W-S-M Seagull Posted January 28 Report Share Posted January 28 2 hours ago, Midlands Robin said: I just don't get it. It was clear the last time we went down that the Womens game was getting bigger and bigger and yet our ownership did next to nothing to prevent us dropping out of the top flight and now, with great support and the WSL very much a place where decent investment brings bigger rewards, we're slipping out of it again. The Womens Championship gets stronger each season which makes it more difficult to get back up again. Why do the Landsdowns bother if they're not going to take it seriously? They binned the first City Womens team in 2007 and then, when it soon became apparent that was a mistake as the ladies game rapidly grew, they bought some one elses team. Then, after going to all that effort to bring it back into the City fold they preside over a season by season decline in the WSL and then relegation. When we get back into the WSL, they standby and watch the team struggle all over again. Bizarre. I keep an eye out for their scores and hope they do well but for me, I struggle to get past the fact that they were formed as the Bristol Rovers ladies team. Just feels a bit like a franchise team rather than being organically BCFC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myol'man Posted January 28 Report Share Posted January 28 I went today and noticed that the gulf in class from the top of the WSL to the bottom is vast. Little investment in the squad = relegation 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Full nelson Posted January 29 Report Share Posted January 29 8 hours ago, myol'man said: I went today and noticed that the gulf in class from the top of the WSL to the bottom is vast. Little investment in the squad = relegation The gulf in class between the bottom side and the side which sits above them was an embarrassment. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warwickshire Red Posted January 29 Report Share Posted January 29 Yes, what’s the point us aiming for and getting back to the WSL if realistic investment isn’t going to be made to stay there? Or at least be competitive? Maybe just another sign that SL is cutting back in preparation for a sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shahanshahan Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 On 28/01/2024 at 17:28, TV Tom said: what’s more me and missus were still in the bar when we scored !!!!! I'm the same! At half time a friend bought me a birthday drink & we were finishing our drinks as we heard the goal celebrations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shahanshahan Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 On 28/01/2024 at 21:32, W-S-M Seagull said: I struggle to get past the fact that they were formed as the Bristol Rovers ladies team. Back at the time when there was already another City women's team, which then disbanded in the late 2000s, as the renamed Bristol Academy began to take form, before being taken over by Bristol Sport and renamed City Women in 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shahanshahan Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 On 28/01/2024 at 14:18, slartibartfast said: As it's a woman's game are we not allowed to say FFS ? This is what was posted online the other week just as Brighton scored in the last minute 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shahanshahan Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 Looks like this is from a press conference today, but it appears that on WSL transfer deadline day, the club will have no more deals... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinMan's left peg Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 4 minutes ago, shahanshahan said: Looks like this is from a press conference today, but it appears that on WSL transfer deadline day, the club will have no more deals... Unbelievable. That’s the club accepting relegation half way through a season when we have one of the best average attendances in Europe. They literally don’t care 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shahanshahan Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 Full press conference released Includes confirmation of no new business expected in the window, Satara Murray injuring her calf (awaiting scan results), Naomi Layzell's groin issue last week (Saturday may be too soon for her to return), Lisa Evans, and why the away form is so different compared to at home https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/smiths-aston-villa-press-conference-2/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Balls Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 1 hour ago, TinMan's left peg said: Unbelievable. That’s the club accepting relegation half way through a season when we have one of the best average attendances in Europe. They literally don’t care Couldn’t agree more. Short-sighted and useless from those in charge. Really feel for Lauren Smith. Treated as badly as Nige I.e. set up to fail! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midlands Robin Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 1 hour ago, Dr Balls said: Short-sighted and useless from those in charge Trying to actually pin down who the hell is in charge is something of a puzzle. According to the main site, Gavin Marshall is the Chairman but he's not listed as such on the companies house website. He does though have 9 different dirctorship roles across all of the Bristol Sports groups. There isn't one person who is not at least doubled up in various other jobs. The main site also shows Kevin Hamblin as a director however, he resigned according to companies house, in December last year. Its a bloody mess and a slap in the face to the players and those fans who have turned out and got behind the ladies this season. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cidre Monita Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 7 minutes ago, Midlands Robin said: Trying to actually pin down who the hell is in charge is something of a puzzle. According to the main site, Gavin Marshall is the Chairman but he's not listed as such on the companies house website. He does though have 9 different dirctorship roles across all of the Bristol Sports groups. There isn't one person who is not at least doubled up in various other jobs. The main site also shows Kevin Hamblin as a director however, he resigned according to companies house, in December last year. Its a bloody mess and a slap in the face to the players and those fans who have turned out and got behind the ladies this season. There is no puzzle. Steve Lansdown is in charge and responsible for City, the Bears & the ladies. The others are just bit part players. He alone sets the budgets and is responsible for this shit show. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coxyboy Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 The problem is the Manager..Smith out she is ******* clueless 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Balls Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 2 minutes ago, coxyboy said: The problem is the Manager..Smith out she is ******* clueless Look at the players she has to work with and pick from, compare it to the other clubs in the WSL, and the reason we are at the bottom of the table is pretty clear. And it’s not the manager. Needed to invest more at the beginning of the season rather than hoping for young players to cope at this level. And the best of them, like Brooke Aspin will be off at the end of the season, so getting back to the WSL for a third time after relegation will be even harder. No parachute payments like the men’s game! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 15 minutes ago, Dr Balls said: Look at the players she has to work with and pick from, compare it to the other clubs in the WSL, and the reason we are at the bottom of the table is pretty clear. And it’s not the manager. Needed to invest more at the beginning of the season rather than hoping for young players to cope at this level. And the best of them, like Brooke Aspin will be off at the end of the season, so getting back to the WSL for a third time after relegation will be even harder. No parachute payments like the men’s game! Probably some stronger teams in tier2 than last season too. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin phantom Posted January 31 Admin Report Share Posted January 31 I honestly think we're a weaker team than last year 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinMan's left peg Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 I can’t understand the thought process. In the men’s game there’s at least a theory that being a yo-yo club allows you to accrue money from TV payouts and parachute payments. You then gradually build your club until it’s ready to stay up. But that strategy doesn’t make sense in the WSL. All the money is in the top flight, basically nothing in the championship. Getting back up might take ages. There’s only 1 relegation spot so we only need to be better than 1 team. And it’s not like Lansdown could have watched the first half of the season and thought we’d more than likely survive as we are. Plus investment is relatively peanuts in terms of cost compared to the men. Therefore it can only be that they either don’t care, are incompetent or actively want the women’s team to fail. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinMan's left peg Posted January 31 Report Share Posted January 31 Don’t know why but I’m more angry about the way the woman’s team are being managed than the mens. I can at least see some logic on the men’s side. The people i feel most sorry for are the staff and the long-standing die hard fans ( I’m very much a part time one over recent seasons only for the women). All that effort to get up, unbelievable progress with crowds and facilities etc just to chuck it all away after a feeble 1 season fling 3 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eco Posted February 1 Report Share Posted February 1 10 hours ago, TinMan's left peg said: Don’t know why but I’m more angry about the way the woman’s team are being managed than the mens. I can at least see some logic on the men’s side. The people i feel most sorry for are the staff and the long-standing die hard fans ( I’m very much a part time one over recent seasons only for the women). All that effort to get up, unbelievable progress with crowds and facilities etc just to chuck it all away after a feeble 1 season fling Think Lauren Smith gave the game away early in the season when she said we're just little old Bristol City. That appears to be the mindset. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shahanshahan Posted February 1 Report Share Posted February 1 Only City related in the sense that the next home game is against them in early March. Brighton have become the first team in the WSL this season to have their manager leave/lose their job. For additional info, this time last year she had just left London City Lionesses in the Championship, before moving Stateside to take up an assistant coach role at Angel City in the NWSL, before returning to England to join Brighton... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shahanshahan Posted February 1 Report Share Posted February 1 On 31/01/2024 at 20:37, phantom said: I honestly think we're a weaker team than last year And/or maybe the opposition is a lot more competitive. But there are some definite things to note compared to last season: The GK situation: last season Fran Bentley pretty much played every game. This season, there's been an injury and/or knock to pretty much every goalkeeper, hence the different ones who have appeared. Benedicte Haaland didn't get much game time in her short-team deal, and Shae Yanez seems to be an apparent replacement for Kaylan Marckese. If Liv Clark is fit this weekend, I hope she starts. Bentley is back in training but no idea when she's due to return. Also, new goalkeeping coach in the team who joined in the summer (although I should assume his appointment & subsequent events are coincidence...) Midfield: Aimee Palmer leaving at the end of last season was a huge blow, and Rachel Furness' absence from injury has impacted the midfield Goal scorers: Before her goal at Brighton, Abi Harrison hadn't scored at all this season. Shania Hayles doesn't seem to start nowadays, but has only scored one goal this season - in the Conti Cup. Both were prolific goal scorers in the last two seasons respectively (not sure if there is a "Golden Boot" curse). I wonder if Hayles would start on Saturday, especially against her old team 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erithacus Posted February 2 Report Share Posted February 2 Well put, Shahan, and clearly the side has not performed as well as the previous season for those reasons and others. There have been problems in all depatments. If we compare the Championship winning side with this one there are a few significant changes, particularly in midfield. It was almost a new side in September in terms of the playing style. I also think we have resorted to more cautious or defensive mindsets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shahanshahan Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 (edited) Lisa Evans makes her first start. Naomi Layzell returns to the squad. Emily Syme & Ffion Morgan start as well. Abi Harrison, Mari Ward, Sille Struck drop to the bench. Satara Murray out after getting injured last week KO 12.30pm, live on FA Player for those that couldn't make it to the (ahem) Poundland Bescot Stadium Edited February 3 by shahanshahan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eco Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 1-0 down early, Thestrup equaliser within a couple of mins. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eco Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 1-1 HT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midlands Robin Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 The first 15 minutes were poor and we were almost 2 goals behind before Villa scored their first. We have slowly grown in confidence over the rest of the half and our goal was well taken. Pressing them well in Midfield now. Fingers crossed we keep pushing on in the second half. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old_eastender Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 As expected Villa had most of the possession, but we have had a few good chances to get in on goal during breaks spoilt only by woeful final passes. Whilst it stays 1-1, we have a chance of nicking another as Vila defence seems their weakness. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shahanshahan Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midlands Robin Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 Went to sleep at the back 2-1 Villa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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