick up the backside and we sign some players, we will be relegated. That would be a tragedy given the momentum we have had ....

 

[Charliesboots]

Where I work we destroy "Brands" to then build them back up and drive the business forwards.

In doing so we have no interest in what others think as we have the conviction and experience to know what works. It annoys a hell of a lot of people, doesn't win us friends (ever!) but does deliver the result....every time.

As a concerned outsider but loyal supporter looking in, my concern is that the board are too fixated on building this "Brand"; have adopted a single minded attitude and continued on spinning plates that they haven't got the skill or experience to deliver the result we are all looking for. 

The consequence is that believing your own hype without accepting you have to have tangible assets to save to build the "Brand" has the very real potential of backfiring spectacularly this season.

I get what SL is broadly trying to achieve and that his intentions are genuinely honourable and like others thank my lucky stars we don't have some of the other lunatics out there owning our club.

I think the problem lies in those trying to deliver his vision.

The results have not been forthcoming this season, our summer transfer window was a nightmare, this January window could be as painful and patience is thin from the majority. All this has done is magnify the cracks in the planning that SC successfully glossed over last season.

The board have to decide fast what it is that is most important and fast - A brand that has real growth potential with a stable of sporting talent or state of the art conference facilities with a Football & Rugby Club as tenants.

This is not a time for sitting on hands.

 

[cidered abroad]

2 hours ago, extonsred said:

Really feels like we are being taken for a ride this time.... no announcements all season of any vision or plans and a magnificent lack of action as evidence. Like you I really am angry. Before Cotts came in I was pretty despondent then and was about to give up my season ticket --  and glad I did not. However i know we will never have another season like it and at this point in time and unless something dramatic happens again after 56 years support I will be on the brink of being an ex attender -- and so sad to say this because as we all know it is a huge part of our lives. I am totally speechless almost when thinking and discussing this season -- what a shocking loss of momentum.

I firmly believed if we could have added a couple of real strong players in the summer we would easily be in the play offs. The evidence of our play in many games supports this too as i believe we have as good a team as others -- as in QPR vs Hull last week, it was awful stuff --  but we are too nice and have no brutes or real presences on the field. as it is even our good players have lost their confidence AND their value!!

really dont think they have it in them to turn this round even if they want to -- if they do then lets hear the plan shouted from the rooftops please. I need to feel there is some inspirational thinking somewhere. Ha!

 

I concur with everything you have posted. I too have come to the conclusion that, after sixty six years supporting City, that I am very likely to not renew my season ticket. 

I feel that the Club have let all of us down very badly again. Once too many!

[RobintheRed Red]

3 hours ago, 'keepuplino' said:

 We've always been a league 1 yoyo club and always will be so why are we all so hung up about the situation we're in, its the norm isn't it?

  I dared to dream again as have thousands of other fans after last years heroics, but just when we think we've finally turned the corner and the club is positioned perfectly for a better future we have been treated to another abomination of bad board room decisions which has again left our club on the brink of the unknown... AGAIN!!

 I would love to write to the club to voice my views at how poorly this club is being run but really wouldn't now where to start... Maybe i should just send them my season cards!!

 

 

 

Great letter just exactly how I feel after fifty six years of watching it

[Lord Northski]

It's just an experiment to see what a transfer embargo actually feels like. 

[Spike]

When it comes to tickets the club can hardly be surprised if people stop coming when we're down to the bare bones of a squad and our manager is saying he has no-one lined up, all whilst sitting in the relegation zone and not showing any promise.

I fully understand when Cotterill says "your support is needed" and that we should stick with the lads but the bottom line is the situation we're in is awful and the fans aren't expecting to win any more so why would they feel motivated to go to the Gate? Winning isn't everything, fans will stick by the club through thick and thin but they also know that after last season we were in a prime position to get a foot in the Championship and establish ourselves, now it looks like it could be another few years minimum before we find ourselves in the Championship and that's with optimism on our side. The last bit of hope we have is this January window and to do a lot of bussiness but the only message we've had is "the manager doesn't have any targets". Now if that's not a sign that the manager needs to go I don't know what is?! I mean what did Cotts expect to happen when all the loan players went back? Did he expect us to magically pull 5-6 players out of the air to replace them and add strength or was his plan to stick with the same 11 players all season long.

I honestly don't know how he's got this season so wrong but in all honesty I think if he's genuine when he says he has no targets then he needs to go and this club needs to work very fast!

[havanatopia]

6 hours ago, cidered abroad said:

I concur with everything you have posted. I too have come to the conclusion that, after sixty six years supporting City, that I am very likely to not renew my season ticket. 

I feel that the Club have let all of us down very badly again. Once too many!

Are you flying in for each game Cidered? If so a marvellous effort.

What the previous few posts tell us is that the club do not appear to be communicating with the fan base too well. I remember emails coming from the board room on a fairly regular basis; why they virtually stopped those at a time of adversity which is when they should increase them is rather baffling. 

Communication, and done properly, is everything. Seems the club is failing here.

 

 

 

[phantom]

4 hours ago, havanatopia said:

Are you flying in for each game Cidered? If so a marvellous effort.

What the previous few posts tell us is that the club do not appear to be communicating with the fan base too well. I remember emails coming from the board room on a fairly regular basis; why they virtually stopped those at a time of adversity which is when they should increase them is rather baffling. 

Communication, and done properly, is everything. Seems the club is failing here.

The problem with this is we don't hear anything from the football club anymore - just the phoenix from the flames Bristol Sport