The Journalist Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 So, this whole Bristol Sport/Bristol Rugby/Ashton Gate/Steve Lansdown thing has got me thinking (strap in, it's a long one (that's what she said))... One day Bristol City will be owned by a Chinese consortium, be managed by a Portuguese bloke plucked from obscurity and be packed from 1 to 11 with players from foreign lands who couldn't care less about their football team 'Bristol'. And when the owners, who don't actually watch us play and whose names we're not even totally sure of, get fed up of losing a couple of games they'll sack the Portuguese bloke and bring someone in from the Italian third division. This'll probably happen a couple of times a season, to the point other fans don't even know who our manager is anymore. All the while, ticket prices have gone up and the board have been busy trying to change our name to 'Bristol Robins' to improve our marketing appeal across Asia. Just be thankful we already play in red. When that day comes - and, make no mistake, if the current trend continues it will - we should probably make sure to remember the complete loss of identity and history many are feeling right now, with our Bristol City fan billionaire owner, who redeveloped our traditional home ground with his own pennies and brought in a young, exciting English manager with links to the club, who in turn has local boys Joe Bryan and Bobby Reid at the core of his team. Away from the pitch, officials from the club come onto an independent online forum to engage with fans, consultation meetings are held with supporters and the club have even helped facilitate (the ridiculously named, I had to get that in there) S82 in an attempt to improve the atmosphere at home games. Yeah, yeah, this is all well and good, but what's my point? My point is this... Our sport is changing. Fans are becoming customers. And football clubs are losing their identities left, right and centre. We can thank the Premier League for most of that. But if people are feeling hard done by and upset that we're losing our identity, because there's some Bristol Rugby memorabilia hanging in the main stand, the stadium is lit up in blue occasionally and some slightly wanky, corporate brand called Bristol Sport is "calling the shots", or that the club isn't listening to us because there's a stupid hashtag on the home kit and the new PA announcer is a bit annoying... I'm sorry to say, you just don't know how good we've got it friends. Things aren't perfect - results certainly aren't - but I genuinely believe if we don't get behind what we've got now it's not inconceivable that Bristol City will never again be as authentic as it is even today. Not in my lifetime, anyway. Let's all work to make things better, let's hold people to account and challenge the decision makers as best we can, but let's support them too. I feel like they're at least trying their best for us - and that won't last forever. 2017 could be a big old year in South Bristol, so come on you reds! (I can't even remember what sparked this now). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbored Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Journalist is a good name for you......... Nice sentiments but way overlong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkeh Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 I'm pretty sure my shirt, season ticket and coat all day Bristol city on it i don't know what this mythical loss of identity is some people keep mentioning whenever we are on a bad run but I can't see it happening perhaps I need one of those tinfoil hats....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Rob Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Will these imaginary Chinese owners sell chips #DMS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepp Blatter Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 I'm pretty sure you've just made up a complete fantasy world there. You should change your name to Jk Rowling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Thanks mr. Blatter. Always knew you had something good in you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearded_red Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 16 minutes ago, Robbored said: Journalist is a good name for you......... Nice sentiments but way overlong. You really are one sad individual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo88 Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Most journalist tend to specialise in one subject. I think this journalist specialises in the after affects of taking heavy drugs and / or 10 pints of cider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbored Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 19 minutes ago, bearded_red said: You really are one sad individual. Assuming the OP is a professional journalist he'll/she'll be accustomed to padding out whatever they're writing. This thread is a perfect example. Filling the column inches..... Not a criticism just an observation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glynriley Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 50 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said: Will these imaginary Chinese owners sell chips #DMS? Imaginary chips for imaginary fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Rob Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 14 minutes ago, glynriley said: Imaginary chips for imaginary fans. Well with @CyderInACan only getting 10 chips last time, they were as close to imaginary as you could get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDziek Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 7 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said: Well with @CyderInACan only getting 10 chips last time, they were as close to imaginary as you could get. Probably for the best that @CyderInACan only got 10 chips as well. Although no doubt it was followed up by a complaint about getting an incorrect discount amount! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Septic Peg Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 A great post from the op. I'd like to know how "wanky" got through the swear filter though. My new word for otib... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 I can't help but sensing relief somehow but that would spring from something else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lack of Action Man Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 That's all very well, but will there be any food vouchers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Thanks. Nuke my country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldstandrobin Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 been watching 'Tales of the Unexpected' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desert Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 I thought this was going to be a thread about how LJ regularly refers to the importance of a BCFC identity in the pitch - but then changes formation and personnel continuously therefore undermining the development of any real footballing identity. Will the new players create a new footballing identity, or just further enable the multiple personality disorder that seems to characterise our formation and tactics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrs Court Red Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Fantasy land. The Chinese are now investing in their own clubs in a big way and the prospect of more emphasis shifting there from Asian markets is becoming increasingly likely. With domestic audiences dropping by a quarter, I see foreign ownership dropping, not becoming an inevitability for clubs like ours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REDOXO Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 I lost my identity the day they knocked down the stand to build the Dolman, Journo!....(:laugh:) Fact is society has changed from what it was and the premier League is a reflection of that. Foreign owners coming in with a Franchise attitude having little affinity with tradition is a symptom of the Premier League as you say, but the Premier League is a symptom of a money obsessed, service economy ran by the super rich. Our traditions and way of life has changed and most are powerless to fight back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hello Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 I guess we are one step ahead of you with the foreign owner, but he doesnt have any money and we arent building a stadium. Already sticking two fingers up to the fans etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lack of Action Man Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 21 minutes ago, REDOXO said: I lost my identity the day they knocked down the stand to build the Dolman The Dolman predecessor... was it a cow shed? I've only seen a few very poor quality images of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldstandrobin Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 8 minutes ago, OddBallJim said: The Dolman predecessor... was it a cow shed? I've only seen a few very poor quality images of it. No twas a fine building and where I was introduced to BCFC, Should have been made a listed building and never knocked down Where I get my OTIB name from. Saw my first match from there stood on a wooden step made by my old man and rested against the front of the stand. They dont make stands like that today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lack of Action Man Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 5 minutes ago, oldstandrobin said: No twas a fine building and where I was introduced to BCFC, Should have been made a listed building and never knocked down Where I get my OTIB name from. Saw my first match from there stood on a wooden step made by my old man and rested against the front of the stand. They dont make stands like that today Memories like yours make the club what it is My original stand is gone too now (Williams). I've been moving around the ground trying to find the same "magic"spot, and whilst I love new AG, I do miss the excitement of rising up through the old steps of the Williams onto the lower tier seating with my dad too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldstandrobin Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 4 minutes ago, OddBallJim said: Memories like yours make the club what it is My original stand is gone too now (Williams). I've been moving around the ground trying to find the same "magic"spot, and whilst I love new AG, I do miss the excitement of rising up through the old steps of the Williams onto the lower tier seating with my dad too. And was where I took my missus (now of 45 years) on our first date !! Was gutted on last match v Walsall as held so many memories for me. Especially as I took her in Supporters Club which was at back of the stand for a port and lemon after Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REDOXO Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 2 hours ago, oldstandrobin said: And was where I took my missus (now of 45 years) on our first date !! Was gutted on last match v Walsall as held so many memories for me. Especially as I took her in Supporters Club which was at back of the stand for a port and lemon after Ask for a Port n Lemon today and the kids look at you like your an alien! Or just old! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnclosureSurge Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 9 hours ago, Robbored said: Journalist is a good name for you......... Nice sentiments but way overlong. Yeah, stop writing stuff that's more than Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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