Steve Lansdown Legacy: I'm grateful, but if LM doesn't work, it's time to sell.

[Phileas Fogg]

3 hours ago, Tim Monaghan said:

I just said to KITR that SOD has a great rep within the football community. Eddie Howe raves about him all the time. He thinks hes a genius. Funny old game. 

He’s probably very good within his own niche - just wasn’t the right role for him at the time.

Pound for pound his signings were very good. He could clearly spot a player

[exAtyeoMax]

19 minutes ago, Superjack said:

NP contacted SL about the vacancy.

SL returned NP's call while NP was making bacon sandwiches.

These are facts. 

I know, because I read it somewhere.

Seriously though, can you honestly imagine SL seeking out somebody with the reputation that NP had at the time?

It's another thing that makes recent events all the more galling. If anything, Lansdown should have pleasantly relieved at how amiable NP turned out to be, prior of course to the Lansdowns returning to form.

 

I know Nige was interested in the job after Cotts left, he mentions it on an interview on Five Live with Mark Chapman

[Davefevs]

37 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

he could've set out the future…

He was doing that already.

21 minutes ago, Superjack said:

NP contacted SL about the vacancy.

SL returned NP's call while NP was making bacon sandwiches.

These are facts. 

I know, because I read it somewhere.

Seriously though, can you honestly imagine SL seeking out somebody with the reputation that NP had at the time?

It's another thing that makes recent events all the more galling. If anything, Lansdown should have pleasantly relieved at how amiable NP turned out to be, prior of course to the Lansdowns returning to form.

 

Yes, recall SL interview in his kitchen.  He said he’d had a call from Nige’s agent (I think), and phoned Nige.

[Sheltons Army]

Just now, exAtyeoMax said:

I know Nige was interested in the job after Cotts left, he mentions it on an interview on Five Live with Mark Chapman

What perfect timing and fit that would have been 

[Superjack]

Just now, exAtyeoMax said:

I know Nige was interested in the job after Cotts left, he mentions it on an interview on Five Live with Mark Chapman

Thanks. 

I never knew that. 

If only...

[Red Billy]

I have a mangy old dog missing a leg, blind in one eye and no tail. Anyone want to buy it off me for what I paid for it twenty years ago? Here in lie’s Steve’s problem. He wants to sell.

[Superjack]

Just now, Red Billy said:

I have a mangy old dog missing a leg, blind in one eye and no tail. Anyone want to buy it off me for what I paid for it twenty years ago? Here in lie’s Steve’s problem. He wants to sell.

I'll buy it. 

Or take it to Holly Hedge. 

Seriously. I am worried about your dog. 

 

[Red Billy]

1 minute ago, Superjack said:

I'll buy it. 

Or take it to Holly Hedge. 

Seriously. I am worried about your dog. 

 

I’m worried about our football club!

[Superjack]

2 minutes ago, Red Billy said:

I’m worried about our football club!

Understandable. 

I try not to worry about things that I can't do anything about.

So .. about your dog...

[exAtyeoMax]

34 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

He was doing that already.

Yes, recall SL interview in his kitchen.  He said he’d had a call from Nige’s agent (I think), and phoned Nige.

set up the transition of his successor (Andy King?) and they put a stop to it

Edited March 6 by exAtyeoMax

[exAtyeoMax]

35 minutes ago, Sheltons Army said:

What perfect timing and fit that would have been 

I know! Makes me sick thinking what could've been

[Red Billy]

5 minutes ago, Superjack said:

Understandable. 

I try not to worry about things that I can't do anything about.

So .. about your dog...

Well i paid quite a lot for it at the time. It comes with its own little home but I let another dog use it every other week which I also bought so you’ll actually need to buy both dogs and the home if you want the first dog. I also have a female dog so you’ll need to buy that. It’s got a favourite toy which is a basket ball you can have for a small fee as well.

[Superjack]

1 minute ago, exAtyeoMax said:

I know! Makes me sick thinking what could've been

Opportunity

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lansdowns

[Superjack]

2 minutes ago, Red Billy said:

Well i paid quite a lot for it at the time. It comes with its own little home but I let another dog use it every other week which I also bought so you’ll actually need to buy both dogs and the home if you want the first dog. I also have a female dog so you’ll need to buy that. It’s got a favourite toy which is a basket ball you can have for a small fee as well.

Well... this has escalated quickly.

[Shauntaylor85]

4 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Yawn. I've been saying this for years. Glad everyone else has now seen the light though. 

Quick one to cheer everyone up: the last time Jon was left in charge was the McInnes and SOD days (both were his picks) which ultimately ended in relegation from the Championship. Same may well happen again. 

For sure will Kid, absolute mess. Change needed or it’s the same cycle.  

I said it felt like Mcinness and Tony Docherty all over again when we appointed Manning and Hogg. A bit like when the Tinnion mistake was repeated with Millen and then unbelievably again with Holden! Oh and which managers have presided over the best football at city or at least positive rebuilds/successes? The experienced ones! Nige, Danny Wilson, Gary J and Cotts! Please learn Steve! 

Edited March 6 by Shauntaylor85

[Superjack]

7 minutes ago, Shauntaylor85 said:

For sure will Kid, absolute mess. Change needed or it’s the same cycle.  

I said it felt like Mcinness and Tony Docherty all over again when we appointed Manning and Hogg. A bit like when the Tinnion mistake was repeated with Millen and then unbelievably again with Holden! Oh and which managers have presided over the best football at city or at least positive rebuilds/successes? The experienced ones! Nige, Danny Wilson, Gary J and Cotts! Please learn Steve! 

Please stop pleading and carry on protesting.

[Kid in the Riot]

20 minutes ago, Shauntaylor85 said:

For sure will Kid, absolute mess. Change needed or it’s the same cycle.  

I said it felt like Mcinness and Tony Docherty all over again when we appointed Manning and Hogg. A bit like when the Tinnion mistake was repeated with Millen and then unbelievably again with Holden! Oh and which managers have presided over the best football at city or at least positive rebuilds/successes? The experienced ones! Nige, Danny Wilson, Gary J and Cotts! Please learn Steve! 

But this is part of the problem. By having no respectable and competent support structure within the club we rule ourselves out of younger, upcoming coaches succeeding here.

And given the fact we aren't an ex-Prem club with parachute payments, one route to success is by appointing the next bright thing in the game early.

We aren't going to be able to go and get an experienced coach that is in their prime with promotions to the Prem on their CV, as they will always go to Prem clubs or Championship ones with parachute payments. 

Whilst both Wilson and Pearson were indeed experienced managers, they were certainly not in their prime. And I think that is ultimately reflected in the fact that whilst both can be considered to have had a positive impact, both ultimately fell short of true success. 

[Superjack]

5 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

But this is part of the problem. By having no respectable and competent support structure within the club we rule ourselves out of younger, upcoming coaches succeeding here.

And given the fact we aren't an ex-Prem club with parachute payments, one route to success is by appointing the next bright thing in the game early.

We aren't going to be able to go and get an experienced coach that is in their prime with promotions to the Prem on their CV, as they will always go to Prem clubs or Championship ones with parachute payments. 

Whilst both Wilson and Pearson were indeed experienced managers, they were certainly not in their prime. And I think that is ultimately reflected in the fact that whilst both can be considered to have had a positive impact, both ultimately fell short of true success. 

Good post. 

But I would say that Wilson 'fell short' of success. 

Pearson was 'cut short' of it.

[Sir Geoff]

2 hours ago, bearded_red said:

Hi Nigel, Steve Lansdown here, just wondered if you'd be interested in the vacancy we currently have?

Ok, slight heads up, we have an uninterested, unmotivated and unfit squad which is currently suffering a quite preposterous injury crisis. Eleven players are out of contract and leaving at the end of the season as we desperately need to reduce both the size of our squad and wage bill. We are currently on a run of losing seven straight games (and twelve of the last fifteen). After the game on Saturday one of our caretaker managers basically pleaded for help as soon as possible and made it clear he had no idea how we would get out of this slump. Our captain and record transfer fee was holding back tears while telling the media that he had never played in a team like this and admitted that every game we spend ninety minutes desperately defending and trying to keep the score down.

Fortunately we only need a two or three wins to see us safe this season so we would like you to achieve them as quickly as you possibly can. Should we stay up we would be interested in offering you a three year deal. We have to be honest and say that the first two of those years we will be operating under austerity measures due to the threat of points deductions and transfer embargoes for failing FFP, the squad will have to be small and we will have to rely on young unproven players from the academy. It goes without saying that we cannot get relegated as the financial issues we have would be massively exaggerated should we end up playing League 1 football. After these two seasons are up and all contracts from our previous big spending have came to an end you will have an opportunity to start looking forwards and targeting competing for playoff places.

Its not all bad though, you will be 'inheriting' a 17 year old that hasn't played a minute of professional football and a 21 year old forward that hasn't scored a goal in 43 Championship appearances. If you could provide the opportunities, coaching and guidance that help turn these two into assets we can sell to the Premier League for around 35 million that would really help our current financial plight.

Should you achieve all these things while building a spirited, professional and committed squad, we will thankyou for your efforts by firing you as soon as we (wrongly) believe we have an excuse and someone on our most used fans forum will call you a failure.

Post of the decade.

[REDOXO]

To sell anything you need a buyer! 

[redordead1]

3 hours ago, tin said:

 

Would like to burn the ****er!

and that flag…

[Numero Uno]

2 hours ago, bearded_red said:

Hi Nigel, Steve Lansdown here, just wondered if you'd be interested in the vacancy we currently have?

Ok, slight heads up, we have an uninterested, unmotivated and unfit squad which is currently suffering a quite preposterous injury crisis. Eleven players are out of contract and leaving at the end of the season as we desperately need to reduce both the size of our squad and wage bill. We are currently on a run of losing seven straight games (and twelve of the last fifteen). After the game on Saturday one of our caretaker managers basically pleaded for help as soon as possible and made it clear he had no idea how we would get out of this slump. Our captain and record transfer fee was holding back tears while telling the media that he had never played in a team like this and admitted that every game we spend ninety minutes desperately defending and trying to keep the score down.

Fortunately we only need a two or three wins to see us safe this season so we would like you to achieve them as quickly as you possibly can. Should we stay up we would be interested in offering you a three year deal. We have to be honest and say that the first two of those years we will be operating under austerity measures due to the threat of points deductions and transfer embargoes for failing FFP, the squad will have to be small and we will have to rely on young unproven players from the academy. It goes without saying that we cannot get relegated as the financial issues we have would be massively exaggerated should we end up playing League 1 football. After these two seasons are up and all contracts from our previous big spending have came to an end you will have an opportunity to start looking forwards and targeting competing for playoff places.

Its not all bad though, you will be 'inheriting' a 17 year old that hasn't played a minute of professional football and a 21 year old forward that hasn't scored a goal in 43 Championship appearances. If you could provide the opportunities, coaching and guidance that help turn these two into assets we can sell to the Premier League for around 35 million that would really help our current financial plight.

Should you achieve all these things while building a spirited, professional and committed squad, we will thankyou for your efforts by firing you as soon as we (wrongly) believe we have an excuse and someone on our most used fans forum will call you a failure.

Take a ******* bow, son. Absolutely class. The only thing wrong with all this is that you had to explain it to a few dumb asses........

Edited March 6 by Numero Uno

[Superjack]

6 minutes ago, REDOXO said:

To sell anything you need a buyer! 

And a reasonable asking price.

[reddogkev]

Will any of this ever reach Steve?  Wonder if he has a team of people to feed this sort of stuff back to him. 

If I was him I would want to regain my reputation and do my best to turn around this ill-feeling.

He simply needs to start by hiring the correct level of footballing people to run the club, and not Brian Tinnion!!!!

[Superjack]

1 minute ago, reddogkev said:

Will any of this ever reach Steve?  Wonder if he has a team of people to feed this sort of stuff back to him. 

If I was him I would want to regain my reputation and do my best to turn around this ill-feeling.

He simply needs to start by hiring the correct level of footballing people to run the club, and not Brian Tinnion!!!!

Wouldn't matter if it did. 

We are all plebs.

[ray savino]

1 hour ago, exAtyeoMax said:

I know Nige was interested in the job after Cotts left, he mentions it on an interview on Five Live with Mark Chapman

I remember listening to that at the time and thought and still think that if we truly had ambition we should have moved for NP when he was 6 years or so younger at that time instead of LJ.

But no, get in someone that you’re familiar, cosy and comfortable with. For me, the opposite of what happened to grow HL from what I’m led to understand.

[Tinmans Love Child]

5 hours ago, Tim Monaghan said:

I've been a devoted Bristol City supporter for 34 years, I find myself at a crossroads, a juncture if you will, where admiration and concern intersect. Its all steamed from the debate this morning on the FBC Podcast. Steve Lansdown, the visionary behind our beloved club since 1996, has left an indelible mark on our history. His passion, commitment, and financial backing have propelled Bristol City to new heights, this is undeniable, yet, as we stand on the precipice of another season of mediocrity (some on here will argue self inflicted), I can’t help but feel that this is a pivotal moment—a last chance saloon—for Lansdown’s ownership.

First of all, let me begin by expressing my gratitude. Steve Lansdown’s journey with Bristol City mirrors that of many fans. From fan on the terraces through his sons love of Bristol City, he transitioned from a passionate supporter to a director, and eventually, the owner. His investment in the club has been transformative. Nobody can deny that. The redevelopment of Ashton Gate stands as a testament to his commitment. Our new modern facilities and infrastructure have surpassed expectations, providing our players and fans with an environment befitting a club with ambitions.

But success in football is a fickle mistress. It demands results, both on and off the pitch. And herein lies the conundrum. While I will forever be grateful for Lansdown’s contributions, I can’t ignore the recent growing turbulence. Liam Manning’s appointment as head coach—I feel a pivotal decision—has placed the spotlight squarely on Lansdown’s shoulders yet again. I feel his success or failure will reverberate through the corridors of Ashton Gate on this occasion. 

As fans, we yearn for stability in fact its a must, however, football and sport in general is about progress, and silverware. But I'm asking myself, is it too much to ask for both? I want to see our team compete at the highest level, challenging for promotion, and perhaps even gracing the Premier League. I get that football is a game of fine margins, tiny percentages and a dash of luck, but I feel that they have made so many wrong decisions on the football side, that if Mannings tenure doesn't work out how we hope, the Lansdowns must introspect. He must consider whether it’s time to pass the baton—to let someone else steer the ship with new ideas and investment into the team. 

If, or as some are convinced, when, Manning fails, Lansdown must be prepared to make the toughest decision of all. Selling up. By his own admission, SL isn't a footballing man. JL is, I've actually played football with him, but this is also under question with a vast majority of our supporters. He will also always be the rich boys son or crayon boy as the highest intellectuals will crow. A highly unfair tag, but one he will never shake, lets be fair. 

Above all, do I trust the current set-up to choose another manager should (when) this one fails? After all, their track record is somewhat erm, shite (when you also include hires when he was part of the board etc): 

• John Ward - Success
• Benny Lennartsson - Failure
• Tony Pulis - Failure 
• Danny Wilson - Played nice football, but... 
• Brain (judge me on) Tinnion - Huge failure 
• Gary Johnson - Success 
• Keith Millen - Failure 
• Steve Coppell - Huge Failure after owners signing of David James meant he only lasted 3 months
• Derek McInnes - Huge Failure
• SOD - Huge Failure
• Steve Cotterill - Huge Success (pretty sure he was Keith Dawes appointment though and SL didn't want him)
• Lee Johnson - Mixed
• Dean Holden - Failure 
• Nigel Pearson - Failure 
• Liam Manning - Looking like its failing (even though I feel its too soon to tell) 

Anyway, this is a very long winded way, and maybe a chance for me to verbal diarrhoea some words on to a page, to say that if this doesn't work out then maybe enough is enough. Bristol is one of the biggest cities in the United Kingdom. Our catchment area is insane. We as a football club should have tasted success, especially with how committed, and lets be honest, patient, our fanbase have been. 

Mr Lansdown, selling isn’t a sign of defeat; it’s an acknowledgment of responsibility. It’s saying, “I’ve given my all, but now it’s time for fresh ideas, renewed vigour, and a different path.”

My mind has been swung. I appreciate your dedication, your love for the club, and the dreams you’ve woven into the fabric of Bristol City. But we also recognize that this is a critical juncture. I'm praying the footballing gods smile upon us, and Liam Mannings reign lead us to glory, I believe it can, but if I'm wrong (and many of you think I am) may you find the courage to pass the torch—to let another custodian shape our destiny. I feel its time. 

 

 

 

 

Was Brain Tinnion a typo?  Either way it's great!

[Jose]

5 hours ago, Mr Hankey said:

Classing Pearson as a failure is mind boggling.

Classing Pearson as a failure and Johnson as mixed is laughable. The reason Pearson had two hands behind his back while here was because of the previous regime. 
Give Pearson the tools Lee had and he would have got us in the top 6. Sure of it. Invest the money he earned developing Scott and he would have had us close too. 

[Bris Red]

1 minute ago, Jose said:

Classing Pearson as a failure and Johnson as mixed is laughable. The reason Pearson had two hands behind his back while here was because of the previous regime. 
Give Pearson the tools Lee had and he would have got us in the top 6. Sure of it. Invest the money he earned developing Scott and he would have had us close too. 

100%. I have said it a million times before but if Pearson was allowed the warchest that little Lee was allowed to spunk up the wall we would have had at least a shot at the Play-offs by now.

[Barrs Court Red]

20 minutes ago, reddogkev said:

Will any of this ever reach Steve?  Wonder if he has a team of people to feed this sort of stuff back to him. 

If I was him I would want to regain my reputation and do my best to turn around this ill-feeling.

He simply needs to start by hiring the correct level of footballing people to run the club, and not Brian Tinnion!!!!

Knowing the disparaging views senior BS bods have about football fans I would surprised if he cared