cidered abroad Posted February 22, 2016 Report Share Posted February 22, 2016 10 minutes ago, stephenkibby. said: Add Peter Spiring.Gerry Sharpe,Ray Savino,Brian Clarke. Were they all Bristol boys? Bart? Ray Savino came to us from Norwich city. Gerry Sharpe from Gloucester. Brian Clark, Bristolian and son of Don Clark who was in the City side at my first game in April 1950. Peter Spiring born in Glastonbury was also the son of an ex City player Gordon Spiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted February 22, 2016 Report Share Posted February 22, 2016 14 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said: We didn't have much luck in those days. Alan Nicholls and Russell Musker were very promising players, both having become regulars in the first team before they were 20, but both suffering badly broken legs (Musker at Swindon iirc.) Both departed AG as 21 year olds. Nicholls was forced to retire after making 76 appearances, and Musker was never the same again and moved on to Gillingham for a small fee after making 58 apps. As I recall it was a broken ankle that finished Alan Nicholls, as you say at 21 having been a regular for a couple of years already. Just like big Cheese a few years before that the standard of medical treatment in those days was pretty rudimentary, there's a fair old chance they would both have played again today.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephenkibby. Posted February 22, 2016 Report Share Posted February 22, 2016 Was lucky enough (if's that's right!) to play in the same side as colin lee's younger brother mike. Anyway 8 minutes ago, redysteadygo said: Think Savino was born around Norwich the team he left to join City. If we had grade A 4 minutes ago, cidered abroad said: Ray Savino came to us from Norwich city. Gerry Sharpe from Gloucester. Brian Clark, Bristolian and son of Don Clark who was in the City side at my first game in April 1950. Peter Spiring born in Glastonbury was also the son of an ex City player Gordon Spiring. So apart from Savino. All localist (is that a word?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nogbad the Bad Posted February 22, 2016 Report Share Posted February 22, 2016 36 minutes ago, GrahamC said: As I recall it was a broken ankle that finished Alan Nicholls, as you say at 21 having been a regular for a couple of years already. Just like big Cheese a few years before that the standard of medical treatment in those days was pretty rudimentary, there's a fair old chance they would both have played again today.. Yep, you're probably right about Nicholls. I missed his injury (another away match I think) but was at Swindon to see Musker get crocked. Miserable day all round as I recall. Following the likes of Merrick and Gow ( City debuts at 17) the club still believed young players were capable of playing first team football at a young age, and persevered with them. In the cases of Nicholls and Musker perhaps partly through necessity, but both were more than holding their own before their unfortunate injuries. It looks like the club may be entering a new era of giving youth it's chance under LJ, and it'll be interesting to see how Zac Vyner progresses, and whether the likes of George Dowling gets an early chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downendcity Posted February 22, 2016 Report Share Posted February 22, 2016 2 hours ago, BS4 on Tour... said: And Amankwaah was born in London to be fair.... Bristol is a suburb of London now though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PHILINFRANCE Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 48 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said: Yep, you're probably right about Nicholls. I missed his injury (another away match I think) but was at Swindon to see Musker get crocked. Miserable day all round as I recall. Following the likes of Merrick and Gow ( City debuts at 17) the club still believed young players were capable of playing first team football at a young age, and persevered with them. In the cases of Nicholls and Musker perhaps partly through necessity, but both were more than holding their own before their unfortunate injuries. It looks like the club may be entering a new era of giving youth it's chance under LJ, and it'll be interesting to see how Zac Vyner progresses, and whether the likes of George Dowling gets an early chance. But don't forget, they were both prominent members of what, at the time, was a very successful youth team did very well in the youth cup for several years in the late 1960s/early 1970s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Cyril Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 7 hours ago, Nogbad the Bad said: It looks like the club may be entering a new era of giving youth it's chance under LJ, and it'll be interesting to see how Zac Vyner progresses, and whether the likes of George Dowling gets an early chance. Just to add a tiny bit of perspective to our academy revolution that emerged last week......With both our right backs crocked, it was good to see Vyner picked. It was also good to see Max O'Leary get a game in the cup under similar circumstances. The real meaure is when they get picked on merit. At the moment, only Bryan and Golbourne manage that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cidered abroad Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 9 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said: But don't forget, they were both prominent members of what, at the time, was a very successful youth team did very well in the youth cup for several years in the late 1960s/early 1970s. Very true. In 1959 or 1960 the FA Youth Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea Under 18's drew a crowd of over 19,000 to Ashton Gate. In City's team were forwards Jantzen Derrick, Terry Bush, Brian Clark, Lou Peters and Adrian Williams. All played league football for City, only Williams who did not have a long career at City. Chelsea had Terry Venables, Bobby Tambling, Peter Bonetti, Albert Murray and several others who all made it to their first team. Ten years later we again got to the semi-final against Leeds. I think the Ritchie brothers, Gow, Merrick were all part of that era. David Rodgers also? Ray Cashley, Len Bond? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Dawe Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 Paul Cheesley came from Norwich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Dawe Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 2 hours ago, Mad Cyril said: Just to add a tiny bit of perspective to our academy revolution that emerged last week......With both our right backs crocked, it was good to see Vyner picked. It was also good to see Max O'Leary get a game in the cup under similar circumstances. The real meaure is when they get picked on merit. At the moment, only Bryan and Golbourne manage that. Good point Cyril, although I would say for clubs such as ourselves, it is rare for us to have a teenager that merits a place over an experienced pro. Any that good are hoovered up by Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle etc before they are ready for the first team I reckon. There will always be injuries and opportunities for young uns to get their chance, if a club is geared up and willing to do this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nogbad the Bad Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 2 hours ago, Mad Cyril said: Just to add a tiny bit of perspective to our academy revolution that emerged last week......With both our right backs crocked, it was good to see Vyner picked. It was also good to see Max O'Leary get a game in the cup under similar circumstances. The real meaure is when they get picked on merit. At the moment, only Bryan and Golbourne manage that. Chucking them early in to make a point (i.e. McInnes with Bryan, SO'D/Morrell) is fairly meaningless if they disappear for a long period afterwards. Momentary kudos for the manager, temporary interest for the fans, confidence booster for the player no doubt, but in essence although they can then say they've played for BCFC, and it may help them get a new contract, little will have actually changed as regards progression if they disappear back to youth football/reserves. Were Bryan and Morrell ready to make a sustained impact at first team level when they made their debuts? Clearly not. Gow and Merrick proved capable, but both had the advantage that they were thought ready not only to make their debuts but to be persevered with, and were under at least some pressure that if they hadn't made their mark and claimed a regular place over the next couple of years they would probably have been moved on. It was sink or swim in those days, and in an era when 90 minutes of professional football was far tougher physically than today. There would have been no possibility of a 'young' player still being around the first team squad 5 years after their debut because of perceived 'potential (i.e. Bobby Reid) having never actually proven they were regular first team material. It's all very well LJ chucking Vyner in, and in following stated club policy for a pathway for Academy players he's received much praise for doing so, but now ZV has to continue to actively challenge for Little's place on merit - starting tonight - or there's every chance he'll be getting a new contract but not progressing first team wise at all for the next couple of years. If they're not up to regular first team football by the age of 20 they probably never will be imo, and BCFC are habitually far too indecisive and keep on offering new contracts to players ( e.g.James Wilson, Bobby Reid) seemingly because they've publically over rated them at earlier age groups and are loathe to admit they've failed to actually fulfill that potential. Success of the Academy should not be judged on the club being able to reel out a list of names of those who've made an appearance or 2 for the first team, or how many Bristolians are awarded professional contracts, but how many deservedly become regulars in the first team at a comparatively young age. We'll see how highly rated Vyner really is by what happens next - whether he quickly reverts to obscurity like Morrell and City sign a new defender in the Summer (who would inevitably block his immediate progress) or whether they tell him he's in the squad now and fully expected to challenge. Similarly, if the club make the decision to let Reid go - or Wagstaff for the sake of argument - will City go out and sign a new m/f player or do they have enough belief in Dowling, or the now 19 year old Morrell, for one of them to take that place in the first team squad with similar instructions and expectations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nogbad the Bad Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 3 hours ago, cidered abroad said: Very true. In 1959 or 1960 the FA Youth Cup semi-final first leg against Chelsea Under 18's drew a crowd of over 19,000 to Ashton Gate. In City's team were forwards Jantzen Derrick, Terry Bush, Brian Clark, Lou Peters and Adrian Williams. All played league football for City, only Williams who did not have a long career at City. Chelsea had Terry Venables, Bobby Tambling, Peter Bonetti, Albert Murray and several others who all made it to their first team. Ten years later we again got to the semi-final against Leeds. I think the Ritchie brothers, Gow, Merrick were all part of that era. David Rodgers also? Ray Cashley, Len Bond? Indeed, and I remember watching a Youth Cup semi final at AG in about '73 when Gary Collier was Captain, About 11,000 present iirc. So why did we have far more successful youth teams, and many more youngsters progressing to be excellent Championship equivalent players pre Academy than we do now? Not to mention of course that the majority of those same players were good enough to play as a team with distinction at the top level. Didn't City just basically sign up the best of the Bristol Boys team, supplement them with 1 or 2 successful Scottish trialists, (Gow, Ritchie) the odd signing when and where required, (Shaw, Mann, Gillies and Cheesley) show a bit of patience, already familiar team gelled with newcomers, and job done? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Dawe Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 @Nogbad the Bad one difference years ago, before 1980, was the longevity of managers. I know Dicks was often close to the chop but compared to nowadays, a head coach knows his time in office will be precarious and short. If Lee thought he would still be here in four or five years, it would encourage him to give young uns a real chance. Lee's got time on his side as in his best years as a coach should be ahead of him, fingers crossed, so here's hoping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nogbad the Bad Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 5 hours ago, Mad Cyril said: 5 minutes ago, Jack Dawe said: @Nogbad the Bad one difference years ago, before 1980, was the longevity of managers. I know Dicks was often close to the chop but compared to nowadays, a head coach knows his time in office will be precarious and short. If Lee thought he would still be here in four or five years, it would encourage him to give young uns a real chance. Lee's got time on his side as in his best years as a coach should be ahead of him, fingers crossed, so here's hoping No doubt the continual signing of supposedly ready made players doesn't help but it wouldn't be necessary if sufficient genuine quality was coming through. I think it's partly the (lack of) expectancy the Academy system puts on young players. It seems the club have been reasonably happy if it produced pleasant well rounded young men, reasonably well educated, who may or may not go on to play league football somewhere. The urgency and pressure - good pressure imo. - to succeed at a young age with City doesn't seem to be there as it was years ago. It also seems those that achieve professional contracts can float around the squad for years without ever being expected to really make their mark. I know I go on about BR, but he really is a prime example. I notice even LJ referred to him as 'young Bobby' the other day. Has the club having teams all the way down to 7 year olds (?) actually increased the number of first teamers produced compared with pre Academy days of the early 70's when the very best local youngsters would be picked up in their early teens with a very clear pathway from the youth team, through the reserves, and on to replacing the first team? Now they can get bogged down in the u.21's for years after they might have been expected to have made a first team impact in the past. Having an Academy, and all that goes with it, may be seen as a necessity these days, but when all's said and done the reality seems to be that unfortunately it produces less first team players for BCFC than the old system. We all live in hope, but if the Academy is ever going to be deemed a success, it's taking a bloody long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Orns Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 16 hours ago, BS4 on Tour... said: Under Danny Wilson we had a lot of local guys in the squad...Danny Coles, Louis Carey, Marvin Brown, Aaron Brown, Matt Hill, Steve Phillips, Joe Burnell, Tommy Doherty...off the top of my head... Which Aaron Brown was that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS4 on Tour... Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 1 hour ago, Woodsy said: Which Aaron Brown was that Eh?! Not sure I get the joke?! But this one... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Brown_(footballer,_born_1980) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Orns Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 30 minutes ago, BS4 on Tour... said: Eh?! Not sure I get the joke?! But this one... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Brown_(footballer,_born_1980) It's along the lines of the Tony / Anthony Rougier stuff on here, there was more than one Aaron Brown around at the time....old joke, sometimes they aren't always the best, it seems! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EstoniaTallinnRed Posted February 23, 2016 Report Share Posted February 23, 2016 Is there still a Bristol Boys team? I used to watch them when I was a lad, If I remember they always played at the Gate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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