Steve Lansdown interview

[Kid in the Riot]

23 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Plymouth’s owner is from….Plymouth.

Beyond that apart from the Villa bit (they are miles bigger than us) I totally agree, I used to be really proud that our owner was local, but I no longer care.

He's not really "local" anymore, having to reside in Guernsey for most of the year for tax purposes. 

Bristol City FC are already owned by an offshore company, and that would remain the same under new foreign ownership. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

8 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

At its most simplest…one idea - Invest in the playing squad rather than infrastructure, get promoted then use the £££s to sort the infrastructure out.

Alongside this invest in the best recruitment set up you can.

2008 would have been a very opportune time. January 2008 to be precise.

Other times perhaps a bit sketchier.

Edited August 27, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[REDOXO]

5 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

At its most simplest…one idea - Invest in the playing squad rather than infrastructure, get promoted then use the £££s to sort the infrastructure out.

Alongside this invest in the best recruitment set up you can.

The issue was players didn’t want to come to tatty Ashton Gate. When Kodjia signed some of the comments in France about our ground were not complimentary. Grey and Gayle were examples particularly Gayle who out right said I won’t go there. 
 

Jose Marinio publicly joked about send a player on loan to Bristol City. The club had to look the part to attract players. Of course Covid et al has become part of the equation, but we can attract players from lower leagues with alternative options here now. 
 

I don’t believe spending money more than he did on McInnes and LJ et al and not on the ground would have done a bloody thing. We only now have a guy that knows how to spend it and of course like SC the last one who had a clue we don’t have much. 
 

To be fair our youth recruitment is excellent and our current recruitment of players is decent. Where is Engval playing now? 

[Merrick's Marvels]

4 hours ago, Winterstoke toad said:

The thing is mate none of those clubs would swap what they’ve done to be like Bristol city .

Ain't that the truth! 

Ooh, if only we were more like Bristol City.... they've never thought for even a millisecond. 

[Tim Monaghan]

6 hours ago, ORANGE500 said:

To be replaced by some dodgy foreign owner no doubt,what could possibly go wrong? I suspect  Steve Lansdown won't be appreciated until he's gone  although there are some like myself who have the good sense to highly value his contribution.to the club and hope it contiues.

 

 

 

It's interesting how, at the point he decides to sell, or in even more unfortunate circumstances, should something unthinkable transpire, people will likely start acknowledging his greatness.

Lansdown seems to parallel the "Brexit" situation, doesn't he? Just like there were some who believed leaving was the right choice, reality has shown a different perspective, often leading to a loss of appreciation for what was initially undervalued.

 

 

[Merrick's Marvels]

5 hours ago, frenchred said:

Fulham, Bournmouth and Villa

Don't be frightened of change, it has as much chance or working for us as against us

 

If you think Villa aren't one of the biggest clubs in the country, your opinions aren't to be taken seriously.

Albeit, I do agree about not being afraid of change. 

"Be careful what you wish for" is just a cowardly excuse for carrying on with the same failed ideology. But I will admit, if his record of choosing managers is anything to go by... 

Edited August 27, 2023 by Merrick's Marvels

[One Team]

23 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

2008 would have been a very opportune time. January 2008 to be precise.

Other times perhaps a bit sketchier.

I’d add July 2015 to that as well. 

[Bris Red]

15 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

The issue was players didn’t want to come to tatty Ashton Gate. When Kodjia signed some of the comments in France about our ground were not complimentary. Grey and Gayle were examples particularly Gayle who out right said I won’t go there. 
 

Jose Marinio publicly joked about send a player on loan to Bristol City. The club had to look the part to attract players. Of course Covid et al has become part of the equation, but we can attract players from lower leagues with alternative options here now. 
 

I don’t believe spending money more than he did on McInnes and LJ et al and not on the ground would have done a bloody thing. We only now have a guy that knows how to spend it and of course like SC the last one who had a clue we don’t have much. 
 

To be fair our youth recruitment is excellent and our current recruitment of players is decent. Where is Engval playing now? 

I’m sorry but i think that is rubbish personally, Bournemouth have shown that success and being able to attract players has nothing to do with having great infrastructure in place. 

[Davefevs]

16 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

The issue was players didn’t want to come to tatty Ashton Gate. When Kodjia signed some of the comments in France about our ground were not complimentary. Grey and Gayle were examples particularly Gayle who out right said I won’t go there. 
 

Jose Marinio publicly joked about send a player on loan to Bristol City. The club had to look the part to attract players. Of course Covid et al has become part of the equation, but we can attract players from lower leagues with alternative options here now. 
 

I don’t believe spending money more than he did on McInnes and LJ et al and not on the ground would have done a bloody thing. We only now have a guy that knows how to spend it and of course like SC the last one who had a clue we don’t have much. 
 

To be fair our youth recruitment is excellent and our current recruitment of players is decent. Where is Engval playing now? 

I’m really surprised how many new players mention the HPC, I get it’s nice…but I’m sure a lot of players sign because they want to be successful.

I didn’t start really watching again til 2013/14 as SOD was close to going.  But still following the club, I felt that apart from GJ’s tenure - where he signed team players, that we attracted players who fancied a well-paid easy ride in Tier3.

Back 20 years ago most grounds were tatty weren’t they?

[Bris Red]

30 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

2008 would have been a very opportune time. January 2008 to be precise.

Other times perhaps a bit sketchier.

I said it at the time and i remember saying it to my old man walking out of Wembley after losing the play-off final in 2008, that was this football clubs best opportunity in a generation to reach the big time.

People may say it’s easy to say in hindsight but i think many of our fanbase knew at the time we would never get a better opportunity than that and it would take many many years to get a chance that good again. True to form we then slowly declined back to League one over the next few seasons. 
 

Lansdown bottled it in the January of 2008. I often wonder if secretly that will be his biggest regret if and when he does sell the club.

 

Edited August 27, 2023 by Bris Red

[One Team]

4 minutes ago, Bris Red said:

I’m sorry but i think that is rubbish personally, Bournemouth have shown that success and being able to attract players has nothing to do with having great infrastructure in place. 

Well indeed. Plenty of clubs have passed us on the way up without our standard of training ground, stadium and academy. I think they are all superb of course; but it hasn’t brought us the success others have had (dare I say yet?!). 

[One Team]

1 minute ago, Bris Red said:

I said it at the time and i remember saying it to my old man walking out of Wembley after losing the play-off final in 2008, that was this football clubs best opportunity in a generation to reach the big time.

People may say it’s easy to say in hindsight but i think many of our fanbase knew at the time we would never get a better opportunity than that and it would take many many years to get a chance that good again. True to form we then slowly declined back to League one over the next few seasons. 
 

Lansdown bottled it in the January of 2008. I often wonder if secretly that will be his biggest regret if and when he does sell the club.

 

Completely agree and like you said the same on the way home from Wembley.

I’ve said earlier in this thread how I find it hard to believe SL doesn’t want another push before he hands over the reign. I guess he can look back on the HPC, stadium and academy as a legacy and rightly so to a point. But as earlier mentioned on the thread it’s got us right back to where we were when he started.  

[Mr Popodopolous]

13 minutes ago, One Team said:

I’d add July 2015 to that as well. 

I'm a little more on the fence there, because there was still a doubt about the one year FFP rule which would be assessed in December 2016. Had we spent big and stayed down an embargo could have followed from January 2017. We had to be a little bit careful.

Maybe however had we signed Maguire and Gray, less signings needed later which means it would all have computed out.

Edited August 27, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[REDOXO]

25 minutes ago, Bris Red said:

I’m sorry but i think that is rubbish personally, Bournemouth have shown that success and being able to attract players has nothing to do with having great infrastructure in place. 

Once you have premier league money the position changes. When you don’t it certainly isn’t rubbish it’s a fact of life.
 

Some managers can sometimes have the presence to attract a good player to a shithole but in general the facts are what they are. 
 

The yo-yo clubs and pretty much all of the top half championship teams have decent stadium thus it’s easier with that to attract players as you tend to have bigger crowds and are able to up sell more with beer food and concerts more. 

But hey live your fantasy! That Bournemouth and Luton are the norm!

[Mr Popodopolous]

People who cite Fulham are aware than Al Fayed underpinned their initial rise from the third tier to our level.

In a time pre FFP. Parachute Payments, yoyoing, Khan who is younger and richer than Al Fayed and their location dare I say underpinned their maintaining of yoyo status IMO.

Bournemouth rapid rise, underpinned by Parachute Payments, PL cash and higher loss limits thereafter.

If they had got yo a stage at this level where Parachute Payments hit the 3rd much less lucrative year or run out of yoyoing you may see a very different Bournemouth and Fulham.

Cardiff post Parachute Payments have been floundering a bit. Swansea okay but a poor start this time. Huddersfield?

Edited August 27, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[REDOXO]

37 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I’m really surprised how many new players mention the HPC, I get it’s nice…but I’m sure a lot of players sign because they want to be successful.

I didn’t start really watching again til 2013/14 as SOD was close to going.  But still following the club, I felt that apart from GJ’s tenure - where he signed team players, that we attracted players who fancied a well-paid easy ride in Tier3.

Back 20 years ago most grounds were tatty weren’t they?

I agree Dave. But our ground was tatty seven years ago. I was at the Walsall game 12500. Got To meet the players after the match. One of my better days. 
 

Edit

That’s supposed to be me and Aiden Flint  however meet my dog Poppy!

Edited August 27, 2023 by REDOXO

[cidered abroad]

28 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I’m really surprised how many new players mention the HPC, I get it’s nice…but I’m sure a lot of players sign because they want to be successful.

I didn’t start really watching again til 2013/14 as SOD was close to going.  But still following the club, I felt that apart from GJ’s tenure - where he signed team players, that we attracted players who fancied a well-paid easy ride in Tier3.

Back 20 years ago most grounds were tatty weren’t they?

If I was a real cynic, I'd say that all the new signings mention it because the club suggests that it would be good to mention HPC in their arrival video.

The HPC is better than previous by a long way and plenty of other clubs at our level.

But we must also be a long way from what the top eight/ten Premier clubs have.

My guess is that Pearson's policy of playing Academy graduates is a something that impresses the the recruits of all ages for differing reasons.

Those like Wells, James, Williams and King are helping the young ones in training and the young ones realise that age is not a barrier to a first team appearance.

For those reasons, I can only hope that if Lansdown is still here when Pearson does move aside, we find a manager in a similar mould of building teams instead of those who haven't a clue and who waste £millions with dross.

[Bristol Oil Services]

25 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

Once you have premier league money the position changes. When you don’t it certainly isn’t rubbish it’s a fact of life.
 

Some managers can sometimes have the presence to attract a good player to a shithole but in general the facts are what they are. 
 

The yo-yo clubs and pretty much all of the top half championship teams have decent stadium thus it’s easier with that to attract players as you tend to have bigger crowds and are able to up sell more with beer food and concerts more. 

But hey live your fantasy! That Bournemouth and Luton are the norm!

You don't need good players to go up, Luton went up with players not as good as ours - source, Steve Lansdown - and ours were shite last season

[downendcity]

1 hour ago, Bris Red said:

I’m sorry but i think that is rubbish personally, Bournemouth have shown that success and being able to attract players has nothing to do with having great infrastructure in place. 

If we had been in the prem,  with premier league money, attracting players  to "tatty old Ashton Gate" would not have been a problem.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, One Team said:

Well indeed. Plenty of clubs have passed us on the way up without our standard of training ground, stadium and academy. I think they are all superb of course; but it hasn’t brought us the success others have had (dare I say yet?!). 

this superb stadium, the one we rent and have no say in who else plays here or the same one that brings us in millions in concert revenues, we play at Ashton Gate stadium for which we pay a fee to do so I believe? please enlighten me as to who gets the income from food/drink outlets on the matchday, thats after BS have taken their/his cut?

We werent asked if we wanted to go down this BS route and were totally ignored on the stadiums design etc, SL has called the shots because "he pays" his dream certainly aint mine

[City Rocker]

5 hours ago, Mr Hankey said:

... we always mock and praise the almighty that we aren’t Cardiff with their owners……but do you honestly think Cardiff would swap thier current situation and history for ours?  Not a fooking chance they would!

No idea what you're getting at here. Cardiff have no history to speak of, any more than we do.
Two of my oldest friends are Cardiff City fans and I can assure you they would take a Steve Lansdown equivalent - a locally born and bred rich bloke who has the interests of the football club at heart, rather than chasing profit - over Vincent Tan, in a heartbeat. If such a person exists in Cardiff. But the truth is, Steve Lansdown equivalents are few and far between, for most clubs

[Mr Popodopolous]

15 minutes ago, wtf said:

this superb stadium, the one we rent and have no say in who else plays here or the same one that brings us in millions in concert revenues, we play at Ashton Gate stadium for which we pay a fee to do so I believe? please enlighten me as to who gets the income from food/drink outlets on the matchday, thats after BS have taken their/his cut?

We werent asked if we wanted to go down this BS route and were totally ignored on the stadiums design etc, SL has called the shots because "he pays" his dream certainly aint mine

Save for rugby specific revenue, it goes to Bristol City Holdings all the Ashton Gate Limited revenue.

We as a club may rent but it computes out at the Group level, ie the consolidator Bristol City Holdings.

I do share some disappointment that we don't have a Home 'End' as such. The 'Singing Section' being restricted to about 1.2k and in a corner isn't ideal.

Otoh from a football POV being in a redeveloped original ground in the same location can perhaps be better than a wholly new off site ground. Perhaps needs a bigger safe Standing area!

[Superjack]

1 hour ago, cidered abroad said:

If I was a real cynic, I'd say that all the new signings mention it because the club suggests that it would be good to mention HPC in their arrival video.

The HPC is better than previous by a long way and plenty of other clubs at our level.

But we must also be a long way from what the top eight/ten Premier clubs have.

My guess is that Pearson's policy of playing Academy graduates is a something that impresses the the recruits of all ages for differing reasons.

Those like Wells, James, Williams and King are helping the young ones in training and the young ones realise that age is not a barrier to a first team appearance.

For those reasons, I can only hope that if Lansdown is still here when Pearson does move aside, we find a manager in a similar mould of building teams instead of those who haven't a clue and who waste £millions with dross.

I have long believed that new signings are briefed by the club on what to say in a first interview. 

Not necessarily a bad thing btw... given how much our fanbase seem to set store by it.

[EmersonsKev]

10 hours ago, frenchred said:

Was this the last time he spoke to the fans

Time for the bloke to sale up and move on

Be careful what you wish for my friend!  Ask fans of West Brom, Reading, Wigan if they'd like Mr Lansdown as an owner.  I do not wish to be an American circus, chants of "U. S. A" from Birmingham fans last week nearly made me puke. 

 

Yes he's made mistakes along the way he'd be the first to admit it.  The way FFP restricts clubs not in receipt of Premier League parachute payments.  It doesn't allow someone like Steve or anyone else for that matter to spend there own money as they wish.  

[REDOXO]

1 hour ago, Bristol Oil Services said:

You don't need good players to go up, Luton went up with players not as good as ours - source, Steve Lansdown - and ours were shite last season

EXACTLY. WE HAVE ONLY NOW got a manager that is putting together a team. And not buying effing metaphorical clubs for a metaphorical bag!

[Mr Hankey]

11 hours ago, City Rocker said:

No idea what you're getting at here. Cardiff have no history to speak of, any more than we do.
Two of my oldest friends are Cardiff City fans and I can assure you they would take a Steve Lansdown equivalent - a locally born and bred rich bloke who has the interests of the football club at heart, rather than chasing profit - over Vincent Tan, in a heartbeat. If such a person exists in Cardiff. But the truth is, Steve Lansdown equivalents are few and far between, for most clubs

Two out of however many thousands isn’t exactly a large pool to garner a proper opinion.
 

My point is that people are terrified of foreign ownership & use Cardiff as some sort of example, but they have been a much more successful club than us since we have had Lansdown and they have had Tan - not saying that i want Vincent Tan at all & i don’t actively want SL gone (but if he decides to boot Pearson out then i certainly will be) but you can’t deny he has had more success than what Lansdown has. Based on their recent Premier league exposure, once Tan is actually serious about selling the club they will find a buyer quite quickly & not end up extinct.

Edited August 28, 2023 by Mr Hankey

[cidercity1987]

10 hours ago, EmersonsKev said:

Be careful what you wish for my friend!  Ask fans of West Brom, Reading, Wigan if they'd like Mr Lansdown as an owner.  I do not wish to be an American circus, chants of "U. S. A" from Birmingham fans last week nearly made me puke. 

 

Yes he's made mistakes along the way he'd be the first to admit it.  The way FFP restricts clubs not in receipt of Premier League parachute payments.  It doesn't allow someone like Steve or anyone else for that matter to spend there own money as they wish.  

Wigan, an absolutely tiny club, won the FA Cup 10 years ago

You really think they'd swap their last 25 years for ours under Lansdown??

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 hours ago, Mr Hankey said:

Two out of however many thousands isn’t exactly a large pool to garner a proper opinion.
 

My point is that people are terrified of foreign ownership & use Cardiff as some sort of example, but they have been a much more successful club than us since we have had Lansdown and they have had Tan - not saying that i want Vincent Tan at all & i don’t actively want SL gone (but if he decides to boot Pearson out then i certainly will be) but you can’t deny he has had more success than what Lansdown has. Based on their recent Premier league exposure, once Tan is actually serious about selling the club they will find a buyer quite quickly & not end up extinct.

To take Cardiff as an example, will it be the carrot of promotion given past experiences of it that entices new owner. First one came predating the financial regs, 2nd one came while bolstered by FFP.

Problem  there is an income of £20-25m, in a League where Parachute clubs get £40-50m in Parachutes alone plus an extra £22m for each PL season provided equity etc. Odds are stacked against as they are for most.

"Oh and you can't invest to catch up with Parachute money.

"Oh and selling or selling and leasing back to try and bridge this gap doesn't count towards the 3 year losses.

"Oh and same goes for all Fixed Assets...

"...Oh and shares in companies who own Fixed Assets that are part of the Group yeah that too.

"Debt write offs save for interest savings annually also not a factor.

"RPTs are subject to Fair Value rules etc.

"New ownership does not reset FFP but instead inherit the existing position, including a 2 year Business Plan submitted to the EFL including both funding and FFP".

Is it such an easy sell? Hull may need to get up by May 2025 or find some difficulties e.g. They are bolstered a bit by Lewis-Potter and a low low starting point.

Edited August 28, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Davefevs]

3 hours ago, Mr Hankey said:

Two out of however many thousands isn’t exactly a large pool to garner a proper opinion.
 

My point is that people are terrified of foreign ownership & use Cardiff as some sort of example, but they have been a much more successful club than us since we have had Lansdown and they have had Tan - not saying that i want Vincent Tan at all & i don’t actively want SL gone (but if he decides to boot Pearson out then i certainly will be) but you can’t deny he has had more success than what Lansdown has. Based on their recent Premier league exposure, once Tan is actually serious about selling the club they will find a buyer quite quickly & not end up extinct.

Kinda my point too.  That bit of success probably wins over having a loony of an owner for Cardiff fans.

Many on here harp back to the First Division days and wanting to see it again…yet it came at a price, Fourth Division football and almost going bust.

So what do we want?  And what risks are we prepared to take?

Is boom and bust as bad as many suggest?

[mozo]

29 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

So what do we want?  And what risks are we prepared to take?

Is boom and bust as bad as many suggest?

Cor, yeah all them fun stories you hear about the late 70s, I'll take another 1982!