25 years ago today (7th November 1998).

[Milton Red]

 

[Northern Red]

We actually took the lead in that game too.

[richwwtk]

I know we went down but I loved that season!

[22A]

6 minutes ago, richwwtk said:

I know we went down but I loved that season!

You sure? Here's what I wrote at the time. Please correct if I'm wrong anywhere, thanks.

At the start of the 1998-99 season, City, Rovers, Bournemouth and Cardiff all had their reserves expelled from the Combination as clubs in the South East didn’t want to travel too far. The clubs set up their own league with Bath, Yeovil and the three Devonshire clubs. City won it, but the competition was poor. To enhance the prospects of attracting youngsters to the Youth team, City formed a partnership with Clifton College and Bath University so that teenagers would have the benefit of a good education by joining Bristol City.

                To prepare for a higher division, City spent more in the summer of 1998 than ever before. 7,500 season tickets had been sold, a third of the ground’ s capacity. Forwards Ade Akinbiyi came from Gillingham for £1.2 million, Tony Thorpe from Fulham for £1 million and Danish International Soren Anderson was secured for £700,000. Other International players to arrive were midfielders Moldavian Ivan Tistimetanu and Hungarian Vilmos Sebok. This proved to be a dubious advantage later in the season. One night as defender Brennan played for Canada and Sebok scored a hat trick for his country, City were losing a vital game against fellow strugglers.  It was to be a season where they scored in nearly every game, but with Sean Taylor missing through injury and other stalwarts absent every few weeks, the defence was just not strong enough. Watford visited in August and won 4-1, in late Autumn City lost consecutive matches 5-0 and 6-1. The first win had not occurred until late September, 5-2 against fellow strugglers Crewe. In four consecutive games City had been winning, but conceded an equaliser in the last minute. After 16 matches, Benny Lennartson was brought in as a specific defence coach. John Ward felt this undermined his position, so he departed leaving Lennartson in charge. He had the worst start of any manager in the club’s history, just two wins in the first 22 games. Keith Welch was replaced in goal by Phillips, a local lad. Bo Anderson had been signed but Phillips kept him out for two months. Welch was released at the end of the season. Dyche, Torpey, Crambe and Thorpe all finished the season on loan to other clubs. The first three because they had not regained their places following long injuries, Thorpe because he was a disappointment. Hope had emerged at Easter when three consecutive victories were recorded, but then they slipped up as the others around them achieved shock results. City finished bottom of the division.

[nebristolred]

9 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

We actually took the lead in that game too.

But conceded the 5 before that and what added up to be the next 7 . Am I right in saying Bradford and Wolves were Benny's first 2 games?

[East End Old Boy]

12 minutes ago, richwwtk said:

I know we went down but I loved that season!

In a macabre sort of way, so did I!

[richwwtk]

12 minutes ago, 22A said:

You sure? Here's what I wrote at the time. Please correct if I'm wrong anywhere, thanks.

At the start of the 1998-99 season, City, Rovers, Bournemouth and Cardiff all had their reserves expelled from the Combination as clubs in the South East didn’t want to travel too far. The clubs set up their own league with Bath, Yeovil and the three Devonshire clubs. City won it, but the competition was poor. To enhance the prospects of attracting youngsters to the Youth team, City formed a partnership with Clifton College and Bath University so that teenagers would have the benefit of a good education by joining Bristol City.

                To prepare for a higher division, City spent more in the summer of 1998 than ever before. 7,500 season tickets had been sold, a third of the ground’ s capacity. Forwards Ade Akinbiyi came from Gillingham for £1.2 million, Tony Thorpe from Fulham for £1 million and Danish International Soren Anderson was secured for £700,000. Other International players to arrive were midfielders Moldavian Ivan Tistimetanu and Hungarian Vilmos Sebok. This proved to be a dubious advantage later in the season. One night as defender Brennan played for Canada and Sebok scored a hat trick for his country, City were losing a vital game against fellow strugglers.  It was to be a season where they scored in nearly every game, but with Sean Taylor missing through injury and other stalwarts absent every few weeks, the defence was just not strong enough. Watford visited in August and won 4-1, in late Autumn City lost consecutive matches 5-0 and 6-1. The first win had not occurred until late September, 5-2 against fellow strugglers Crewe. In four consecutive games City had been winning, but conceded an equaliser in the last minute. After 16 matches, Benny Lennartson was brought in as a specific defence coach. John Ward felt this undermined his position, so he departed leaving Lennartson in charge. He had the worst start of any manager in the club’s history, just two wins in the first 22 games. Keith Welch was replaced in goal by Phillips, a local lad. Bo Anderson had been signed but Phillips kept him out for two months. Welch was released at the end of the season. Dyche, Torpey, Crambe and Thorpe all finished the season on loan to other clubs. The first three because they had not regained their places following long injuries, Thorpe because he was a disappointment. Hope had emerged at Easter when three consecutive victories were recorded, but then they slipped up as the others around them achieved shock results. City finished bottom of the division.

I know all that, but I was more invested in that side than I have been for any other.

The City List had started meeting up before games, making for a really decent online and pre-match community in the early(ish) days of people being connected to the internet.

As a result, we were invited to meetings in the AG boardroom with Scott Davidson and I really felt closer to the club than I ever had before (my support began in 1985 so post 82)

I went to 44 of the 46 league games, and even bagged a grand in the half time draw at one home match. Also did all the cup matches and a fair few reserves.

It was a shame the football didn't match the enjoyment I was getting, but I loved that team, supported them wholeheartedly and still have a soft spot for Benny!

Edited November 7, 2023 by richwwtk

[steveybadger]

I guess the really interesting thing for me is where it says welcome to Ashton Gate Benny. Reminds me that we got rid of a popular manager prematurely…..

Biggest problem we had that season was the previous season - when big Shaun got injured

[CotswoldRed]

I am officially old. 

[Open End Numb Legs]

Mascots having some handbags, real or not, is always good fun. The T20 cricket final does that race around the outfield for the county mascots, puts a smile on everyone's faces.

[Northern Red]

Just now, CotswoldRed said:

I am officially old. 

Mad innit.

The realisation dawned on me yesterday when I discovered that Manning will be the first City boss who's younger than me.

[CotswoldRed]

Just now, Northern Red said:

Mad innit.

The realisation dawned on me yesterday when I discovered that Manning will be the first City boss who's younger than me.

Yep. That is a milestone. 

[Red-Robbo]

5 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

Mad innit.

The realisation dawned on me yesterday when I discovered that Manning will be the first City boss who's younger than me.

 

I've felt old since 2010, when the country got its first prime minister who was younger than me. 

[One Team]

15 minutes ago, richwwtk said:

I know all that, but I was more invested in that side than I have been for any other.

The City List had started meeting up before games, making for a really decent online and pre-match community in the early(ish) days of people being connected to the internet.

As a result, we were invited to meetings in the AG boardroom with Scott Davidson and I really felt closer to the club than I ever had before (my support began in 1985 so post 82)

I went to 44 of the 46 league games, and even bagged a grand in the half time draw at one home match. Also did all the cup matches and a fair few reserves.

It was a shame the football didn't match the enjoyment I was getting, but I loved that team, supported them wholeheartedly and still have a soft spot for Benny!

Didn’t realise you go back to City List days Rich, as do I. Met up a couple of times in the mid 90s when it was an email group.

[A Horse With No Name]

Carl Hutchings. Now there's a player who looked like he should have been decent.

[Northern Red]

6 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Carl Hutchings. Now there's a player who looked like he should have been decent.

Looked like Ruud Gullit. That was where the similarity ended.

[richwwtk]

50 minutes ago, One Team said:

Didn’t realise you go back to City List days Rich, as do I. Met up a couple of times in the mid 90s when it was an email group.

The meetups started in 1997 I think, from memory it all began as a result of myself and Jer Boon meeting up at a game to discuss a website he was starting and it snowballed from there

[Nogbad the Bad]

Went to the match with my then 7 year old and took his primary school friend for his first ever game.

Terrible game and atmosphere, threatening Wolves fans pointing and shouting at us in the Grandstand from the corner of EE all game, and walked past fighting by the Hen & Chicken on the way home.

He never went again!

 

[One Team]

7 minutes ago, richwwtk said:

The meetups started in 1997 I think, from memory it all began as a result of myself and Jer Boon meeting up at a game to discuss a website he was starting and it snowballed from there

Pretty sure I met up with a couple before then Rich, but did meet Jer Boon, JP and a few others around at the time you mention. I am pretty sure there were 25 of us on the email distribution list at the start, globally!

Edited November 7, 2023 by One Team

[22A]

1 hour ago, CotswoldRed said:

I am officially old. 

Nothing wrong with being old. I'm nearly 70. Therefore in my life time City has been promoted more times than relegated. 

When I retired, a leaving gift from work was a tee shirt emblazoned with........ 

"It's weird being the same age as old people". 

[Mr Popodopolous]

My first game. Maybe it was my 2nd. Vaguely recall a couple of years before, going v Peterborough with school. I was young of course this one, went with a parent.

Mascots fight was main highlight really!

This game, the amount of booing was quite something, to think we scored first too! An abiding memory was that when I was a bit sad that I couldn't bring a can of coke in a steward went and got a plastic cup or similar which was great. Nice touch.

Got GatePost somewhere from that day, seem to recall glossy leaflets too extolling a new European manager and bright future etc. This was around the time European managers were starting to become more commonplace here of course, late 1999s.

[Lanterne Rouge]

2 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

I've felt old since 2010, when the country got its first prime minister who was younger than me. 

What did it for me was watching FGR live on Sky and Mark Cooper`s son came on as a sub. I was therefore watching the grandson of a player I saw play.

[1960maaan]

 

 

1 hour ago, 22A said:

Nothing wrong with being old. I'm nearly 70. Therefore in my life time City has been promoted more times than relegated. 

When I retired, a leaving gift from work was a tee shirt emblazoned with........ 

"It's weird being the same age as old people". 

63 , started in 2nd Division so it's a draw so far for me.

3 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

I've felt old since 2010, when the country got its first prime minister who was younger than me. 

I've felt old since ......

Shit what did I come in here for ????

I'm here now might as well make a sandwich and tea. 

What was I saying ?

[SecretSam]

It's when you meet a teacher, copper, doctor, etc and think "they look young enough to be my son/daughter", then realise that's because they ARE young enough, etc. 

My current boss is young enough to be my daughter. 

I may have a little cry.

Edited November 7, 2023 by SecretSam

[Edgy Red]

I had a season ticket in the late 90's with my Dad and we did a fair few away trips too. Maybe, its an age thing but i enjoyed it more back then.

I may have got this wrong but i'm sure Benny said he would throw his cap in to the crowd after every victory... needless to say the club shop didn't run out of caps that season!

[Offside]

That was the first season I had a season ticket. The Wolves home game was horrible. 

It was an odd season, we had some good players but our defence was awful and we were wide open too often. I always felt confidence was an issue too - in one of the first games we let in a late equaliser at QPR and I’ve always thought that had we held on for the win the season might have panned out differently. Similarly, later in the season when WBA equalised deep in injury time in our game at this ground it felt like things were against us. Plus we suffered two serious injuries that game. 

There was a spell of games around Easter (I remember beating Portsmouth away) when it looked like we might perform a great escape, but it wasn’t to be. 

[22A]

6 minutes ago, Offside said:

and I’ve always thought that had we held on for the win the season might have panned out differently.

Just like last season. Conceded a last minute equaliser home to Blackpool, then three days later winning at FGR in the League Cup and...Conceded a last minute equaliser to then lose on pens.

We then struggled for the season.

[Sleepy1968]

It was the first outing of the eastend scoreboard as well, because I got asked about it on radio bristol after my post match rant. (I suppose it could have been another game - I ranted more than once on rb that season.)