The Lansdowns - What Do People Actually Want

[fisherrich]

18 minutes ago, ashton_fan said:

I've been watching City for over 50 years and seen a few owners come and go. There have always been some supporters who moan about the owners whoever's been in charge. I believe the Lansdown family has done more than any others by a mile, so I would ask those complaining who do you think did a better job than the Lansdowns at BCFC in the last 50 years? You might say Harry Dolman, who was the owner when I started watching City, but many fans complained he didn't spend enough on signing players and called him "Scrooge", whoever's been in charge here there have been a few people complaining. I'd be interested to hear what people think about previous owners.

A clear, strategic business plan backed up with a defined strategy to help deliver clear and concise objectives would be a good start - after 20 years FFS!

[Davefevs]

14 minutes ago, KegCity said:

I appreciate that. I’m not one of those who expect the owner to just splash crazy amounts of money, I understand FFP etc.

I just want a clear plan and good decision making. I think we’ve lacked that for a long time.

Run it well, make good decisions, you shouldn’t have to splash the cash.  That’s where we’ve gone wrong.  We have splashed cash and achieved little.

My biggest argument to the SL case is - there were alternative ways to get to the PL (if that was the ambition).

[Mr Popodopolous]

It is an occupational hazard of Championship football in a way but his losses would be lower with better decisions at better times and we may even have gone up which woukd have been a major GameChanger.

Seems to be a lottery in some ways too. The cash input of some clubs is farcially high let alone the Parachute Payments...

When you have a yoyo Parachute and PL revenue club putting in £580m in equity in 10-11 years that is rather a challenge to compete with.

This particular club was owned for 15 years by a wealthy man and sold to an even wealthier man.

Stoke put in £70m in cash or whatever in one year, owned by Bet365 it helps.

Still we are probably worse off than 12 months ago, even 8 months ago in some ways.

[cidercity1987]

From my perspective without reading the rest of the thread. Yes we were L1 club when he came, much like let's say Ipswich or Sunderland when they were taken over very recently. 

We had a beloved but somewhat ramshackle stadium and I thank him for improving it within the limits of what was possible thanks to the dog owners of Ashton Vale.

A lot of the fanbase fail to realise or understand that Bristol is a global city and we have not only a loyal large fanbase but many many more people ready to jump on at the sign of any success. With a wealthy business community it is a joke that we underachieve so far. In the backdrop of that, Lansdown has failed spectacularly over his reign in not getting us into the Prem and watch us grow, not even once.

Why has he not?

Failing to invest well enough in the early stages when there was no parachute and no FFP.

Continued poor managerial decisions and investing heavily in the wrong regimes such as Ashton/Johnson as opposed to Pearson let's say

Building a training ground that is nice, yes nice. Nowhere near the best in the division let along PL ready which was a weird one for me as that expenditure is outside of FFP.

Finally now resorting to moves absolutely against the will of the fanbase and the much quoted 'it's my club's line.

To sum up, he has had a golden opportunity here and he has failed.

[steviestevieneville]

2 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Run it well, make good decisions, you shouldn’t have to splash the cash.  That’s where we’ve gone wrong.  We have splashed cash and achieved little.

My biggest argument to the SL case is - there were alternative ways to get to the PL (if that was the ambition).

As I see it. Some people lord over how much he’s spent . If he’d had made better footballing decisions he wouldn’t have had to spend so much . Thinking he knows the game when he clearly doesn’t.
Swallowing his pride & pushing his ego to one side twenty years ago & seeking proper footballing advise. Having a clear football plan . Not have tinnion say we have one now after two decades , that’s just laughable . 

[Mr Popodopolous]

Good post that @cidercity1987

SL would be poor at gambling as he always seems to back the wrong horse or does so more often than not anyway! The point about Ashton and Johnson, not going bigger in 2008 pre FFP, January 2008 well.

Think Sunderland a slightly different case..they have a Category One Academy and have had the top infrastructure for years. Huge fanbase too.

Ipswich a historically bigger club and tbh it isn't just us they are outperforming but pretty much everyone. Their position makes no particular sense player for player, sure their budget isn't huge either. However they are a better comparison than Sunderland.

[maxjak]

1 hour ago, Red Army 75 said:

Me personally I hope they sell and we move on to a new exciting era. 

Despite  all the negative views, it is often the devil you know that is the best option?   For all their perceived faults, they have been extremely generous, and have protected the club financially, and built a superb range of facilities....just look at the difference in AG compared to 10 years ago?   Who knows what new owners might do or in which direction they may teke us?   For all their faults in appointing managers and lack of fan communication, I want the Lansdowns, through Steve, and then through John to remain in charge....they are Bristolians, and i believe their hearts are in the right place.    It maybe a cliche.......but in my life i have found that the grass is not always greener on the other side?   Who say's it WILL be an exciting new era...........you?

[Red Army 75]

Just now, maxjak said:

Despite  all the negative views, it is often the devil you know that is the best option?   For all their perceived faults, they have been extremely generous, and have protected the club financially, and built a superb range of facilities....just look at the difference in AG compared to 10 years ago?   Who knows what new owners might do or in which direction they may teke us?   For all their faults in appointing managers and lack of fan communication, I want the Lansdowns, through Steve, and then through John to remain in charge....they are Bristolians, and i believe their hearts are in the right place.    It maybe a cliche.......but in my life i have found that the grass is not always greener on the other side?   Who say's it WILL be an exciting new era...........you?

Well it’s not exciting no more for me Max. If a billionaire wants to buy a football club good for them. 

[maxjak]

26 minutes ago, cidercity1987 said:

From my perspective without reading the rest of the thread. Yes we were L1 club when he came, much like let's say Ipswich or Sunderland when they were taken over very recently. 

We had a beloved but somewhat ramshackle stadium and I thank him for improving it within the limits of what was possible thanks to the dog owners of Ashton Vale.

A lot of the fanbase fail to realise or understand that Bristol is a global city and we have not only a loyal large fanbase but many many more people ready to jump on at the sign of any success. With a wealthy business community it is a joke that we underachieve so far. In the backdrop of that, Lansdown has failed spectacularly over his reign in not getting us into the Prem and watch us grow, not even once.

Why has he not?

Failing to invest well enough in the early stages when there was no parachute and no FFP.

Continued poor managerial decisions and investing heavily in the wrong regimes such as Ashton/Johnson as opposed to Pearson let's say

Building a training ground that is nice, yes nice. Nowhere near the best in the division let along PL ready which was a weird one for me as that expenditure is outside of FFP.

Finally now resorting to moves absolutely against the will of the fanbase and the much quoted 'it's my club's line.

To sum up, he has had a golden opportunity here and he has failed.

Nice............But Nowhere near the best in the division?   Are you sure about that?

[Davefevs]

2 minutes ago, maxjak said:

Despite  all the negative views, it is often the devil you know that is the best option?   For all their perceived faults, they have been extremely generous, and have protected the club financially, and built a superb range of facilities....just look at the difference in AG compared to 10 years ago?   Who knows what new owners might do or in which direction they may teke us?   For all their faults in appointing managers and lack of fan communication, I want the Lansdowns, through Steve, and then through John to remain in charge....they are Bristolians, and i believe their hearts are in the right place.    It maybe a cliche.......but in my life i have found that the grass is not always greener on the other side?   Who say's it WILL be an exciting new era...........you?

We will find out how generous they have been at the point they move on / sell up, if indeed that is what happens.

I keep saying it, he hasn’t given the money away.  He expects it back / some of it back!

[joe jordans teeth]

2 hours ago, Ghost Rider said:

So, it's quite clear that the fanbase is divided over the owners of this football club. Personally, I can't quite grasp what the issue is, so I'm hoping this discussion might shed some light on it. In my view, and it might sound straightforward, but when SL took charge, we were struggling in League One. Ashton Gate needed attention.  We were merely surviving.

Steve started attending Bristol City games at the request of his then young son, Jon, a fellow Bristol City fan. Things progressed, and fortunately for us, that billionaire then assumed control of our football club, which wasn't achieving much.

Fast forward to today. He's constructed a brand new stadium (redeveloped, if someone wants to be particular) and provided us with a very impressive training ground. We've transitioned from a League One club to a solid Championship side with an excellent academy. Everything associated with the club is something we can take pride in.

The only unaccomplished goal is Premiership football, but that's certainly within our reach. If I didn't know the club and read through the forum, I'd assume the owners had committed some catastrophic error.

I agree completely that they haven't always made the best decisions or approached things in the optimal way, but who in life has always got it right? Who in business has never made a mistake? Like most people, I've felt frustrated at times, but let's be completely honest, they've propelled this club forward.

So, what exactly do people expect from them? Is it solely because we haven't reached Premiership football yet? Because from what I can see, everything else appears rather positive. I just can't fathom it!

But what if or when we reach the Premier League under the Lansdowns? If they've provided us with a new stadium, top-notch training facilities, and Premiership football, would we still demand their departure for not delivering everything sooner?

Therefore, posing the question, and let's aim for a candid, thoughtful discussion here: what is it precisely that you want them to achieve? Surely, the benefits of their ownership outweigh the drawbacks.

So basically what you are saying is we have a owner who’s wealth is incredible and he spent a few Bob building things,doesn’t matter how good your ground or training facilities are if you continually hire the wrong people for the thing that matters the most,results on the pitch 

[maxjak]

1 minute ago, Red Army 75 said:

Well it’s not exciting no more for me Max. If a billionaire wants to buy a football club good for them. 

That makes absolutely no sense?   "Not exciting no more for me"   I give up?

[Davefevs]

Just now, maxjak said:

Nice............But Nowhere near the best in the division?   Are you sure about that?

@Cowshed will give you an informed view.  

[Henry]

What do I want? For them to sell up and **** off.

[Red Army 75]

Just now, maxjak said:

That makes absolutely no sense?   "Not exciting no more for me"   I give up?

No need to be an arrogant *****. There ownership doesn’t excite me .

[maxjak]

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

We will find out how generous they have been at the point they move on / sell up, if indeed that is what happens.

I keep saying it, he hasn’t given the money away.  He expects it back / some of it back!

Of course he hasn't given it away?  Why shouldn't he want it back..............I would?   I am certain with his business acumen, he could have invested in other projects, for a much larger return, and a lot less hassle?

[maxjak]

2 minutes ago, Red Army 75 said:

No need to be an arrogant *****. There ownership doesn’t excite me .

Nor does your pie in the sky naivety excite me?

[Red Army 75]

Just now, maxjak said:

Nor does your pie in the sky naivety excite me?

Well **** off then. 

[maxjak]

Just now, Red Army 75 said:

Well **** off then. 

Go and play with your crayons...you sad man?

[Davefevs]

4 minutes ago, maxjak said:

Of course he hasn't given it away?  Why shouldn't he want it back..............I would?   I am certain with his business acumen, he could have invested in other projects, for a much larger return, and a lot less hassle?

But many on OTIB and social media think he has….thats the point. And they think he can do no wrong.

Edited December 24, 2023 by Davefevs

[Red Army 75]

Just now, maxjak said:

Go and play with your crayons...you sad man?

Is that you Jon 

[maxjak]

Just now, Red Army 75 said:

Is that you Jon 

How original?  How long did it take you to steal that quote?

[Red Army 75]

Just now, maxjak said:

How original?  How long did it take you to steal that quote?

Don’t cry Jon. Have a good Xmas. Maybe get to a game now and again 

[Red Exile]

2 minutes ago, maxjak said:

Of course he hasn't given it away?  Why shouldn't he want it back..............I would?   I am certain with his business acumen, he could have invested in other projects, for a much larger return, and a lot less hassle?

Which of course begs the question why he bothers. He bothers because it flatters his ego when things go well. Unfortunately he gets grumpy and hides when they don't. But that's what he's spent his money on. It's not really reasonable to expect it back. I'm not going to get any of my entrance fees back!

I've met him several times, indeed bought him a drink. Perfectly nice chap but by no stretch of the imagination could his 20 years be considered a footballing success. 

[bcfc01]

7 minutes ago, maxjak said:

Nice............But Nowhere near the best in the division?   Are you sure about that?

Nowhere near.

Its good.

 

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

1 minute ago, bcfc01 said:

Nowhere near.

Its good.

 

 

Leicester are a PL club in all but name only, indeed they shouldn't have dropped IMO last year anyway, one of the best to go down but yes theirs is outstanding.

Reckon ours is pretty good but as you say levels.

[maxjak]

1 minute ago, Red Exile said:

Which of course begs the question why he bothers. He bothers because it flatters his ego when things go well. Unfortunately he gets grumpy and hides when they don't. But that's what he's spent his money on. It's not really reasonable to expect it back. I'm not going to get any of my entrance fees back!

I've met him several times, indeed bought him a drink. Perfectly nice chap but by no stretch of the imagination could his 20 years be considered a footballing success. 

I agree...but despite views to the contrary, he is human.  I am really not certain that given the means, and 20 years.......i could have done a better job?   Maybe i could,, but i am not egotistical enough to believe that I would not have made plenty of Mistakes and Mis-steps along the way?   it is so easy to criticise from the sidelines?   We COULD be in a much worse place, than we are currently?  

[maxjak]

5 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

Nowhere near.

Its good.

 

 

Just to point out that they won the Premiership a few years ago........Were in the Prem last season, and will be in the Prem next season..........is that really the best example you can dig up ?   Ha!!   

[bcfc01]

1 minute ago, maxjak said:

Just to point out that they won the Premiership a few years ago........Were in the Prem last season, and will be in the Prem next season..........is that really the best example you can dig up ?   Ha!!   

You intimated that the HPC was the best in the division.

I proved that it isn't.

[Numero Uno]

10 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

Nowhere near.

Its good.

 

 

I like the fact that Leicester City, a far higher performing and wealthier club than us call theirs a TRAINING GROUND………