We can sum this season up in one word

[Olé]

I would have thought that OTIB's resident academic would already have known the exact word that applies to his question.

Quote

We can sum this season up [after one game] in one word

academic

/akəˈdɛmɪk/
adjective

not of practical relevance; of only theoretical interest.

[JoeAman08]

1 hour ago, Red Exile said:

The impatience come from the passage of time...since we last failed to capitalise on a great position in January - back in 2008 - Hull, Burnley, Blackpool, Swansea, Cardiff, Bournemouth, Brighton and Huddersfield have all managed to get promoted before us, which I'd suggest would have seemed pretty implausible back then. History has repeated itself, we're unlikely to be in as strong a position at the end of 2018 as we were at the beginning, and that is frustrating.

 

Never seemed like there was a plan before now though. Frustrating we haven’t been near being promoted to the premier league but the past is the past. The current plan with the current regime are making strides towards it but much harder to do this time around. 

[Red Exile]

2 minutes ago, JoeAman08 said:

Never seemed like there was a plan before now though. Frustrating we haven’t been near being promoted to the premier league but the past is the past. The current plan with the current regime are making strides towards it but much harder to do this time around. 

Are you sure there's a plan now? I'm not. It's the same people in charge...the only difference from 2008 is that it's the son managing the playing squad not the far more successful father! As far as I can see no one in the City set up has any experience of getting a side promoted to the Premier League. 

[cidered abroad]

19 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

A few thoughts.

First, those of us us who saw us drop out of the top flight almost 40 years ago can't be accused of following Bristol City with a 'I want it and I want it now' attitude. There have been false dawns aplenty along the road. 

Second, when we took Fulham apart at their place last season no one watching would have suggested that they were more ready to 'dine at the top table' than us. Their owner and management just went about their business better. I'm afraid that, however hard it is to take, we blew a great opportunity. 

Where I agree with you is that I'd rather we were a Burnley than a Hull...I and others have been celebrating Burnley's model for many years. But when you look at the breadth of experience on their Board of Directors down the years you'll see that we will never be a Burnley under SL.

I'll be at QPR and Swansea, hoping, as ever.

 

Thanks for writing my contribution to this thread. 

Apart from the bits like. 

Being second best to the Gas all through the 1950's.

Missing out on promotion to the First in 1966 due to an og at home to Southampton and a 97th minute equaliser at the Dell three days later. 

I dared to dream last December. I know I shouldn't have but when one is a mid seventies male, what's in your bucket list, must be achieved quickly. 

Enjoy the season everyone, the superb away wins, the boring home draws against Rotherham and the Cup wins against Argyle and Gillingham. 

[Monkeh]

1 minute ago, Red Exile said:

Are you sure there's a plan now? I'm not. It's the same people in charge...the only difference from 2008 is that it's the son managing the playing squad not the far more successful father! As far as I can see no one in the City set up has any experience of getting a side promoted to the Premier League. 

5 pillers is the plan that was put in place, its still in place and we are slowly improving the squad, buy young improve sell high, reinvest

[Red Exile]

4 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

5 pillers is the plan that was put in place, its still in place and we are slowly improving the squad, buy young improve sell high, reinvest

I'm afraid that however often it's been trotted out I've seen no evidence that the '5 Pillars' was anything other than a statement of the obvious, captured in a neat powerpoint diagram familiar to anyone who has worked with management consultants down the years. 

[Monkeh]

1 minute ago, Red Exile said:

I'm afraid that however often it's been trotted out I've seen no evidence that the '5 Pillars' was anything other than a statement of the obvious, captured in a neat powerpoint diagram familiar to anyone who has worked with management consultants down the years. 

apart from 90% of the signings made have been young players who can improve and older joourneymen pro's become the exception not the norm

[JoeAman08]

7 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

Are you sure there's a plan now? I'm not. It's the same people in charge...the only difference from 2008 is that it's the son managing the playing squad not the far more successful father! As far as I can see no one in the City set up has any experience of getting a side promoted to the Premier League. 

It goes beyond what you see on a Saturday afternoon or Tuesday night.

The stadium has been modified to get more fans in and maximise non matchday revenue.

They have embraced social media to try and attract more fans.

They buy into the latest technology to give themselves a bit more of an advantage in many different aspects from scouting to coaching. 

They have put more work into the academy. More emphasis on good coaching. Also someone who monitors progress of players out on loan. 

Maximising value of current assets on the pitch to ensure player loss will at least come with financial reward to progress the club further. 

Yes on the pitch we may take a step back but you can bet it will be a one season loss. They will be hungry to go further in upcoming seasons and the younger players are closing the gap on the senior squad. There are players throughout the academy ready to take the next step up from U18s to U23. From conference to league. From L2 to L1 and now even championship. The club is only moving forward. We aren’t a deer in the headlights when it comes to losing star players. We are well prepared and well equipped.

For me, when I look at all that, I do see a plan. There will come a time when we ask if LJ, MA and co can take us to the next level but our squad is not there yet. Let us appreciate the hard work that has gone into getting us to a stable championship side. More will come I am sure

[Fatalist]

8 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

Thanks for writing my contribution to this thread. 

Apart from the bits like. 

Being second best to the Gas all through the 1950's.

Missing out on promotion to the First in 1966 due to an og at home to Southampton and a 97th minute equaliser at the Dell three days later. 

I dared to dream last December. I know I shouldn't have but when one is a mid seventies male, what's in your bucket list, must be achieved quickly. 

Enjoy the season everyone, the superb away wins, the boring home draws against Rotherham and the Cup wins against Argyle and Gillingham. 

After the near miss in 1966, we had 10 years of what could be called mediocrity in the old D2. I don't remember it being boring. There were ups and downs, but above all some entertaining matches against some very decent teams.

Of course we want success, but I go to football to be entertained. If all you want is to see wins, well so do all the other teams. Most will be disappointed, so just try to enjoy what you see.

[Londoner]

4 hours ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Hmm.. I don't really mind your trolly threads, you're good at getting a reaction I'll give you that.

I think that it's crosses the line a bit to say things like this. I hope he doesn't mind me saying this (and I'll happily remove this post if he wants) but regular readers will know that James has been pretty forthcoming about his personal problems and anxiety issues. 

You seem well aware of it and have purposely said something here that could potentially be quite anxiety inducing for him.

I think that goes too far, it's just a football forum after all and we mostly support the same club. Wouldn't hurt to be a bit nicer.

I was restrained 

[Red Exile]

3 minutes ago, JoeAman08 said:

It goes beyond what you see on a Saturday afternoon or Tuesday night.

The stadium has been modified to get more fans in and maximise non matchday revenue.

They have embraced social media to try and attract more fans.

They buy into the latest technology to give themselves a bit more of an advantage in many different aspects from scouting to coaching. 

They have put more work into the academy. More emphasis on good coaching. Also someone who monitors progress of players out on loan. 

Maximising value of current assets on the pitch to ensure player loss will at least come with financial reward to progress the club further. 

Yes on the pitch we may take a step back but you can bet it will be a one season loss. They will be hungry to go further in upcoming seasons and the younger players are closing the gap on the senior squad. There are players throughout the academy ready to take the next step up from U18s to U23. From conference to league. From L2 to L1 and now even championship. The club is only moving forward. We aren’t a deer in the headlights when it comes to losing star players. We are well prepared and well equipped.

For me, when I look at all that, I do see a plan. There will come a time when we ask if LJ, MA and co can take us to the next level but our squad is not there yet. Let us appreciate the hard work that has gone into getting us to a stable championship side. More will come I am sure

I see everything you see as regards the club as a business concern. All to be applauded. Ok, I might be sat in precisely the same plastic seat in the Dolman I was a decade ago and unable to park anywhere near the ground, but I grant you that what we see around us is better, and off the pitch things are heading in the right direction even if the most recent video on the website is an interview with Mo Eisa...

All that has been delivered by hiring experience. I'd like us to learn from the promotion from League One and hire experience to tackle a sustained push for promotion. And I'm impatient with what I see as a lack of ambition. It will get harder every year. Won't stop me attending or appreciating the effort on show.

[Monkeh]

3 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

I see everything you see as regards the club as a business concern. All to be applauded. Ok, I might be sat in precisely the same plastic seat in the Dolman I was a decade ago and unable to park anywhere near the ground, but I grant you that what we see around us is better, and off the pitch things are heading in the right direction even if the most recent video on the website is an interview with Mo Eisa...

All that has been delivered by hiring experience. I'd like us to learn from the promotion from League One and hire experience to tackle a sustained push for promotion. And I'm impatient with what I see as a lack of ambition. It will get harder every year. Won't stop me attending or appreciating the effort on show.

but while we've lost some key players granted we've replaced them with seasoned and experienced championship players,

Its not through lack of ambition but we simply can't compete with the leeds middlesboroughs  villas brightons of this world at present,

[JoeAman08]

4 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

I see everything you see as regards the club as a business concern. All to be applauded. Ok, I might be sat in precisely the same plastic seat in the Dolman I was a decade ago and unable to park anywhere near the ground, but I grant you that what we see around us is better, and off the pitch things are heading in the right direction even if the most recent video on the website is an interview with Mo Eisa...

All that has been delivered by hiring experience. I'd like us to learn from the promotion from League One and hire experience to tackle a sustained push for promotion. And I'm impatient with what I see as a lack of ambition. It will get harder every year. Won't stop me attending or appreciating the effort on show.

That is fair enough mate. I get frustrated at times myself. I am not convinced LJ and co can get us promoted either when a top squad does come together. Just for me, feels like a worry for another season. 

[Red Exile]

2 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

but while we've lost some key players granted we've replaced them with seasoned and experienced championship players,

Its not through lack of ambition but we simply can't compete with the leeds middlesboroughs  villas brightons of this world at present,

I agree that Brighton would be a good model to follow. They had no parachute payments. 

[Londoner]

4 hours ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Hmm.. I don't really mind your trolly threads, you're good at getting a reaction I'll give you that.

I think that it's crosses the line a bit to say things like this. I hope he doesn't mind me saying this (and I'll happily remove this post if he wants) but regular readers will know that James has been pretty forthcoming about his personal problems and anxiety issues. 

You seem well aware of it and have purposely said something here that could potentially be quite anxiety inducing for him.

I think that goes too far, it's just a football forum after all and we mostly support the same club. Wouldn't hurt to be a bit nicer.

It is very very simple.

If you are going to give a poster shit, you have to be able to take it.

Like I previously said I restrained myself from being overly personal.

[tts_city]

 

4 hours ago, Phileas Fogg said:

Hmm.. I don't really mind your trolly threads, you're good at getting a reaction I'll give you that.

I think that it's crosses the line a bit to say things like this. I hope he doesn't mind me saying this (and I'll happily remove this post if he wants) but regular readers will know that James has been pretty forthcoming about his personal problems and anxiety issues. 

You seem well aware of it and have purposely said something here that could potentially be quite anxiety inducing for him.

I think that goes too far, it's just a football forum after all and we mostly support the same club. Wouldn't hurt to be a bit nicer.

Perhaps someone with so many issues shouldnt call people out, the poor little lamb, not quite so mouthy now is he.

[Monkeh]

2 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

I agree that Brighton would be a good model to follow. They had no parachute payments. 

they also spent 6 years in the championship a few of those staying up by the skin of their teeth, selling good players and replacing them slowly until they won the league 

[Red Exile]

5 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

they also spent 6 years in the championship a few of those staying up by the skin of their teeth, selling good players and replacing them slowly until they won the league 

Agreed - I guess my observation would be that they were led out of the Championship by a manager who knew what he was doing. But that takes us down an 'LJ out' route. Maybe he'll come good. Personally, if I'd made the investments off the pitch that SL has made I'd go one step further and hire the best and most experienced managers of the playing side of the business. But that's for another thread...

If there was a single word to sum up my expectations for the season it would be...as ever: 'frustrating'

[Monkeh]

1 minute ago, Red Exile said:

Agreed - I guess my observation would be that they were led out of the Championship by a manager who knew what he was doing. But that takes us down an 'LJ out' route. Maybe he'll come good. Personally, if I'd made the investments off the pitch that SL has made I'd go one step further and hire the best and most experienced managers of the playing side of the business. But that's for another thread...

If there was a single word to sum up my expectations for the season it would be...as ever: 'frustrating'

I'd take that tomorrow, had enough of him and is excuses to be honest, but can see the bigger picture which is why I rarely shout about it 

[cidered abroad]

22 minutes ago, Red Exile said:

Are you sure there's a plan now? I'm not. It's the same people in charge...the only difference from 2008 is that it's the son managing the playing squad not the far more successful father! As far as I can see no one in the City set up has any experience of getting a side promoted to the Premier League. 

I rarely repeat on here, conversations that I have with those who work in football. 

But at Taunton on Monday evenings under 23 game, I spoke with someone. 

A lifelong City fan, who played as a pro and now scouts for a Premier league club. A fairly recent member of the elite that suffered hard times for two decades before they got promotion. 

He was quite adamant that our club has been a shambles for decades. But that over the last three or four years, it is beginning to do much more right than previously. He said that his current club spent £30million on a training ground as an investment in the playing staff of the future. I don't know if that was before or after their new stadium. 

It struck me that City are playing catch up to so many other clubs. One's that thirty years ago, we would have considered as smaller than us. They have all overtaken us. Played in the Prem, good cup runs, cup finals and European competitions. 

In a way, City are very similar to Bristol Rugby. In 1972, Bristol as an amateur club, were the champions of England who played the reserve team against Bath and Exeter. Then some clubs realising that professionalism was on it's way, became professional in everything but name. Bristol were left light years behind. 

Both major clubs in the seventh largest City if England struggling to equal or better the achievements of places smaller than Weston super mare. 

Are we both on the way up? Only time will tell but no doubt about it. There is a population here starved of sporting success that will react positively with the right encouragement and leadership. 

[Monkeh]

2 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

I rarely repeat on here, conversations that I have with those who work in football. 

But at Taunton on Monday evenings under 23 game, I spoke with someone. 

A lifelong City fan, who played as a pro and now scouts for a Premier league club. A fairly recent member of the elite that suffered hard times for two decades before they got promotion. 

He was quite adamant that our club has been a shambles for decades. But that over the last three or four years, it is beginning to do much more right than previously. He said that his current club spent £30million on a training ground as an investment in the playing staff of the future. I don't know if that was before or after their new stadium. 

It struck me that City are playing catch up to so many other clubs. One's that thirty years ago, we would have considered as smaller than us. They have all overtaken us. Played in the Prem, good cup runs, cup finals and European competitions. 

In a way, City are very similar to Bristol Rugby. In 1972, Bristol as an amateur club, were the champions of England who played the reserve team against Bath and Exeter. Then some clubs realising that professionalism was on it's way, became professional in everything but name. Bristol were left light years behind. 

Both major clubs in the seventh largest City if England struggling to equal or better the achievements of places smaller than Weston super mare. 

Are we both on the way up? Only time will tell but no doubt about it. There is a population here starved of sporting success that will react positively with the right encouragement and leadership. 

sadly people only see the 11 on the pitch and not the astronomical improvement off it,

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

I rarely repeat on here, conversations that I have with those who work in football. 

But at Taunton on Monday evenings under 23 game, I spoke with someone. 

A lifelong City fan, who played as a pro and now scouts for a Premier league club. A fairly recent member of the elite that suffered hard times for two decades before they got promotion. 

He was quite adamant that our club has been a shambles for decades. But that over the last three or four years, it is beginning to do much more right than previously. He said that his current club spent £30million on a training ground as an investment in the playing staff of the future. I don't know if that was before or after their new stadium. 

It struck me that City are playing catch up to so many other clubs. One's that thirty years ago, we would have considered as smaller than us. They have all overtaken us. Played in the Prem, good cup runs, cup finals and European competitions. 

In a way, City are very similar to Bristol Rugby. In 1972, Bristol as an amateur club, were the champions of England who played the reserve team against Bath and Exeter. Then some clubs realising that professionalism was on it's way, became professional in everything but name. Bristol were left light years behind. 

Both major clubs in the seventh largest City if England struggling to equal or better the achievements of places smaller than Weston super mare. 

Are we both on the way up? Only time will tell but no doubt about it. There is a population here starved of sporting success that will react positively with the right encouragement and leadership. 

100% we're playing catch-up.

Financially, infrastructure wise, potentially scouting- we're sort of fast tracking it a bit out of necessity maybe?

Not to say I don't- because I'm sentimental- miss AG pre re-development but needs must etc.

At the same time yeah we are or were playing catch-up with most of the League in many off the pitch aspects. Quite clearly- we're still catching up with a number of clubs but we're doing it at a healthy pace IMO.

For those saying Brighton...they made hefty losses let's not forget or sugarcoat, especially the 3 years up to and including promotion.

[ChippenhamRed]

13 hours ago, Newquay-Red said:

I'm pretty sure the only entry requirement to get into London Met is to open the door.

Very much the Oxford Brookes of London universities.

[Londoner]

5 minutes ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Very much the Oxford Brookes of London universities.

It is not as good as Oxford brookes

[LondonBristolian]

37 minutes ago, tts_city said:

 

Perhaps someone with so many issues shouldnt call people out, the poor little lamb, not quite so mouthy now is he.

Perhaps he's off doing other stuff with his life? He may well have better things to do than respond someone who may or may not be pretending to stalk him on the internet...

[Leveller]

Going back to the original post, it characterised where we are now as mediocrity, clearly meant as a criticism.

Yet a few short years ago, nearly all of us were yearning for City to be “back where we belong” which would be an established Championship club.

How perspectives change! Just saying.

[Londoner]

5 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

Perhaps he's off doing other stuff with his life? He may well have better things to do than respond someone who may or may not be pretending to stalk him on the internet...

I don't think you know what stalk means

[LondonBristolian]

12 minutes ago, Londoner said:

I don't think you know what stalk means

You're telling someone on a messageboard you've secretly met them and that you know things about their life whilst refusing to reveal who you are and where they know you from.  I'm comfortable with the word I chose. Most stalkers don't see what they're doing as stalking, otherwise I suspect they would not be doing it. 

[Londoner]

3 minutes ago, LondonBristolian said:

You're telling someone on a messageboard you've secretly met them and that you know things about their life whilst refusing to reveal who you are and where they know you from.  I'm comfortable with the word I chose. Most stalkers don't see what they're doing as stalking, otherwise I suspect they would not be doing it. 

To aid your understanding.

I have said I have met him.

I have said the reason i know it's him is because of posts on here that he has put about himself.

Hopefully this clears it up for you.

[LondonBristolian]

8 minutes ago, Londoner said:

To aid your understanding.

I have said I have met him.

I have said the reason i know it's him is because of posts on here that he has put about himself.

Hopefully this clears it up for you.

So literally what I said then. You've said you've met met him, you've said you know things about his life and you won't say who you are and where he met you. Thanks for the clarification. My advice for next time you want to avoid being accused of coming across like a stalker on the internet is to not come across like a stalker on the internet. It's a bit weird, to be honest.