Why Are We Constantly Celebrating Average & Our Failed Past?

[Rocking Red Cyril]

23 hours ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

What a strange post by Ghost Rider, I don't know where to begin with it.

Nothing to say Mr. P

That's a first 

[lenred]

3 minutes ago, Sheltons Army said:

This surely isn’t the same poster who was extremely rude and dismissive of a certain poster ,

and unable to gain any traction or support ,  like a 6 yr old primary school child , renamed himself ‘Spreadsheet Boy’......

Is it ? 
 

Face to face never a concern for me Len 

Amazing isn’t it

[Tim Monaghan]

1 minute ago, lenred said:

I’m not trawling through your history.  You can do it yourself.  But it’s genuinely hilarious you making out that your posts are any more convivial than most others’ on here. 

It’s genuinely hilarious!! 

Thought as much

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

There’s a thread from a while ago where a number of us did that, gave our names, but of bio etc.

To be fair, I'm not even just talking about on here, twitter etc would benefit from it too.  It would change everything. Imagine how much cleaner everything would be. I guarantee it would clear up online abuse if you have to sign up with your name, address and ID. Racist abuse would stop overnight. Only one thing stopping companies doing it, good old ££££.  People would drop off as they wouldn't be faceless, revenue would drop etc, etc. 
Thats a whole different topic though.  

[lenred]

1 minute ago, Ghost Rider said:

Thought as much

You have been given an example a few posts above!!!

Edited December 21, 2023 by lenred

[Tim Monaghan]

2 minutes ago, lenred said:

You have been given an example a few posts above!!!

I don't want to do this in a thread. I'll DM you. 

[lenred]

2 minutes ago, Ghost Rider said:

I don't want to do this in a thread. I'll DM you. 

I don’t want you to DM me thanks

[Tim Monaghan]

12 minutes ago, Sheltons Army said:

Face to face never a concern for me Len 

Sure, just like all the Anti Lansdown and Tinnion haters that showed up to the Q&A.  Like that you mean? 

[bcfc01]

15 hours ago, Winterstoke toad said:

Use to make me cringe seeing the Bristol city v Liverpool billboard and the korey smith v united one . Nothing wrong with looking back at fond memories but even league two clubs don’t have things like that up in the concourse.

Agreed.

But most L2 clubs either don't have a concourse or don't have one which could accommodate murals that size - and that illustrates where we are in the pecking order re facilities.

Back to the OP, I don't think we are much different to other league clubs where expectation is largely drawn from historic performance. Those that have a history of top flight football will have higher expectations than ourselves who live more in hope than expectation. 

For me, I am perfectly happy in the Championship, its a great division to be in and doesn't have any baggage of the EPL. A season or two "upstairs" every now and again would be good from a financial perspective, but I'm not overly fussed about it tbh. 

[johnheadbcfc]

3 hours ago, Andy sprod said:

Because he and his coaching team were capable of building a football club, unlike the the billionaire owner and his son who have over 20yrs spunking millions at making us bang average.

That's got nothing to do with what I said though! 

[Mr Popodopolous]

54 minutes ago, Ghost Rider said:

Sure, just like all the Anti Lansdown and Tinnion haters that showed up to the Q&A.  Like that you mean? 

Tickets went very swiftly this year, didn't go as quickly last year.

Constructive criticism and polite but searching questions of those in power are not just desirable but important IMO.

[BrizzleRed]

On 20/12/2023 at 11:41, Ghost Rider said:

I'm a bit fed up with everything Bristol City right now. It all just feels a bit backward, you know? Why are we so stuck in the past as a club and as fans, especially when we've not really achieved much? Check out the first page of the forum, and you'll see what I mean:

• Nigels leaving card
• Nigel Pearson, Bit of an Artist
• Making a fuss about winning the Carabao Cup 6 years ago (No mention of that Liverpool win we keep harping on about)
• Richard Gould back
• Mark Aston thread

And don't get me started on our social media team—constantly wishing old players happy birthday and every new shirt being some kind of "throwback." It's like we're stuck in a time loop or something.

Why can't we, as a club and a fanbase, be a bit more with the times? We seem to love the same old stuff, especially this weird obsession with Nigel Pearson. The guy was just so average, I don't get where all the love comes from. It's just basic and, well, a bit rubbish. We're basically cheering on failure and being okay with being average.

Why can't we, as a club and fanbase, get with the times a bit more? We're stuck on the same old things, especially this weird love for Nigel Pearson. The bloke was just so average; I'm scratching my head wondering why everyone's so into him apart from the fact he was a bit edgy. It's just basic and, well, a bit tinpot. We're basically cheering on failure and settling for being just average.

Am I the only one who thinks like this?

P.s Don't get me started with the love for Massengo just because he had big hair. Never has such a below average player been so lorded.  

 

So let me get this right.  We shouldn’t celebrate our meagre past successes, but should look forward optimistically to a rosy future under the same ownership who has delivered us over 20 years of that past mediocrity?

We also shouldn’t be holding in high esteem the most qualified manager we’ve had in decades, who managed to help turn this mess of a club around, with virtually no support or appreciation from above and whilst still maintaining our Championship status against the odds?

Please correct me if I’ve got any of that wrong, but at the moment, I can see sod all to look forward to with this club under this regime, so may as well look back and enjoy what little we’ve had in the past, as that may be all we get!!!

[Sixtyseconds]

On 20/12/2023 at 11:41, Ghost Rider said:

I'm a bit fed up with everything Bristol City right now. It all just feels a bit backward, you know? Why are we so stuck in the past as a club and as fans, especially when we've not really achieved much? Check out the first page of the forum, and you'll see what I mean:

• Nigels leaving card
• Nigel Pearson, Bit of an Artist
• Making a fuss about winning the Carabao Cup 6 years ago (No mention of that Liverpool win we keep harping on about)
• Richard Gould back
• Mark Aston thread

And don't get me started on our social media team—constantly wishing old players happy birthday and every new shirt being some kind of "throwback." It's like we're stuck in a time loop or something.

Why can't we, as a club and a fanbase, be a bit more with the times? We seem to love the same old stuff, especially this weird obsession with Nigel Pearson. The guy was just so average, I don't get where all the love comes from. It's just basic and, well, a bit rubbish. We're basically cheering on failure and being okay with being average.

Why can't we, as a club and fanbase, get with the times a bit more? We're stuck on the same old things, especially this weird love for Nigel Pearson. The bloke was just so average; I'm scratching my head wondering why everyone's so into him apart from the fact he was a bit edgy. It's just basic and, well, a bit tinpot. We're basically cheering on failure and settling for being just average.

Am I the only one who thinks like this?

P.s Don't get me started with the love for Massengo just because he had big hair. Never has such a below average player been so lorded.  

 

Fill in the bullet points. What should fans celebrate?

•  
•  
•  
•  
•  

[fisherrich]

16 minutes ago, BrizzleRed said:

So let me get this right.  We shouldn’t celebrate our meagre past successes, but should look forward optimistically to a rosy future under the same ownership who has delivered us over 20 years of that past mediocrity?

We also shouldn’t be holding in high esteem the most qualified manager we’ve had in decades, who managed to help turn this mess of a club around, with virtually no support or appreciation from above and whilst still maintaining our Championship status against the odds?

Please correct me if I’ve got any of that wrong, but at the moment, I can see sod all to look forward to with this club under this regime, so may as well look back and enjoy what little we’ve had in the past, as that may be all we get!!!

Just read the whole thread. Makes you realise we desperately need new owners, new leaders, new ideas, new structure, new everything almost.
Wrexham will be overtaking us soon!!!

[Tim Monaghan]

4 minutes ago, Sixtyseconds said:

Fill in the bullet points. What should fans celebrate?

•  
•  
•  
• 
  

• One of the best stadiums in the Championship
• Stable owners
• A new beginning under a young talented manager 
• A state-of-the-art training ground (still haven't been told the difference between "very nice" and "state-of-the art")
• Our Academy 
• Our ongoing charity work within our community and other locations we visit
• Financially stable 
• Not being Bristol Rovers
• Christmas
• Our fanbase (I love you guys even though its toxic at times, but I love you like family non the less. Its okay to disagree)
• The new development 
• Fridays match vs Hull 
• Our beautiful City 
• The catchment area and the potential of our club

I could go on. 

Fill in the bullet points. What should the fans be moaning about? 

•  
•  
•  
•  
•  

[Simon bristol]

4 minutes ago, Ghost Rider said:

• One of the best stadiums in the Championship
• Stable owners
• A new beginning under a young talented manager 
• A state-of-the-art training ground (still haven't been told the difference between "very nice" and "state-of-the art")
• Our Academy 
• Our ongoing charity work within our community and other locations we visit
• Financially stable 
• Not being Bristol Rovers
• Christmas
• Our fanbase (I love you guys even though its toxic at times, but I love you like family non the less. Its okay to disagree)
• The new development 
• Fridays match vs Hull 
• Our beautiful City 
• The catchment area and the potential of our club

I could go on. 

Fill in the bullet points. What should the fans be moaning about? 

•  
•  
•  
•  
•  

• being absolutely mediocre for 100 years

•constantly being overtaken by other clubs who in theory have less stable ownership funding and facilities 

•constantly selling our best young players so we never acheive anything 

• regularly making rediculous management and executive appointments to stop us achieving anything 

• lots of absolutely abysmal signings

• never winning anything of note

•being told the same thing every year when there is absolutely zero chance we will achieve it and the people in charge living in cloud cookoo land,

•finish 14th, sell scott, not invest the proceeds and then try convincing everyone we should be top 6

•spending fortunes, making poor players, managers, executives wealthy, and still not being any good.

[Sir Geoff]

14 minutes ago, Ghost Rider said:

• One of the best stadiums in the Championship
• Stable owners
• A new beginning under a young talented manager 
• A state-of-the-art training ground (still haven't been told the difference between "very nice" and "state-of-the art")
• Our Academy 
• Our ongoing charity work within our community and other locations we visit
• Financially stable 
• Not being Bristol Rovers
• Christmas
• Our fanbase (I love you guys even though its toxic at times, but I love you like family non the less. Its okay to disagree)
• The new development 
• Fridays match vs Hull 
• Our beautiful City 
• The catchment area and the potential of our club

I could go on. 

Fill in the bullet points. What should the fans be moaning about? 

•  
•  
•  
•  
•  

Certainly not in the top 5 stadiums in the Championship and probably only on a par with the next 5.

I'd rather have good Football club owners with a clear vision. If you want stable owners go to Aintree.

No one asked for a new beginning, we were doing just fine, thanks. 'Talented young manager' with only a relegation on his cv.

Academy. Has produced a few home grown players, granted, but who is next. We were told there is even better behind Bell / Conway. Let's see.

All clubs do good charity work

Financially stable, thanks to RG and NP. Looks like we may have to dip into Steve's nest egg quite substantially to allow Manning the players required for his system.

The rest of your points are......pointless

Edited December 21, 2023 by Sir Geoff
edit text

[REDOXO]

A weird thread indeed. 
 

To answer the title. Because we have no achievements since losing the 1909 FA Cup final. Thus all we do have is mediocrity and failure what else can we celebrate as supporters. 
 

I was in my twenties in 1982 I remember it well,very well, but a bloke can get fed up with the constant references. 
 

OFF the field we are strewn with entirely idiotic decision making. (Vis a vis 1982 and a lot more) It’s like Groundhog Day, you know it’s coming whoever is in the boardroom 

We have a nice stadium.  We would have had a better one if AV had gone through but it’s Bristol.  

I guess that’s cause for celebration. We could be playing at the mem!

 

 

 

[redsquirrel]

1 hour ago, johnheadbcfc said:

That's got nothing to do with what I said though! 

i will answer your question John, part of my first line read read ' there wasnt a job left for NP as his work was done here.' 

by that, i meant he could go aswell,. apologies if i could have worded it better

[Tim Monaghan]

26 minutes ago, BrizzleRed said:

So let me get this right.  We shouldn’t celebrate our meagre past successes, but should look forward optimistically to a rosy future under the same ownership who has delivered us over 20 years of that past mediocrity?

We also shouldn’t be holding in high esteem the most qualified manager we’ve had in decades, who managed to help turn this mess of a club around, with virtually no support or appreciation from above and whilst still maintaining our Championship status against the odds?

Please correct me if I’ve got any of that wrong, but at the moment, I can see sod all to look forward to with this club under this regime, so may as well look back and enjoy what little we’ve had in the past, as that may be all we get!!!

Of course, let's celebrate our successes; after all, that's the essence of the club's history. However, I mean promotions and actual silverware and significant times like the Ashton Gate 8. Would you truly consider a victory over Manchester United as something to be lorded over for years and years? I'm not saying it wasn't a good night, but it's just one win over Manchester United. Do you see what I'm saying?

"Now, we shouldn’t hold in high esteem the most qualified manager we’ve had in decades. He managed to help turn this mess of a club around with virtually no support or appreciation from above, all while maintaining our Championship status against the odds?" This is where our views differ, and people may throw the "anti-Pearson" label at me as some strange insult, as if it's wrong to question the second coming of Christ himself.

Nigel was a good manager who did the job of keeping the club going, but saying he had virtually no support is inaccurate. Firstly, who employed the guy in the first place? Secondly, what do you mean by no support? He had Richard Gould, etc., sorting out transfers and managing FFP, that wasn't NP. He even mentioned he wasn't involved in anything related to outgoing transfers or contracts. So, he literally had nothing to do with getting us out of FFP. In the 2021/22 season, we finished 17th with a team that had Alex Scott, Antoine Semenyo, Weimann, Matty James, Pring, Vyner, Kalas, Bentley, Wells. It's hardly a rags-to-riches tale. SEVENTEENTH. Don't forget; everyone was calling for his head last Christmas!! So, forgive me if I'm not crying about him day and night, but he simply was an average manager. The only thing everyone seems to grab onto is that he was 2 points from the playoffs at one point. The fact that he was nearing the end of his contract, was about to have major surgery, and wasn't ripping up trees, and seemed to be a bit of an arse at times seems to have been ignored. I liked the guy as a person, but as a results-driven business, he was bang average. I'm sorry if that makes me "anti-Pearson," whatever the hell that actually means. In terms of appreciation, I'm pretty sure the millions in his bank account should count as significant appreciation for literally doing his job. I wish my boss would come over and tickle my belly every day for doing what I'm paid to do.

"I can see sod all to look forward to with this club under this regime" - And there we have it, it's the "anti-Lansdown" agenda. We have a lot to look forward to, and we've benefited greatly from the current owners, or do we just forget the years bumbling about in League One? The stadium and training ground don't count, apparently.

 

[Sixtyseconds]

28 minutes ago, Ghost Rider said:

• One of the best stadiums in the Championship
• Stable owners
• A new beginning under a young talented manager 
• A state-of-the-art training ground (still haven't been told the difference between "very nice" and "state-of-the art")
• Our Academy 
• Our ongoing charity work within our community and other __cpLocations we visit
• Financially stable 
• Not being Bristol Rovers
• Christmas
• Our fanbase (I love you guys even though its toxic at times, but I love you like family non the less. Its okay to disagree)
• The new development 
• Fridays match vs Hull 
• Our beautiful City 
• The catchment area and the potential of our club

 

No big ideas.

Nothing to whats already done.

Much of that muchness is already done.

Yes it is.

But tis interesting you included nothing from history.

Nada.

You must get vexed at the 3 Lions.

When I was awake I note the training facility and academy get ratings from them who do the ratings.

State of the art top rating is alongside investment variety of facilities cost and productivity that sort of sketch. 

As the big guns (Gunners etc geddit) of state of the art training facilities cost hundred million and counting.

And academies cost at this catty one thing cost millions that City dont spend to be catty two.

City ain state of the art.

People have called me thick on this here forum but I know this City training gaff and academy are not teensy weensy but its not top end and that state of the art.

Thats hperbollicky guff.

Tis about what you expect after years of being behind what you would expect for a club of this average size if your into this nerdy stuff and that expecting thing. 

Not sure what being average there is to celebrate .. Except City aint the Gas ... And we do that one anytime. 

 

 

 

[Tim Monaghan]

38 minutes ago, Simon bristol said:

• being absolutely mediocre for 100 years 

•constantly being overtaken by other clubs who in theory have less stable ownership funding and facilities - You think football is that simple? 

•constantly selling our best young players so we never achieve anything - I don't think thats the clubs choice. Players want to better themselves. Clubs like us HAVE TO SELL

• regularly making rediculous management and executive appointments to stop us achieving anything - Cotterill and GJ weren't that bad. Pearson was amazing too according to most. Hindsight is an incredible thing isn't it.

• lots of absolutely abysmal signings - Also so very good ones

• never winning anything of note - What "of note"? Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup? 

•being told the same thing every year when there is absolutely zero chance we will achieve it and the people in charge living in cloud cookoo land - Brilliant. You want to be told we will get promotion every year? 

•finish 14th, sell scott, not invest the proceeds and then try convincing everyone we should be top 6 - We will invest the proceeds, they just weren't going to give the money to someone they didnt believe in (rightly or wrongly)

•spending fortunes, making poor players, managers, executives wealthy, and still not being any good. - So now you're having a go at the club for spending fortunes, right. 

 

[Davefevs]

40 minutes ago, Ghost Rider said:

Of course, let's celebrate our successes; after all, that's the essence of the club's history. However, I mean promotions and actual silverware and significant times like the Ashton Gate 8. Would you truly consider a victory over Manchester United as something to be lorded over for years and years? I'm not saying it wasn't a good night, but it's just one win over Manchester United. Do you see what I'm saying?

"Now, we shouldn’t hold in high esteem the most qualified manager we’ve had in decades. He managed to help turn this mess of a club around with virtually no support or appreciation from above, all while maintaining our Championship status against the odds?" This is where our views differ, and people may throw the "anti-Pearson" label at me as some strange insult, as if it's wrong to question the second coming of Christ himself.

Nigel was a good manager who did the job of keeping the club going, but saying he had virtually no support is inaccurate. Firstly, who employed the guy in the first place? Secondly, what do you mean by no support? He had Richard Gould, etc., sorting out transfers and managing FFP, that wasn't NP. He even mentioned he wasn't involved in anything related to outgoing transfers or contracts. So, he literally had nothing to do with getting us out of FFP. In the 2021/22 season, we finished 17th with a team that had Alex Scott, Antoine Semenyo, Weimann, Matty James, Pring, Vyner, Kalas, Bentley, Wells. It's hardly a rags-to-riches tale. SEVENTEENTH. Don't forget; everyone was calling for his head last Christmas!! So, forgive me if I'm not crying about him day and night, but he simply was an average manager. The only thing everyone seems to grab onto is that he was 2 points from the playoffs at one point. The fact that he was nearing the end of his contract, was about to have major surgery, and wasn't ripping up trees, and seemed to be a bit of an arse at times seems to have been ignored. I liked the guy as a person, but as a results-driven business, he was bang average. I'm sorry if that makes me "anti-Pearson," whatever the hell that actually means. In terms of appreciation, I'm pretty sure the millions in his bank account should count as significant appreciation for literally doing his job. I wish my boss would come over and tickle my belly every day for doing what I'm paid to do.

"I can see sod all to look forward to with this club under this regime" - And there we have it, it's the "anti-Lansdown" agenda. We have a lot to look forward to, and we've benefited greatly from the current owners, or do we just forget the years bumbling about in League One? The stadium and training ground don't count, apparently.

 

I still don’t understand your constant misrepresentations of the job and role Nigel Pearson undertook here.

He acted beyond the a-typical football manager, let alone a-typical head-coach, he acted as consultant, general manager too.

When the likes of Harry and I spoke to RG, he made it very clear how much direction on the football side had been led by Nige and his admission of it “not being his bag”.  For example, Nige built the recruitment strategy, processes of identification, measurements, etc. 

In your way of looking at it, Richard resolved the FFP issues.  But he couldn’t do that without Nige doing what he did on the football side.  Why do you play down / refuse to recognise that?  The pair of them set a strategy to resolve FFP TOGETHER!  Nigel leading the football direction, Richard the non-football direction, aligning with each other to get out of the FFP mess (a priority) asap.  Richard couldn’t singularly resolve FFP.  What happened on the football side was a huge determining factor.  Championship status had to be retained, player values had to grown to sell.  Both achieved.  Semenyo and Scott don’t go for £30-35m without Nige giving them their head do they?  Vyner, Pring, O’Leary, just three names, don’t save us £millions in recruitment without Nige developing them and making them bonafide Champ level players do they? Yeah, of course the players themselves are due credit too, as are the coaches, but you seem to want to refute and say that’s Richard solving FFP.  

You have a strange way (imho) of articulating the words “Nige was a good manager”, because it seems most things you wrote about him are to demean his achievements here.

And no, not everyone was calling for him to be sacked last December.

 

(edit: re outgoing transfers / contracts - no he won’t execute the “transaction” but he will have worked closely with the likes of Richard on whether he’d like to keep a player, how much of the budget he’d like to use on a player, etc, etc.  if you think that happened without his involvement, you’d be inaccurate)

 

Edited December 21, 2023 by Davefevs

[Ivorguy]

38 minutes ago, Ghost Rider said:

Of course, let's celebrate our successes; after all, that's the essence of the club's history. However, I mean promotions and actual silverware and significant times like the Ashton Gate 8. Would you truly consider a victory over Manchester United as something to be lorded over for years and years? I'm not saying it wasn't a good night, but it's just one win over Manchester United. Do you see what I'm saying?

"Now, we shouldn’t hold in high esteem the most qualified manager we’ve had in decades. He managed to help turn this mess of a club around with virtually no support or appreciation from above, all while maintaining our Championship status against the odds?" This is where our views differ, and people may throw the "anti-Pearson" label at me as some strange insult, as if it's wrong to question the second coming of Christ himself.

Nigel was a good manager who did the job of keeping the club going, but saying he had virtually no support is inaccurate. Firstly, who employed the guy in the first place? Secondly, what do you mean by no support? He had Richard Gould, etc., sorting out transfers and managing FFP, that wasn't NP. He even mentioned he wasn't involved in anything related to outgoing transfers or contracts. So, he literally had nothing to do with getting us out of FFP. In the 2021/22 season, we finished 17th with a team that had Alex Scott, Antoine Semenyo, Weimann, Matty James, Pring, Vyner, Kalas, Bentley, Wells. It's hardly a rags-to-riches tale. SEVENTEENTH. Don't forget; everyone was calling for his head last Christmas!! So, forgive me if I'm not crying about him day and night, but he simply was an average manager. The only thing everyone seems to grab onto is that he was 2 points from the playoffs at one point. The fact that he was nearing the end of his contract, was about to have major surgery, and wasn't ripping up trees, and seemed to be a bit of an arse at times seems to have been ignored. I liked the guy as a person, but as a results-driven business, he was bang average. I'm sorry if that makes me "anti-Pearson," whatever the hell that actually means. In terms of appreciation, I'm pretty sure the millions in his bank account should count as significant appreciation for literally doing his job. I wish my boss would come over and tickle my belly every day for doing what I'm paid to do.

"I can see sod all to look forward to with this club under this regime" - And there we have it, it's the "anti-Lansdown" agenda. We have a lot to look forward to, and we've benefited greatly from the current owners, or do we just forget the years bumbling about in League One? The stadium and training ground don't count, apparently.

 

You conveniently miss out the giant albatross placed around City’s neck by the Lansdowns, namely Bristol Sport.

i have said over years this could/will prove disastrous for City at some future point

[Tim Monaghan]

12 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

I still don’t understand your constant misrepresentations of the job and role Nigel Pearson undertook here.

He acted beyond the a-typical football manager, let alone a-typical head-coach, he acted as consultant, general manager too.

When the likes of Harry and I spoke to RG, he made it very clear how much direction on the football side had been led by Nige and his admission of it “not being his bag”.  For example, Nige built the recruitment strategy, processes of identification, measurements, etc. 

In your way of looking at it, Richard resolved the FFP issues.  But he couldn’t do that without Nige doing what he did on the football side.  Why do you play down / refuse to recognise that?  The pair of them set a strategy to resolve FFP TOGETHER!  Nigel leading the football direction, Richard the non-football direction, aligning with each other to get out of the FFP mess (a priority) asap.  Richard couldn’t singularly resolve FFP.  What happened on the football side was a huge determining factor.  Championship status had to be retained, player values had to grown to sell.  Both achieved.  Semenyo and Scott don’t go for £30-35m without Nige giving them their head do they?  Vyner, Pring, O’Leary, just three names, don’t save us £millions in recruitment without Nige developing them and making them bonafide Champ level players do they? Yeah, of course the players themselves are due credit too, as are the coaches, but you seem to want to refute and say that’s Richard solving FFP.  

You have a strange way (imho) of articulating the words “Nige was a good manager”, because it seems most things you wrote about him are to demean his achievements here.

And no, not everyone was calling for him to be sacked last December.

 

I thought you'd put me on ignore?

Anyhow, I might be a bit dense here, and you're clearly more clued up about this club than strange old me. So sorry if I'm asking some questions that need explaining from your inside knowledge:

"Made (RG) it very clear how much direction on the football side had been led by Nige" - Well, I would hope so; he's the football manager. He's hardly going to be giving catering advice.

Apologies, the only way I can do this in my head is by tackling each bit at a time.

"What happened on the football side was a huge determining factor. Championship status had to be retained; player values had to grow to sell. Both achieved." - We sacked DH, and we were 16th, I believe, and we finished 17th that season. The next season we finished a heady 14th. Within that season from the 14th of September to the 1st of January where we played 18 games and won 3. I mean, that's a shocking record. So what actually happened on the footballing side that was so great? Serious question. If that's boosting player values, then fair play to Pearson. Were we ever in danger of going down though? I'd hardly say keeping us up was an achievement. That team was capable of staying in the division; it wasn't a managerial masterclass that suddenly boosted all these players values. 

"Semenyo and Scott don’t go for £30-35m without Nige giving them their head, do they? Vyner, Pring, O’Leary, just three names, don’t save us £millions in recruitment without Nige developing them and making them bonafide Champ level players, do they?" - I would hope Pearson would give them their heads; that would be awful management to send them out without them. I mean, Vyner was already playing before Pearson, and O'Leary only got his start because Bentley was playing silly buggers with his contract, but fine. Semenyo, didn't NP drop him? He actually made more sub appearances than starts near the end, 11 starts, 12 sub appearances. Obviously Scott, but Pearson surely can't be given all the credit for that, ah, **** it, as I'm not anti-Pearson I'll give him all the credit for that. 

To be fair, you are right. By Pearson keeping us in the league and when there was no real danger of us dropping out of it, and in turn boosting player ratings by finishing 14th, saved us from FFP. 

I'll concede, Sir.  

Anyway, I've said all I can on this matter and I'm fed-up of repeating myself.  For the trillionth time, I liked Nigel Pearson the person. I thought Nigel Pearson the manager was average. If that makes me a "anti-Pearson", so be it, but that's my opinion, not that it really matters a jot. 

   

 

[fisherrich]

1 hour ago, Ivorguy said:

You conveniently miss out the giant albatross placed around City’s neck by the Lansdowns, namely Bristol Sport.

i have said over years this could/will prove disastrous for City at some future point

Agreed - Lets not forget all the “Lansdownites” on here a few years ago supporting the Bristol Sport philosophy originally. Conned by the Lansdowns.

[Mr Popodopolous]

4 minutes ago, fisherrich said:

Agreed - Lets not forget all the “Lansdownites” on here a few years ago supporting the Bristol Sport philosophy originally. Conned by the Lansdowns.

In theory elements of it could have benefits. A more centralised ticketing system etc could save on some costs but looking at the Club Shop that it has become...maybe not.

The Sporting Quarter elements of it could benefit us financially but is Lansdown pouring more of his resources into this at the expense of the side.

Rugby and Basketball are fairly self-financing, bigger issue is the purchase price of the Group IMO than the funding of either of those moving forward. Purchase price surely way too high right now though.

[steviestevieneville]

10 hours ago, robinforlife2 said:

I agree with a lot that Ghost Rider has put to be honest.

I personally find it rather pathetic the amount of Nige threads ranging from a leaving card to how fans want to chant for him every week etc. Nigel Pearson came in to do a job. What was done off the field, was done very well. However, this was not JUST because of him. It was because of many people employed to work towards that remit. Whoever was manager, would have had to work within that remit. On the pitch however, we were poor. We were under achieving and we weren't going anywhere. It was time for a change for one the pitch reasons. People seem to praise Nige for bringing down the wage bill, steadying ship etc. However, do you really think it was Nige chatting to players about lesser term contracts, identifying affordable targets. He even said many times, the coaches done the training not him! People say he blooded in the youth, he had no choice, no manager had any choice, whoever was in the job would have had to have done that. Yet he still turned to Andy King ahead of the youth so many people say he was keen to blood in!

It was not just Pearson who was responsible for the transition, there was a whole team of people. Pearson's number one job was to get performances on the pitch and he failed at it. I really do not get the love in one little bit.

He was part of a team who steadied a ship through tough times, don't get me wrong, but he was not some vital cog that without it all fell apart. Had he concentrated on getting us to play better and get results, he wouldn't have lost his job.

The love in with him is a joke. We won nothing under him, we were bang average and the way he is lorded like he won us every trophy under the sun, because he was relatable, spoke his mind and had the fans backing is somewhat crazy! The fans who idolised him, were hoodwinked, he played up to the board, when he knew the fans weren't happy with the board. He tried to make himself untouchable by having the fans on his side, by calling out the owners and trying to manipulate them into a new deal. He knew he was getting sacked and deservedly so. He just tried to roll the dice by getting the fans on the backs of the owners and on his side, to try and get what he wanted. Yet he was continuously failing to improve us on the pitch. 

His time had come, the board made the right decision to try and progress and improve. If it works it works, if it doesn't it doesn't, but it was not going to work under Pearson, so despite many fans on here wanting to fall to their knees and bow to someone who achieved NOTHING here, he was not the answer. There is a chance Manning might be, there's also a chance he won't be and the dice will be rolled again.

A very long winded way to say that you really haven’t understood much that Pearson achieved at all. If you don’t mind me saying , quite clueless actually . 

[fisherrich]

12 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

In theory elements of it could have benefits. A more centralised ticketing system etc could save on some costs but looking at the Club Shop that it has become...maybe not.

The Sporting Quarter elements of it could benefit us financially but is Lansdown pouring more of his resources into this at the expense of the side.

Rugby and Basketball are fairly self-financing, bigger issue is the purchase price of the Group IMO than the funding of either of those moving forward. Purchase price surely way too high right now though.

The focus on the football club has been diluted IMO.
No direction from the owners, CEO, Board and you end up with a football club with no identity and no direction. After all the financial mess the club got in to, I am firmly against the whole Bristol Sport philosophy. The club was badly run for years.
RG and NP sorted out a hell of a mess, now left in the hands of Jon Lansdown who has not got a clue. Feels like the heart and soul has been taken out of Bristol City FC to me over the last 10 years or so.

[BrizzleRed]

2 hours ago, Ghost Rider said:

Of course, let's celebrate our successes; after all, that's the essence of the club's history. However, I mean promotions and actual silverware and significant times like the Ashton Gate 8. Would you truly consider a victory over Manchester United as something to be lorded over for years and years? I'm not saying it wasn't a good night, but it's just one win over Manchester United. Do you see what I'm saying?

"Now, we shouldn’t hold in high esteem the most qualified manager we’ve had in decades. He managed to help turn this mess of a club around with virtually no support or appreciation from above, all while maintaining our Championship status against the odds?" This is where our views differ, and people may throw the "anti-Pearson" label at me as some strange insult, as if it's wrong to question the second coming of Christ himself.

Nigel was a good manager who did the job of keeping the club going, but saying he had virtually no support is inaccurate. Firstly, who employed the guy in the first place? Secondly, what do you mean by no support? He had Richard Gould, etc., sorting out transfers and managing FFP, that wasn't NP. He even mentioned he wasn't involved in anything related to outgoing transfers or contracts. So, he literally had nothing to do with getting us out of FFP.

By the same token, Richard Gould wasn’t the one who had to keep us in this division, whilst half the squad were cleared off the books and also having major injury issues.  Anyone would think by the way you’re talking, maintaining our Championship status in that weakened state was an absolute given.  In my book, just standing still was a major achievement!  You can also add the refusal to release any of the Scott fee as an example of lack of support from above. 

In the 2021/22 season, we finished 17th with a team that had Alex Scott, Antoine Semenyo, Weimann, Matty James, Pring, Vyner, Kalas, Bentley, Wells. It's hardly a rags-to-riches tale. SEVENTEENTH. Don't forget; everyone was calling for his head last Christmas!! Were they??  There were plenty on here who had enough vision to see what he was doing and the circumstance he was working under.  95% supporting him in the poll a couple of weeks before he was sacked would also counter your viewpoint.  Take off the blinkers and you might actually see something.

So, forgive me if I'm not crying about him day and night, but he simply was an average manager. The only thing everyone seems to grab onto is that he was 2 points from the playoffs at one point. The fact that he was nearing the end of his contract, was about to have major surgery, and wasn't ripping up trees, and seemed to be a bit of an arse at times seems to have been ignored. I liked the guy as a person, but as a results-driven business, he was bang average. I'm sorry if that makes me "anti-Pearson," whatever the hell that actually means. In terms of appreciation, I'm pretty sure the millions in his bank account should count as significant appreciation for literally doing his job. I wish my boss would come over and tickle my belly every day for doing what I'm paid to do.

"I can see sod all to look forward to with this club under this regime" - And there we have it, it's the "anti-Lansdown" agenda. We have a lot to look forward to, and we've benefited greatly from the current owners, or do we just forget the years bumbling about in League One? The stadium and training ground don't count, apparently.

The subject in your last paragraph has been done to death on here, so I won’t bother to waste time on it.   I’ll just say, if you think Pearson was a ‘bang average’ manager, but still believe we ‘have a lot to look forward to’ under Lansdown, then imho, it’s people like yourself who are actually a big part of the problem at this club!  

 

 

[Cowshed]

3 hours ago, Ghost Rider said:

• A state-of-the-art training ground (still haven't been told the difference between "very nice" and "state-of-the art")

Five years ago BCFC were sharing facilities at QEH, the academies base was portacabins at the WISE campus. City had some catching up to do.

I have visited most of the pro clubs in the South and the West's training grounds due to coaching at development level and a son playing academy football. I have also visited Man City and Man Utds training grounds to watch my Son play. 

How does BCFC's training ground compare to Brighton's, or Southampton's, or Leicesters, or Wolves, or Man City, or Arsenal or Chelsea's or Spurs etc?    

The answer would be it is not on par with those facilities. It certainly not top tier like Man City or parallel to the Brighton's and Leicester's. Place Bristol City training facility in the third tier, modern, the highest standard of a club in the region of the South West  and reflective of the clubs status, and its significant but not Premier league investment in training structure.