Nige - BBCRB - snippet pre-Swansea

[fisherrich]

39 minutes ago, BS3 Ark at Ee said:

My biggest gripe is the “talk of top six finish”, get 15,000 fans to buy up season tickets, memberships etc, sell Scott then decide to let us all know that none of the £25m will be invested in strengthening the squad!.....cheers Steve

Lansdown is full of bull sh*te to get 15K City fans to buy season tickets. Treats us all as low life punters.

[And Its Smith]

1 hour ago, cidered abroad said:

I did not say he would choose to go. But it seems to me on the cards that he will be asked to leave.

Very much doubt it 

[johnbytheriver]

It seems a sad sad situation a man who loves the club, has invested heavily, yet in football terms does not know his ass from his elbow. Appoints his son as chairman(nepotism) and it looks as though the man who has saved us from ffp punishment will be cast asde without any appreciation.

[Merrick's Marvels]

33 minutes ago, BUTOR said:

 I don’t feel that some of the things being said reflect the actual reality of the situation

Welcome to the internet!

(I agree with your post, mind)

Edited September 1, 2023 by Merrick's Marvels

[Nogbad the Bad]

58 minutes ago, BUTOR said:

At the same time, if Lansdown suddenly allocates 20% of the Scott fee towards a creative midfielder and a centre back, does some of this vitriol suddenly go away? I doubt it.

On the contrary, SL providing those funds to attend to glaring weaknesses in a small squad and giving renewed hope to the fans that we can still have some hope of an exciting season, would make a huge difference.

Most crucially though it would be a show of support for the manager.

[Davefevs]

8 minutes ago, Nogbad the Bad said:

On the contrary, SL providing those funds to attend to glaring weaknesses in a small squad and giving renewed hope to the fans that we can still have some hope of an exciting season, would make a huge difference.

Most crucially though it would be a show of support for the manager.

Although I’d question, why now on the last day of the window!

[Glen hump]

Just now, Davefevs said:

Although I’d question, why now on the last day of the window!

Possibly feeling a bit of heat 

[Superjack]

17 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Although I’d question, why now on the last day of the window!

As indeed, Pearson has.

[tin]

1 hour ago, BUTOR said:

At the same time, if Lansdown suddenly allocates 20% of the Scott fee towards a creative midfielder and a centre back, does some of this vitriol suddenly go away? I doubt it. The margins don’t seem that tight. It seems like it’s the result of years of frustration which again I understand.  Some of you have been supporting City a lot longer than I have and if you are a senior fan I can see how you’d be completely ground down by the prospect of another false dawn. However there has to be some perspective on the actual situation at hand, today, right now. We’ve adopted a strategy that most of us thought was necessary after the mess we found ourselves in recently and we’re sticking to it. We’ve spent money, yes not proportional with the incoming but still not insignificant amounts across the last two windows. We’ve got a manager determined to get on with the situation in hand despite what scrolling past news bites might suggest.

We’ve seen this club in crisis, it isn’t in crisis now.

I remember a thread after the West Brom Boxing Day loss last season. ‘The Lansdowns are a pox on this football club’, or something like that. Football is a results business in every way and this is what bad results do. They tint the perspective on everything and cause frantic, dramatic responses. Especially when expectation isn’t met. It’s always been the same. A couple of wins, a good performance and a result at Swansea, everything settles down. People start seeing the positives more, the players due to come back from injury, perhaps Yeobah makes an impact and all of a sudden we’re looking towards the horizon of a successful season. As it happens we have had 3 poor home performances which, in my opinion, has accounted for the overwhelming majority of this negativity. 

By the way, I called for the managers head that day against West Brom, I’m not claiming to be above the reactionary fan, I would also love to see a new addition to the midfield and think we need one. But there is a real imbalance and paranoia to some of the stuff being written on here recently that is genuinely quite bizarre. We’re four games into the league season, let’s see how things unfold and try not to let the past overwhelm what could be possible in the present. 

Good post. My view is not founded upon three poor home performances; I actually think Birmingham looked a decent side and the point v PNE might turn out to be a good one.

My frustration (and, yes, it does build on a historical resentment towards the Lansdowns, for decisions and personal experiences with them both) boils down to not spending any of the Scott cash after a) SL said Nige could spend what he raised, and b) us having 17 fit players in a squad that lacks quality after Scott was sold. I fear lack of investment might   risk our second-tier status and that SL is playing a dangerous game.

[mozo]

3 hours ago, Spike said:

I fully agree with your points but highlighted the SL bit because it still frustrates me that people write this narrative of SL is in it for the money. The man has done nothing but spend money on this club, he's sold shares in his business to finance the stadium, the training ground, to balance the books when the club couldn't do it on its own merit and still people insult him like he's cheap. I would genuinely be interested to see how much money he has lost to this club because I don't think for a second he's made any personal profit. 

Also whilst I'm on the subject, it really sucks that we're not reinvesting but I'm seeing this as SL finally putting his foot down and saying "I want the club to be able to survive without me" and I fully understand that. Does it mean we're going to struggle more? I think it's obvious to say that we will, but if the club can't get itself in a position where it pays for itself what happens when SL is gone? How likely are we to find another owner who will endlessly pump cash into the club only to get hamstringed by FFP which will see us unable to achieve promotion and have to go through another wages reduction etc.

If new owners come in, splash the cash and we fall short again, as we did under Ashton and LJ then we find ourselves back in the wages reduction and rebuild situation and then the new owners have to put more cash in without any progress. Realistically, who is going to do that for a club that has never been in the Premier League? Only a City fan would be that crazy IMO which is why SL has done that exact thing for so long. 

We're all City fans, but if tomorrow sometime said "throw all the money you have at City this season and we'll have a much better chance of promotion" how many of you would do it knowing that it may not end in promotion but would certainly leave you having to sell more of your assets to be able to try it all over again with the knowledge that this was what you'd be doing for 20 years with no improvement? 

SL has been injecting cash into this club for over half of my life and I'm no spring chicken, I can understand that good dear is that if he sells the club and it can't stand on its own merit, then the next owner could lose interest and if they're not a fan of the club or is no longer a club they love, it's just another asset they have. SL is a fan so as much as it frustrates when he tightens the strings, I do think he does it as a man in a position to see that the club need it to survive without him funding it. It's hard to accept that when we've just sold our star player and only invested the tiniest amount in a loan with a view to buy but I do think that SL is looking to sell and he doesn't want to sell the club in a position where the buyer needs to come in and spend years trying to fix overspending. I think his plan is to sell the club with a decent squad, when all are fit, but with room to spend on players so the new owners can impliment the changes that they want to without being constrained by large wages bills and FFP issues. 

What does this mean for us this season? It means we'll struggle, but we'll aim to get by, to do our best and then invest when a new owner comes in or when a new manager takes over. Either way I don't begrudge SL, I'm frustrated by our shortcomings during the Ashton era but I can understand SL's cut backs to improve the clubs stance to be sold with potential for the new owners to get off on the right foot by being able to offer more wages and money to spend without large constraints on them.

That's fine, but it keeps coming back to managing expectations. If times have changed and profit is now banked, just tell us. Then we can revise our expectations re what we can expect to achieve. 

SL said recently that we have a squad capable of competing at the top end. I'm not sure everyone agrees.

So, yes SL can take this approach but he's so disconnected from the fans that discontent is building.

[WolfOfWestStreet]

Some pretty wild arm chair speculation on here even for this forums standards. 

Feels like people are just making things up at this point. 

[wendyredredrobin]

20 hours ago, Numero Uno said:

Totally agree with Pearson's stance on this btw. Why should he answer the questions on investment in the club? Not his pigeon. We have a CEO, a Chairman and an Owner.

And where are they?  Not showing a great anount of interest in the football club at the moment which will be heading towards L1 based on the dross I've seen being served up so far this season.

Still, enjoying the lovely sunshine in the Channel Islands or Bermuda or wherever they may all be at the moment.

To think that not long ago we were looking towards the top six, beating premier league teams month after month (including a full strength Man Utd) and even giving the Premier League champions a run for their money.

You can't blame FFP, COVID or the economic climate because it's the same for every club.

Something stinks at this club at the moment and if it looks like sh1t and smells like sh1t it usually is sh1t.

[Spike]

28 minutes ago, mozo said:

That's fine, but it keeps coming back to managing expectations. If times have changed and profit is now banked, just tell us. Then we can revise our expectations re what we can expect to achieve. 

SL said recently that we have a squad capable of competing at the top end. I'm not sure everyone agrees.

So, yes SL can take this approach but he's so disconnected from the fans that discontent is building.

Oh yeah, I agree fully that his handling of the situation is way off. 

The argument about competing at the top end, I can kind of understand what he's saying but I think he's worded it poorly. If he means the top half, then it's a fake comment when they squad is all fit. The issue is, right now we have a lot of long term injuries so that squad is not the squad we have. I understand the fans frustrations but I do wonder if NP has said "this is what I need" and then he's got what he's asked for, only for the injuries to pile up and then he knows he needs more, the issue being if we have what we need them buying more in means we have too many players when everyone is fit at which point we're stuck with more" dead wood"? 

I don't think players don't want short term contracts so bringing in players on 1 year contracts may not be possible, at least not with the quality required?

I kind of understand where SL is if he's been told "I need this" and he's been given it but due to injuries he's now asking for more so he's putting his foot down. I don't agree with it, we need players to cover the injuries, whether they be short term contracts or loan deals SL should be having a discussion with NP and finding a middle ground. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

There is a small bit of method to holding back transfer profit though.

The new owner whoever it is inherits the financial position and the more headroom there is at time of takeover the more they can invest from the getgo in pursuit of that ROI.

Prospective new owner must show a prospective two Year Business Plan as part of Owners and Directors Test and part of this will cover financials which includes FFP.

In 2021 and 2022 we would have been a very unattractive proposition from this perspective.

Edited September 1, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Davefevs]

12 minutes ago, Spike said:

Oh yeah, I agree fully that his handling of the situation is way off. 

The argument about competing at the top end, I can kind of understand what he's saying but I think he's worded it poorly. If he means the top half, then it's a fake comment when they squad is all fit. The issue is, right now we have a lot of long term injuries so that squad is not the squad we have. I understand the fans frustrations but I do wonder if NP has said "this is what I need" and then he's got what he's asked for, only for the injuries to pile up and then he knows he needs more, the issue being if we have what we need them buying more in means we have too many players when everyone is fit at which point we're stuck with more" dead wood"? 

I don't think players don't want short term contracts so bringing in players on 1 year contracts may not be possible, at least not with the quality required?

I kind of understand where SL is if he's been told "I need this" and he's been given it but due to injuries he's now asking for more so he's putting his foot down. I don't agree with it, we need players to cover the injuries, whether they be short term contracts or loan deals SL should be having a discussion with NP and finding a middle ground. 

It’s clear from what Nige said yesterday, that is not the case:

Its perfectly clear this is an imposed wage budget.

[chinapig]

2 hours ago, Glen hump said:

Possibly feeling a bit of heat 

Steve has made it abundantly clear that he doesn't give a toss what fans think. I suspect he is totally chilled therefore.

[Superjack]

The only reason that I think Pearson won't walk is that he is likely looking forward to retirement next summer and doesn't want to forego the earnings. 

That's the ONLY reason I can think of.

Because if I were him, I would have walked already.

[Alessandro]

3 hours ago, tin said:

Good post. My view is not founded upon three poor home performances; I actually think Birmingham looked a decent side and the point v PNE might turn out to be a good one.

My frustration (and, yes, it does build on a historical resentment towards the Lansdowns, for decisions and personal experiences with them both) boils down to not spending any of the Scott cash after a) SL said Nige could spend what he raised, and b) us having 17 fit players in a squad that lacks quality after Scott was sold. I fear lack of investment might   risk our second-tier status and that SL is playing a dangerous game.

FWIW (and that I don't agree with all this but..) I think we are now only seeing the reality of a new financial strategy that has been coming for 2 and a half years, but has been hidden behind the cost cutting we've been doing.

I suspect for many they felt we've been in a FFP blip and that we'd go back to something similar to what we did before, spending what we earn freely and sugar Daddy Steve stumping up a little extra from time to time, FFP permitting (something we got used to for several years). But those days seem done now for SL. You can tell in the way he speaks of the club more as a business now. 

Budgets have been set and should be stuck too. Something we didn't do before, perhaps SL is learning his MA lessons? Let's not forget SL also said we'd spent some of Scott's money already in anticipation of him leaving, so no doubt budgeted before in advance. He also talked about "biding time while we develop players" - i.e longer term strategies, rather than cash burning holes in pockets.

Yes football spends what it earns - but that could easily mean the budget is re-assessed at the next window, or following year, to reflect revenue = sustainable and give squad time to develop (see above). Sustainable a word they use a lot. 'What all sensible businesses do' - I believe SL said himself. He also said in interview IIRC, despite talking about top 6 aims, something about needing serious investment, something he couldn't/wouldn't do anymore, if you have premier league aspirations....

I think this is our new reality, as frustrating as it may be. So what's the point then of just treading water Steve? All this behaviour leads me to conclude one thing, not that he wants to shaft the club for residential £m's, be fine to see us relegated or to do over NP - but that he wants to spend as little as possible 'propping up' the club going forward and it doesn't take a genius to work out why.

I also don't think we've gone from a team that could have a look at the top 6 a few weeks ago, to relegation candidates, with a few injuries. I think you're getting a little carried away there. Maybe we've tried to get someone in today and got turned down, Campbell for e.g - but players will return and some youngsters will use the chance to step up...see Yeboah.  

Again as I've said before - communication communication communication. Always been a problem and continues to be, that would help things hugely. 

Edited September 1, 2023 by Alessandro

[Sleepy1968]

18 hours ago, extonsred said:

Just a thought...if SL has not been successful with the many managers he's chosen....what chance he'd find the right buyers to sell to? Would they be after making a quick buck or producing a great team for Bristol?

How many suitors will there be? I think he'll sell up to the first potential buyer that comes close enough to his valuation. If any do ...

[extonsred]

6 minutes ago, Sleepy1968 said:

How many suitors will there be? I think he'll sell up to the first potential buyer that comes close enough to his valuation. If any do ...

I think he's been negotiating with a buyer for some time...and when our CEO arrived there was talk of him having contacts in the US. Probably why both are avoiding questioning at the moment.

Yes I am a conspiracy theorist but believe there may be something in this...as do others I chat City with!

[Sleepy1968]

1 minute ago, extonsred said:

I think he's been negotiating with a buyer for some time...and when our CEO arrived there was talk of him having contacts in the US. Probably why both are avoiding questioning at the moment.

Yes I am a conspiracy theorist but believe there may be something in this...as do others I chat City with!

Not beyond the realms of possibility. The first we'll hear about any of this is when the new owner gets revealed on the roof, wearing our new away kit

[Hello Dave]

Can anyone send me a link or quotes from Lansdown, where he’s actually said , that whatever we get from the Scott deal would be invested in the team? I’ve never heard him say it , or read any quotes. That’s not to say he didn’t mind!

[maxjak]

Cannot get round to reading everyone's points of view and comments, which i am certain to do later, but.............HNM signing for a Prem club and a possible Kelly 20% (Maybe not now, but likely in January)....... on top of the £30-35 mill in the bank. Yet no striker or creative midfielder, just Luton's answer to Lionel Messi (who is not even being played in his correct position ....doing him no favours?)   No communication to the loyal fan base who follow through thick and THIN, and who appear to be taken for granted.

It is a sad state of affairs IMHO.  With Covid and it's repercussions still being felt,   the state of the economy, and the mostly dire home performances,   Is it too much to ask for       the occasional communique from the club that we support, giving some hope and optimism for the future.   All we get is...........no incoming loans or transfers, a wage ceiling that cannot be broken, and a seemingly fed up manager giving out cryptic remarks ................All that, and the worry that our chairman's holiday home in the West Indies might  be hit by a Typhoon?    WTF - Ha!! 

[tin]

3 hours ago, Alessandro said:

FWIW (and that I don't agree with all this but..) I think we are now only seeing the reality of a new financial strategy that has been coming for 2 and a half years, but has been hidden behind the cost cutting we've been doing.

I suspect for many they felt we've been in a FFP blip and that we'd go back to something similar to what we did before, spending what we earn freely and sugar Daddy Steve stumping up a little extra from time to time, FFP permitting (something we got used to for several years). But those days seem done now for SL. You can tell in the way he speaks of the club more as a business now. 

Budgets have been set and should be stuck too. Something we didn't do before, perhaps SL is learning his MA lessons? Let's not forget SL also said we'd spent some of Scott's money already in anticipation of him leaving, so no doubt budgeted before in advance. He also talked about "biding time while we develop players" - i.e longer term strategies, rather than cash burning holes in pockets.

Yes football spends what it earns - but that could easily mean the budget is re-assessed at the next window, or following year, to reflect revenue = sustainable and give squad time to develop (see above). Sustainable a word they use a lot. 'What all sensible businesses do' - I believe SL said himself. He also said in interview IIRC, despite talking about top 6 aims, something about needing serious investment, something he couldn't/wouldn't do anymore, if you have premier league aspirations....

I think this is our new reality, as frustrating as it may be. So what's the point then of just treading water Steve? All this behaviour leads me to conclude one thing, not that he wants to shaft the club for residential £m's, be fine to see us relegated or to do over NP - but that he wants to spend as little as possible 'propping up' the club going forward and it doesn't take a genius to work out why.

I also don't think we've gone from a team that could have a look at the top 6 a few weeks ago, to relegation candidates, with a few injuries. I think you're getting a little carried away there. Maybe we've tried to get someone in today and got turned down, Campbell for e.g - but players will return and some youngsters will use the chance to step up...see Yeboah.  

Again as I've said before - communication communication communication. Always been a problem and continues to be, that would help things hugely. 

Sensible points as always, @Alessandro. I think your last sentence sums it up perfectly for me. Communication is key. If what you said is indeed our strategy, why can’t the board be open about it? Why feel the need to talk about a promotion push or compare us to Luton, ignoring all relevant context while doing so? 

Investment post-Scott would galvanise the club IMO, for players to fans and everyone in between. And I’m not asking for Nige to be given a £25m war chest, but to give up bugger all at a time when it’s really needed is abysmal IMO and only serves to fuel my feelings of the Lansdowns. 

[Bristol Oil Services]

21 hours ago, Kingswood Robin said:

Exactly, why wait? Follow through on what's been started. A new manager will come in with new ideas and will want to move in a different direction. We'll lose momentum and have to wait another season and another season and so it goes on.

More importantly you can't expect your home support to sit through another wasted season where goals are as rare as rocking horse shit.

What are we doing?

What are we doing? We are Biden our time

[Hxj]

16 hours ago, The Constant Rabbit said:

OR - a property developer, that can see the hard yards have been done, and will pay much much more for the very desirable location.

I think that people need to go back and read the planning permission details for both 'The Sporting Quarter' and 'Ashton Vale'.  

[MelksRed]

10 hours ago, BUTOR said:

What I don’t want is for us as a fan base to write off a season and squad that could yet prove positive before they’ve even had a chance. The manager has faith in them, most of us have faith in the manager, so let’s see how they develop.

Agree with this entirely. Pearson has his hands tied and can do nothing except believe he can get the beast out of his squad as is. 

My concern is that the results will not come fast enough (football is a results based game after all), AG becomes a pit of criticism, the results falter further then the inevitable happens....players give up, manager gets sacked, sh1t hits the fan.....

Look at Reading last season. 

[W-S-M Seagull]

5 hours ago, Hello Dave said:

Can anyone send me a link or quotes from Lansdown, where he’s actually said , that whatever we get from the Scott deal would be invested in the team? I’ve never heard him say it , or read any quotes. That’s not to say he didn’t mind!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0fl2y3w

5:15

[Mr Popodopolous]

8 hours ago, wendyredredrobin said:

And where are they?  Not showing a great anount of interest in the football club at the moment which will be heading towards L1 based on the dross I've seen being served up so far this season.

Still, enjoying the lovely sunshine in the Channel Islands or Bermuda or wherever they may all be at the moment.

To think that not long ago we were looking towards the top six, beating premier league teams month after month (including a full strength Man Utd) and even giving the Premier League champions a run for their money.

You can't blame FFP, COVID or the economic climate because it's the same for every club.

Something stinks at this club at the moment and if it looks like sh1t and smells like sh1t it usually is sh1t.

We were worse placed than many tbh hence two years of austerity.

We overspent and Covid did hinder us as our model ran aground somewhat- there were adjustments to FFP due to Covid but within defined limits. Stoke took the piss and should be referred.

Now however, yeah the Scott money should see us investing in 2-3 players that the side badly needs.

[W-S-M Seagull]

We all know we're not signing anyone so why rub salt into it and tweet this.