Progress under Lansdown

[ashton_fan]

Without the Lansdowns we'd still be a L1 club. I wouldn't blame him for walking away given all the stick he's being given then we'd be well up the creek

[DaveInSA]

I like this thread.

we’ve determined that very few football clubs are financially sustainable (that’s a whole topic for another thread)

I agree with @sx227 and @bigaltoby&liam.

If you really believe that Lansdown is doing this as a philanthropic act, you’re having a laugh.

With FFP becoming more strict, I wonder if we’ve missed our most realistic chance of going up for a generation. 

The January window is a red herring. A lottery if you like. Ours was a disaster. The top brass were arrogant and complacent. Maybe they tried to get the right players in, maybe they wouldn’t come, will we ever know.

Theres a formula for going up. Right players, right manager, right motivation. I’ll cite: Burnley, Bournemouth (****ing Bournemouth), Brighton. The three Bees. To be joined by a C this year.

We need hungry players and a hungry and capable manager. Do we have both? I don’t think so. 

[grifty]

SL took over in 2002 - so let's see the progress compared to everyone else in the league in 2003/04

Notts County - League 2

Chesterfield - League 2 - Just about relegated out of the league

Hartlepool - National

Colchester - League 2

Grimsby - League 2

Bournemouth - Prem

Oldham - League 1

Tranmere - National

Port Vale - League 2

QPR - Championship

Plymouth - League 1

Swindon - League 2

Peterborough - League 1

Wrexham - National

Wycombe - League 2

Sheff Wed - Championship

Luton - League 2

Brighton - Prem

Barnsley - Championship

Rushden - Don't exist

Stockport - National North

Brentford - Championship

So out of all those teams, only 3 are above us in the pyramid.

I'd says we have progressed pretty well in comparison. Bournemouth have mega rich owners and spent the money to get them up there, Brighton did it more of the SL way - new stadium, investing in players, taking chances on a 'younger' coach, Brentford have that mad money ball scheme which is working well at the moment.

It's easy to say SL has spent £X and where are we now, but every other team invests too, quite often more than what SL has done on the team. What you need to gauge it  on is how much more than everyone else has he spent, and the answer is not much more if at all.

[BigAl&Toby]

20 minutes ago, DaveInSA said:

I like this thread.

we’ve determined that very few football clubs are financially sustainable (that’s a whole topic for another thread)

I agree with @sx227 and @bigaltoby&liam.

If you really believe that Lansdown is doing this as a philanthropic act, you’re having a laugh.

With FFP becoming more strict, I wonder if we’ve missed our most realistic chance of going up for a generation. 

The January window is a red herring. A lottery if you like. Ours was a disaster. The top brass were arrogant and complacent. Maybe they tried to get the right players in, maybe they wouldn’t come, will we ever know.

Theres a formula for going up. Right players, right manager, right motivation. I’ll cite: Burnley, Bournemouth (****ing Bournemouth), Brighton. The three Bees. To be joined by a C this year.

We need hungry players and a hungry and capable manager. Do we have both? I don’t think so. 

Another nail on the head. What is it that those 3 Bs and the C have seen and done that we didn’t?

As you say Fucking Bournemouth!

Did they have an Ashton equivalent saying promotion wasn’t the aim? I find that in itself bizarre - is it tantamount to saying that winning isn’t the aim?

I’ll add another soul to that list of non-hungry individuals. Lansdown. He might be hungry for success but not the same success that I want.

I care only about BCFC. Couldn’t care less about Bristol Sport, rugby, basketball, business breakfasts, making Bristol Proud or quoting Bristol Sport when I want an insurance quote.

We were second - fucking second - with 20 points on Millwall. Look at us now.

What a wasted opportunity. Up there with GJ not getting Orr off all those years ago. Or Wilson playing Rosenior in Cardiff before that.

Bottled it again. For next year. Or the year after that......

[BigAl&Toby]

51 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

@SX227

@BigAlToby&Liam

While a lot of what you say has validity, IMO you're wrong about FFP.

No amount of wealth can prevent a transfer embargo, or restrictions on players registered to play in this division.

Let alone a points deduction, being kicked from top 2 to playoffs, playoffs to outside the playoffs or even top 2 to outside the playoffs- the last one is tantamount to stripping a team of promotion.

Those are all potential penalties.. Go and read up on it- how would Lansdown's undoubted wealth prevent this?

What do you know in this sense that we don't?

I’m not talking about FFP. I’m not talking about splashing loads of cash to buy in success.

My point is that if you have a man who states promotion isn’t the aim then what is the aim? And when we were 2nd with points on a club who have shown better form than us in the last 4 months - Christ who hasn’t - then something ain’t adding up.

And when you do sign players like those we have then what the fuck is going on?

If Flint and Joey and his fucking dog spent less time on Instagram and devoted as much effort on their game then perhaps, just perhaps we might have held onto 2nd place or at least been in the play offs.

[Davefevs]

15 hours ago, Sweeneys Penalties said:

the club is financially stable... and that's a better position than it's been in for the majority of my years on the Planet. Apart from that, building foundations of where we are today was slow, and I suspect any improvement on where we are at the moment will also be slow to the point of being imperceptible

I find it hard to be too critical of a guy who’s pumped a load of money in, like SL has.

Re "Financially Stable", yes we are, but because we are backed by SL.  Without transfer profit, we are close to the FFP limits, and this season we haven’t balanced the books.  Tomlin sold at a loss, Diedhiou, etc in.

That is why 1, 2 or 3 of our 3 Amigos, Flint, Bryan and Reid will be sold.

I’ve said before, the sustainability approach is wise, but is it realistic in the Championship.  3 more clubs entering the Champ from above with parachute money (over £100m over 3 years, plus their own revenue) - Southampton, West Brom and Stoke as it stands.  It’s fine if we want to tread water, but reaching the promised land (not for some) is gonna be just as hard with some financial imbalance.

I’m not suggesting we want SL to take his money out, and the club seek new investors, but it would be an interesting thought. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 minute ago, BigAlToby&Liam said:

I’m not talking about FFP. I’m not talking about splashing loads of cash to buy in success.

My point is that if you have a man who states promotion isn’t the aim then what is the aim? And when we were 2nd with points on a club who have shown better form than us in the last 4 months - Christ who hasn’t - then something ain’t adding up.

And when you do sign players like those we have then what the fuck is going on?

If Flint and Joey and his fucking dog spent less time on Instagram and devoted as much effort on their game then perhaps, just perhaps we might have held onto 2nd place or at least been in the play offs.

I think 2nd would have been beyond us tbh- Fulham's form has been ridiculous, while Cardiff and Aston Villa have been very strong (Cardiff's case since mid January, Villa since end of 2017). It's a bit of an outlier to get 4 sides with that many points- you could quite easily get Fulham with 91 points and STILL only getting 3rd!?

That said, definitely shouldn't have blown playoffs from where we were.

I think Walsh for the future, he has decent potential. Diony... out of form for 6 months, why bother. Kent? Started okay, seems to have plummeted. I dare say it was the truth, I doubt the club saw that position as realistic in January.

Just seems to be the modern way with players tbh, social media all that. Not sure how significant it is.

[BobBobSuperBob]

17 minutes ago, BigAlToby&Liam said:

I’m not talking about FFP. I’m not talking about splashing loads of cash to buy in success.

My point is that if you have a man who states promotion isn’t the aim then what is the aim? And when we were 2nd with points on a club who have shown better form than us in the last 4 months - Christ who hasn’t - then something ain’t adding up.

And when you do sign players like those we have then what the fuck is going on?

If Flint and Joey and his fucking dog spent less time on Instagram and devoted as much effort on their game then perhaps, just perhaps we might have held onto 2nd place or at least been in the play offs.

Your not happy mate are ya !!!

 

Re highlighted - I know it maybe shouldn’t but this made me laugh  

Dionys the best - All restaraunts , Clubs and shopping trips !!!!  A well paid vacation to UK no less

[RedRock]

55 minutes ago, BigAlToby&Liam said:

Another nail on the head. What is it that those 3 Bs and the C have seen and done that we didn’t?

As you say Fucking Bournemouth!

Did they have an Ashton equivalent saying promotion wasn’t the aim? I find that in itself bizarre - is it tantamount to saying that winning isn’t the aim?

I’ll add another soul to that list of non-hungry individuals. Lansdown. He might be hungry for success but not the same success that I want.

I care only about BCFC. Couldn’t care less about Bristol Sport, rugby, basketball, business breakfasts, making Bristol Proud or quoting Bristol Sport when I want an insurance quote.

We were second - fucking second - with 20 points on Millwall. Look at us now.

What a wasted opportunity. Up there with GJ not getting Orr off all those years ago. Or Wilson playing Rosenior in Cardiff before that.

Bottled it again. For next year. Or the year after that......

Ashton needs to clarify his position and tell us when he will allow us to  ‘go’ for promotion. 

Until that statement of intent, apathy amongst players, staff and supporters will rule supreme. Understand it’s a ‘Bristol Thing’ -as more than capability demonstrated by your City Council - but that a dangerous place to be as our competitors aren’t quite as relaxed about things. 

So come on Ashton, you’re not normally shy of the spotlight, let’s be ‘aving you. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

4 hours ago, DaveInSA said:

I like this thread.

we’ve determined that very few football clubs are financially sustainable (that’s a whole topic for another thread)

I agree with @sx227 and @bigaltoby&liam.

If you really believe that Lansdown is doing this as a philanthropic act, you’re having a laugh.

With FFP becoming more strict, I wonder if we’ve missed our most realistic chance of going up for a generation. 

The January window is a red herring. A lottery if you like. Ours was a disaster. The top brass were arrogant and complacent. Maybe they tried to get the right players in, maybe they wouldn’t come, will we ever know.

Theres a formula for going up. Right players, right manager, right motivation. I’ll cite: Burnley, Bournemouth (****ing Bournemouth), Brighton. The three Bees. To be joined by a C this year.

We need hungry players and a hungry and capable manager. Do we have both? I don’t think so.

Except there isn't a catch all formula, is there?

Fulham may go up yet, Wolves did it very differently.

Huddersfield last season?

If Brentford sneak into last playoff place, their form and style of play- could be worth a tip to win them.

No catch all formula, tbh.

I won't even go into FFP and how much Brighton breached it by.

[finbarr_in_z]

19 hours ago, BigAlToby&Liam said:

Yep. Serious question.

We can talk about an improved stadium.

We can talk about players who we love to laud as being “one of our own”.

We can talk about an improved academy set up.

We can even talk about Bristol Sport and all that goes with that 

But what actual progress has Mr L brought to Bristol City FC?

I’m struggling to see it. Anyone care to help me?

 

Now let's see what the  have from that list.

Er........

[NickJ]

20 hours ago, paulcityfan said:

I was just thinking this today as the hordes left after Hulls 5th went in.  Just something stops short of real ambition here.

I cringe when I see 'owner' as SL's position in the programme.  Some people go into life wanting to do many things.  Steve Lansdown wanted to make money, lots of money.  So he has his name on a stand.  He bought it.  The other stands Atyeo, Dolman and Wedlock (if I can call it that) earned it.

So if you have shedloads of dough you can buy a club then you can hold it back by dithering with a tiny fractional percentage of your wealth.  Jack Walker did it in real style when he bought Blackburn not only into the top flight but he got the big one, the title.  OK so we know where Blackburn are now but i'm sure they had a heck of a ride at the time.  I'd quite like that.

So its piss or get off the pot Mr Lansdown.  I'm not getting any younger

I like that comment, a lot.

Steve chose to take control of a club that was for good reasons previously owned by many people. He did that in 2 ways:

 

1. Removed the rule that said nobody could own more than 25%.

2. Had a rights issue for the shares to raise £2m, knowing that the fans would not do it. Hence Steve put in the entire £2m thus diluting all the other shareholdings and taking him towards a majority.

 

Hence it was very easy for Steve to take control of Bristol City at relatively minimal cost, given that at the time the holding company had £10m of net assets.

Then having done so, a stadium has been built not for Bristol City,  but a stadium ultimately owned by Steve Lansdown which is rented to Bristol City. And Bristol Rugby.

 

Not something I'd have done, but very clever really,  but then having done all of that, Steve, who is rich enough to bankroll us into the Premiership if he wanted to, now claims that Bristol City has to be run like a business and be self sustaining.

There are plenty of people in Bristol who could run Bristol City just by balancing the books - it's what has happened, apart from the occasional noteworthy blip, for over 100 years.

[Mr Popodopolous]

42 minutes ago, NickJ said:

I like that comment, a lot.

Steve chose to take control of a club that was for good reasons previously owned by many people. He did that in 2 ways:

 

1. Removed the rule that said nobody could own more than 25%.

2. Had a rights issue for the shares to raise £2m, knowing that the fans would not do it. Hence Steve put in the entire £2m thus diluting all the other shareholdings and taking him towards a majority.

 

Hence it was very easy for Steve to take control of Bristol City at relatively minimal cost, given that at the time the holding company had £10m of net assets.

Then having done so, a stadium has been built not for Bristol City,  but a stadium ultimately owned by Steve Lansdown which is rented to Bristol City. And Bristol Rugby.

 

Not something I'd have done, but very clever really,  but then having done all of that, Steve, who is rich enough to bankroll us into the Premiership if he wanted to, now claims that Bristol City has to be run like a business and be self sustaining.

There are plenty of people in Bristol who could run Bristol City just by balancing the books - it's what has happened, apart from the occasional noteworthy blip, for over 100 years.

Lansdown owns the ground yes.

As well as the Rights issue and the 25% rule- all true.

I would take issue with balancing the books. Pretty sure we have run at a loss for years.

You also suggest SL could bankroll us to the PL.

How does that fit with new ever stricter FFP rules?

The strictest of which means clubs must submit their projected accounts for the year. If said club is in breach, in extremis now they can be kicked from the top 2 to outside the playoffs altogether.

Projected accounts in March, means sanctions can be slapped on before the end of the season.

Interested to know how you would square that circle

[Squire Dastardly]

The Lansdown family have done a great deal for this club. I am extraordinarily grateful that we have financial stability, have made steady progress over several seasons now and are "culturally" stable. By this, to spell it out and at the risk of being politically incorrect, I am happy that we are not the plaything of foreign owners.

By way of example, let me give you West Brom. A big club, moderately successful over the years under the ownership of a local business man. An offer made by an Asiatic consortium that could not be refused has seen a procession of incompetent managers into the club and back out again because the results were slow to come. Result disaster and a perilous position next season. They may well end up like Sunderland, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers especially if the owners "asset strip" the parachute payment and jump ship.

I don't want that for my club.

[NickJ]

16 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Lansdown owns the ground yes.

As well as the Rights issue and the 25% rule- all true.

I would take issue with balancing the books. Pretty sure we have run at a loss for years.

You also suggest SL could bankroll us to the PL.

How does that fit with new ever stricter FFP rules?

The strictest of which means clubs must submit their projected accounts for the year. If said club is in breach, in extremis now they can be kicked from the top 2 to outside the playoffs altogether.

Projected accounts in March, means sanctions can be slapped on before the end of the season.

Interested to know how you would square that circle

 

Most of the so called losses are directly or indirectly in connection with building the stadium which Bristol City no longer owns. Even the abortive costs of Ashton Vale, a venture from which Bristol City as a football club was never going to benefit from financially, were written off as a cost in Bristol City's P&L.

 

The stadium used to be owned by Bristol City Football Club. For the benefit of future generations of Bristolians. It's what was put in place for very good reason in 1982.The stadium is now owned by Ashton Gate Ltd. The 2017 accounts states that in the last financial year before the redevelopment (2013) turnover of that company was £2.4m. In 2017 turnover was £10.6m. All well and good. But who now owns the stadium? Well, see note 24 to those accounts - Mr & Mrs Lansdown. 

So who is the real long term beneficiary from the millions of investment? The person who now owns the asset, I'd say.

 

FFP? Several clubs have shown there are ways around FFP. 

Some even employ a manager capable of getting them to the Premiership without circumventing the FFP rules.

 

[NickJ]

14 minutes ago, Squire Dastardly said:

The Lansdown family have done a great deal for this club. I am extraordinarily grateful that we have financial stability, have made steady progress over several seasons now and are "culturally" stable. By this, to spell it out and at the risk of being politically incorrect, I am happy that we are not the plaything of foreign owners.

By way of example, let me give you West Brom. A big club, moderately successful over the years under the ownership of a local business man. An offer made by an Asiatic consortium that could not be refused has seen a procession of incompetent managers into the club and back out again because the results were slow to come. Result disaster and a perilous position next season. They may well end up like Sunderland, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers especially if the owners "asset strip" the parachute payment and jump ship.

I don't want that for my club.

In what way are "we" financially stable.

What is the difference between being the plaything of a foreign owner and the plaything of a tax exile?

Ask Leicester City fans whether being foreign owned is such a bad thing. As for all those clubs you mention, at least they have had a taste of life at the top.

Bournemouth fans seem happy enough owned by Russians.

Burnley are locally owned by individuals with a fraction of Steve's wealth. How come they are where they are?

In short what is the good of a very wealthy Bristol born owner who has removed the ownership of Bristol City's only tangible assets from us, and is incapable of taking us any higher than we have been anyway for most of my lifetime?

[Kid in the Riot]

25 minutes ago, NickJ said:

 

Most of the so called losses are directly or indirectly in connection with building the stadium which Bristol City no longer owns. Even the abortive costs of Ashton Vale, a venture from which Bristol City as a football club was never going to benefit from financially, were written off as a cost in Bristol City's P&L.

 

The stadium used to be owned by Bristol City Football Club. For the benefit of future generations of Bristolians. It's what was put in place for very good reason in 1982.The stadium is now owned by Ashton Gate Ltd. The 2017 accounts states that in the last financial year before the redevelopment (2013) turnover of that company was £2.4m. In 2017 turnover was £10.6m. All well and good. But who now owns the stadium? Well, see note 24 to those accounts - Mr & Mrs Lansdown. 

So who is the real long term beneficiary from the millions of investment? The person who now owns the asset, I'd say.

 

FFP? Several clubs have shown there are ways around FFP. 

Some even employ a manager capable of getting them to the Premiership without circumventing the FFP rules.

 

 

17 minutes ago, NickJ said:

In what way are "we" financially stable.

What is the difference between being the plaything of a foreign owner and the plaything of a tax exile?

Ask Leicester City fans whether being foreign owned is such a bad thing. As for all those clubs you mention, at least they have had a taste of life at the top.

Bournemouth fans seem happy enough owned by Russians.

Burnley are locally owned by individuals with a fraction of Steve's wealth. How come they are where they are?

In short what is the good of a very wealthy Bristol born owner who has removed the ownership of Bristol City's only tangible assets from us, and is incapable of taking us any higher than we have been anyway for most of my lifetime?

Whilst the much ridiculed (and rightly so) Mr Tan over the river is about to get Cardiff promoted to the top flight for the second time in 10 years. We've had one sniff in the past 17 years under the Lansdowns, despite Steve's considerable (and it is considerable, even in football owners' terms) wealth.

[reddoh]

11 hours ago, BigAlToby&Liam said:

I’m not talking about FFP. I’m not talking about splashing loads of cash to buy in success.

My point is that if you have a man who states promotion isn’t the aim then what is the aim? And when we were 2nd with points on a club who have shown better form than us in the last 4 months - Christ who hasn’t - then something ain’t adding up.

And when you do sign players like those we have then what the fuck is going on?

If Flint and Joey and his fucking dog spent less time on Instagram and devoted as much effort on their game then perhaps, just perhaps we might have held onto 2nd place or at least been in the play offs.

@BigAlToby&Liam just checked my bank balance good news is I can afford either Clifton downs players or rovers rejects (if they ever reject) but you can tell someone how to play they may not be able to do it,some(a lot) of players need a year(season) to adjust to British speed some make it some don't big teams suck them up and eventually they make it or don't we are a small team and can't afford 50 players. if you look at our position,  last summer you all wanted that.The fact that some of your thought earlier in the year we were going up. I think that was like when we were teenagers and we just were a bit premiture

[BigAl&Toby]

54 minutes ago, NickJ said:

In what way are "we" financially stable.

What is the difference between being the plaything of a foreign owner and the plaything of a tax exile?

Ask Leicester City fans whether being foreign owned is such a bad thing. As for all those clubs you mention, at least they have had a taste of life at the top.

Bournemouth fans seem happy enough owned by Russians.

Burnley are locally owned by individuals with a fraction of Steve's wealth. How come they are where they are?

In short what is the good of a very wealthy Bristol born owner who has removed the ownership of Bristol City's only tangible assets from us, and is incapable of taking us any higher than we have been anyway for most of my lifetime?

Spot on. We all love the Lansdowns over the likes of Tan or any other foreign owner.

Why is that?

Cos many think Lansdown is like us. A true Bristolian. He’s not “foreign”.

Well let’s not fall into that trap. He’s more like Tan than he is like many of us. Bristol Sport is his play thing. It has very little to do with Bristol City FC. It’s simply another facet in his investment portfolio.

All nicely secured by Ashton Vale and other parts of BS3. 

Whatever the Ls do they do it first and foremost for their own reasons and own benefit. Nothing wrong with that and many might well do the same but let’s not kid ourselves.

Whatever they do they ain’t doing it for the benefit of you or I, or Bristol City FC.

 

[Ivorguy]

This this is all like some Greek tragedy.  

The gods on Olympus merely playing games with us for their own amusement 

And I deeply resent it

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 hour ago, NickJ said:

 

Most of the so called losses are directly or indirectly in connection with building the stadium which Bristol City no longer owns. Even the abortive costs of Ashton Vale, a venture from which Bristol City as a football club was never going to benefit from financially, were written off as a cost in Bristol City's P&L.

 

The stadium used to be owned by Bristol City Football Club. For the benefit of future generations of Bristolians. It's what was put in place for very good reason in 1982.The stadium is now owned by Ashton Gate Ltd. The 2017 accounts states that in the last financial year before the redevelopment (2013) turnover of that company was £2.4m. In 2017 turnover was £10.6m. All well and good. But who now owns the stadium? Well, see note 24 to those accounts - Mr & Mrs Lansdown. 

So who is the real long term beneficiary from the millions of investment? The person who now owns the asset, I'd say.

 

FFP? Several clubs have shown there are ways around FFP. 

Some even employ a manager capable of getting them to the Premiership without circumventing the FFP rules.

 

That's interesting, I will (assuming they are publicly available) read up on the accounts for that. 98% of turnover our wage bill last season though, which is actually our best in some time. It's all interesting stuff- surely the amount he's put in down the years though, he's made a net loss on City?

FFP? I would agree ordinarily, but ironically because sides have got round it, they have really doubled down on these rules.

Of course, points deduction, stripping promotion and stuff in between? Could be a paper tiger, an empty threat to try to keep clubs in line a bit.

You know what though. 39m losses over 3 years at Championship level is actually reasonable IMO.

Promotion and sticking within is possible I think, given you can front load or back load or small loss/profit in say year 1 in order to push the boat out in the third. Clever management can stay within and work around it at the same time.

[BTRFTG]

It's not for any of us to tell Mr. Lansdown what he should or should not do with his money and it isn't for us to expect him to sponsor our fantasies. But it cuts both ways as the mega rich discover once they've, well, nothing further to gain from the power, money and influence they've garnered. Only Mr. Lansdown understands his motives but that's for him, not us.

Thanks to his beneficence we've an excellent stadium, save I've never driven 120 miles to marvel at infrastructure and were I only to be offered Crackers Corner from where I started I wouldn't be bothered and would still turn up.

He's continued to fund an Academy with state of the art facilities that has similar success in its output to the days when I stared at our youth running the perimeter of Greville Smyth. I continue to await the 'one that got away'. Seems to me the Academy has delivered little save that most assinine of chants: 'one of our own'. As a kid I didn't give a damn that Dickie Rooks wasn't Bristolian or that Gary Collier was. If localism is a measure to be valued we'd be struggling in the 8th tier of the pyramid.

He's certainly lined many the pocket of an inadequate and talentless journeymen (plus their snake oil agent,) but that's a matter for him as we've no say in who is or isn't recruited. Progress?

As I wrote in another post, in the many years I've been following 'My Babbies' we're still playing, same location, same colours and only four places lower than when I started my journey. The fact that we've modern technology coming out of our ears (yet it was easier to get the half-times via the A to Z on the perimeter,) or the delight in watching the wooden trays of hot Clarkes being delivered at half time (eminently  more appetising than staring at a menu offering Lamb, Curry or Vegan inferior offerings) - Progress?

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.....

[Judda]

On 21/04/2018 at 17:35, BigAlToby&Liam said:

Yep. Serious question.

We can talk about an improved stadium.

We can talk about players who we love to laud as being “one of our own”.

We can talk about an improved academy set up.

We can even talk about Bristol Sport and all that goes with that 

But what actual progress has Mr L brought to Bristol City FC?

I’m struggling to see it. Anyone care to help me?

 

The aquaducts?