Came across this..

[Mr Popodopolous]

Just over 25 years as we know, Ward left and a new manager came in. Maybe a week or so more in it. Came across this.

For those who are interested, little feature on Benny ahead of and with little bits of footage from the Grimsby game April 1999.

What Davidson said was interesting about the start he might need to win fans over!

[Simon bristol]

That was a happy time!!

[Redrascal2]

I wouldn't mind a modern day version of Akinbiyi playing for us now. He was a real handful back then and 20 plus goals in a struggling team. What a time that was.

[Fordy62]

14 minutes ago, Redrascal2 said:

I wouldn't mind a modern day version of Akinbiyi playing for us now. He was a real handful back then and 20 plus goals in a struggling team. What a time that was.

Correct. My fave ever striker. What a front three we had. And Shaun Taylor. Those were the days. 

[Silvio Dante]

26 minutes ago, Fordy62 said:

Correct. My fave ever striker. What a front three we had. And Shaun Taylor. Those were the days. 

Losing Shaun Taylor to injury was the single biggest reason we both finished second in the promotion season and then struggled the following year. We replaced him with Julian Watts - that’s like Lennon leaving the Beatles and replacing him with Ed Sheeran. They may officially do the same thing, but there is such a gulf in talent it’s unreal.

I will always view that season as a missed opportunity. We had the wrong man in charge in Ward (it’s forgotten sometimes that he himself had said he’d run out of ideas) and completely lopsided the recruitment - two of Akinbiyi, Anderson and Thorpe would have been fine then you use the funds to get better players in defence and midfield.

Akinbiyi though - loved him. Ironic that we recruited Tiny Penis and one factor was to try and keep AA, with TP then selling him and, IIRC, alleged to have benefitted as he had in his Gills contract a clause on player sale percentages and they got a sell on clause…

 

[Numero Uno]

53 minutes ago, Redrascal2 said:

I wouldn't mind a modern day version of Akinbiyi playing for us now. He was a real handful back then and 20 plus goals in a struggling team. What a time that was.

Akinbiyi was a monster for us then his career fell off a cliff. I remember that headed goal at Huddersfield where he left both his markers flattened on the deck. Probably get disallowed these days. Imagine being a centre half knowing you are up against that on a Saturday.

Edited November 10, 2023 by Numero Uno

[Spud21]

Absolutely loved Akinbiyi remember being in the Atyeo chanting "ade must stay" with tears in my eyes (only time I can remember ever being genuinely upset by football) 

Always thought Soren Anderson was an absolute baller but just never really clicked.

Was it that season that we brought in Billy Mercer as well or was that the season after? 

[Mr Popodopolous]

I missed the latter days of Ward, Shaun Taylor returning made a major difference.. 13 pts from the last 8 or 9 games.. 

We had a rally in April, 3 wins in the bounce but we couldn't sustain it sadly. Say we had a fair ref v Birmingham. Benny's first 2 games especially but 5 were catastrophic.

Bradford (A) 0-5

Wolves (H) 1-6

Stockport (H) 1-1

Crystal Palace (A) 1-2

Birmingham (A) 2-4

18 goals in 5 games.. we actually tightened up somewhat thereafter .

1 minute ago, Spud21 said:

Absolutely loved Akinbiyi remember being in the Atyeo chanting "ade must stay" with tears in my eyes (only time I can remember ever being genuinely upset by football) 

Always thought Soren Anderson was an absolute baller but just never really clicked.

Was it that season that we brought in Billy Mercer as well or was that the season after? 

Mercer was under Pulis oddly enough, a rare alright signing by him..1999/2000.

[Malago]

6 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

I missed the latter days of Ward, Shaun Taylor returning made a major difference.. 13 pts from the last 8 or 9 games.. 

We had a rally in April, 3 wins in the bounce but we couldn't sustain it sadly. Say we had a fair ref v Birmingham. Benny's first 2 games especially but 5 were catastrophic.

Bradford (A) 0-5

Wolves (H) 1-6

Stockport (H) 1-1

Crystal Palace (A) 1-2

Birmingham (A) 2-4

18 goals in 5 games.. we actually tightened up somewhat thereafter .

The real tragedy was it took us 8 years to get promoted back up.

[wendyredredrobin]

My recollection of Benny was that he was the worst manager ever to set foot inside Ashton Gate.  It was a long time ago and I suppose that recollections may vary (to coin a phrase).

Edited November 10, 2023 by wendyredredrobin

[Mr Popodopolous]

Davidson and his comments interest me tbh. Paraphrasing.

"Whoever came into that scenario would have had to have won the next 10 games on the bounce to have won everyone over, including the press".

Are fans more patient now, less patient now. Was Davidson wrong?

Edited November 10, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[ChubStixx]

Loving the nostalgia. Got goosebumps watching those highlights.

[RedRaw]

23 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

 

I will always view that season as a missed opportunity. We had the wrong man in charge in Ward (it’s forgotten sometimes that he himself had said he’d run out of ideas) and completely lopsided the recruitment - two of Akinbiyi, Anderson and Thorpe would have been fine then you use the funds to get better players in defence

 

IIRC I’m not sure Ward had total control of bringing in all 3 strikers

[Mr Popodopolous]

8 minutes ago, wendyredredrobin said:

My recollection of Benny was that he was the worst manager ever to set foot inside Ashton Gate.  It was a long time ago and I suppose that recollections may vary (to coin a phrase).

I'm sure he wasn't initially brought in as manager to be fair, technical director or similar but Ward walked.

[Silvio Dante]

22 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

I'm sure he wasn't initially brought in as manager to be fair, technical director or similar but Ward walked.

Correct - I think we did this one a few weeks ago, but for record - we’d had a horrible start, and Ward had publicly stated that he needed help, requesting that Ray Harford come in as technical director or similar (so in effect asking to influence the appointment above him). The board thought Benny was a better fit for this role and his remit was the football across the club; if you like he was a more qualified version of what Tinnions current role is.

The key for Benny coming in was his history in youth development - and he brought through several  young players in his short spell at the club.

City played Bolton, who were in or around the playoffs on Sky on a Friday night in October, we won 2-1. Ward resigned in a hissy fit after the game and Benny was put in charge. It wasn’t the job he was recruited for and he ended up with a marginally smaller ppg than Ward. However, he left the club having introduced the likes of Brown, Hill and Burnell to the team which left us in a strong position post relegation - ruined by Pulis signing a team of journeymen.

Benny, by the standard of the job he was brought into do (development across the club) did well. Had Ward not had a meltdown, it may well have worked.

Edited November 10, 2023 by Silvio Dante

[38MC]

22 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

I'm sure he wasn't initially brought in as manager to be fair, technical director or similar but Ward walked.

Delete - Silvio beat me to it

 

Edited November 10, 2023 by 38MC

[Spud21]

I always felt sorry for Benny in thst he was brought in to do a job and then very quickly ended up being shoehorned into another job. 

Don't think there will ever be a city player that I loved more than Matty Hill, cannot remember a specific moment where I was happier for a player than when he got his first goal at Swindon iirc. 

[Bristol Oil Services]

58 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

Losing Shaun Taylor to injury was the single biggest reason we both finished second in the promotion season and then struggled the following year. We replaced him with Julian Watts - that’s like Lennon leaving the Beatles and replacing him with Ed Sheeran. They may officially do the same thing, but there is such a gulf in talent it’s unreal.

I will always view that season as a missed opportunity. We had the wrong man in charge in Ward (it’s forgotten sometimes that he himself had said he’d run out of ideas) and completely lopsided the recruitment - two of Akinbiyi, Anderson and Thorpe would have been fine then you use the funds to get better players in defence and midfield.

Akinbiyi though - loved him. Ironic that we recruited Tiny Penis and one factor was to try and keep AA, with TP then selling him and, IIRC, alleged to have benefitted as he had in his Gills contract a clause on player sale percentages and they got a sell on clause…

 

If you paired Ed Sheeran with Paul McCartney, though .... or George, not quite so bad. I'm not sure John fares quite so well solo as he did as part of a band. A centre half called Julian though, that's very Bristol City; you don't catch Sheffield United, Burnley or Stoke (or Wolves, or Millwall) with defenders or centre halves called Julian (Julian Dicks being the exception that ....)

[italian dave]

1 hour ago, Silvio Dante said:

Losing Shaun Taylor to injury was the single biggest reason we both finished second in the promotion season and then struggled the following year. We replaced him with Julian Watts - that’s like Lennon leaving the Beatles and replacing him with Ed Sheeran. They may officially do the same thing, but there is such a gulf in talent it’s unreal.

I will always view that season as a missed opportunity. We had the wrong man in charge in Ward (it’s forgotten sometimes that he himself had said he’d run out of ideas) and completely lopsided the recruitment - two of Akinbiyi, Anderson and Thorpe would have been fine then you use the funds to get better players in defence and midfield.

Akinbiyi though - loved him. Ironic that we recruited Tiny Penis and one factor was to try and keep AA, with TP then selling him and, IIRC, alleged to have benefitted as he had in his Gills contract a clause on player sale percentages and they got a sell on clause…

 

Yes, we made some major mistakes, didn't we. Even at the time I seem to remember that the need for those three signings was questioned - it wasn't just hindsight in this case.

My recollection also is that part of that 'missed opportunity' was that Lennartsson wasn't the wrong choice to bring in alongside Ward, but we just completely screwed up the process and ended up with Ward walking out. 

[Mayes86]

The WBA game in Feb 99 was another huge blow to our survival, two bad injuries to key players in Bell and Testetimanu (both leg breaks iirc) and then to add insult to the injuries they equalised in something like the 98th min for a 2-2 draw.
 

I was 13 at the time in that stand and I haven’t liked WBA since and still haven’t seen us win up there.

[Mr Popodopolous]

In successive weeks, we conceded that goal at WBA and, either the week before or after, conceded the last minute penalty v Sunderland at AG.

Forgotten about the 2 injuries, pretty sure I read there was fighting in the crowd or similar in the West Brom game.

[Barrs Court Red]

10 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

In successive weeks, we conceded that goal at WBA and, either the week before or after, conceded the last minute penalty v Sunderland at AG.

Forgotten about the 2 injuries, pretty sure I read there was fighting in the crowd or similar in the West Brom game.

To say “it went right off” at half time would be an understatement. 

[Mr Popodopolous]

2 minutes ago, Barrs Court Red said:

To say “it went right off” at half time would be an understatement. 

Fighting between home and away? I wasn't there, was it poorly segregated- what occurred.

[Northern Red]

IIRC there was no police presence inside the ground as it hadn't been deemed necessary. A mistake, to put it mildly.

[PHILINFRANCE]

25 minutes ago, Mayes86 said:

The WBA game in Feb 99 was another huge blow to our survival, two bad injuries to key players in Bell and Testetimanu (both leg breaks iirc) and then to add insult to the injuries they equalised in something like the 98th min for a 2-2 draw.
 

I was 13 at the time in that stand and I haven’t liked WBA since and still haven’t seen us win up there.

 

18 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

In successive weeks, we conceded that goal at WBA and, either the week before or after, conceded the last minute penalty v Sunderland at AG.

I have only been to West Brom once, but was lucky enough to witness a very fortunate and important 1-0 victory - important, but also fortunate in the sense that we scored early and were then hanging on for the rest of the match.

Funnily enough, we drew 0-0 away to Sunderland in the same week.

Several weeks later we beat Portsmouth at home 1-0, again scoring early and resulting in yet another tense evening.

I suspect that most on here are too young to remember those matches, but they were most enjoyable.

[Antman]

3 hours ago, Fordy62 said:

Correct. My fave ever striker. What a front three we had. And Shaun Taylor. Those were the days. 

i think technically his name was 'oooh shaun taylor' 

[Antman]

2 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Davidson and his comments interest me tbh. Paraphrasing.

"Whoever came into that scenario would have had to have won the next 10 games on the bounce to have won everyone over, including the press".

Are fans more patient now, less patient now. Was Davidson wrong?

i may be wrong, but was SL finance director at this time? this was the start of his 'land grab' of all things City

[Mr Popodopolous]

Just now, Antman said:

i may be wrong, but was SL finance director at this time? this was the start of his 'land grab' of all things City

Will defer to others on this one, I dunno..my first season, only really got into the financial stuff maybe 5 or 6 years back.

[Redrascal2]

8 hours ago, Numero Uno said:

Akinbiyi was a monster for us then his career fell off a cliff. I remember that headed goal at Huddersfield where he left both his markers flattened on the deck. Probably get disallowed these days. Imagine being a centre half knowing you are up against that on a Saturday.

I loved it when a defender thought he had plenty of time and Akinbiyi set off to charge him down. They got rid of bloody quickly when they saw him coming. Or they ended up flying into the sidelines like they had been hit by a truck.

[Northern Red]

Remember Akinbiyi having a proper wrestling match with David Unsworth when we played Everton in the cup. Think both of them were booked.

Knew how to look after himself that lad.