Lennie Lawrences' Second Interview

[Bristol Boy]

Last night at The East Mids Hilton.

[Keepers Ball]

Oh God please No !

[Tunley Legend]

Last night at The East Mids Hilton.

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If Lansdown does what many of us expect, and appoints Lawrence then I fear he (and possibly the club given his level of investment in relation to our debt) will be drinking in the Last Chance Saloon. Cock this appointment up and the next chants heard down at the gate will be "Sack the Board". As Lansdown has pretty much intimated, if he is forced out he will call in his loans.

If you think about it, this club is perilously close to total meltdown. I really hope he makes a bold appointment and goes for a manager who will shake the club up from top to bottom and doesn't mind upsetting a few people along the way. Unfortunately, I feel Lansdown is a conservative type who will want a "Yes Man" at ALL costs.

[Guest]

And how do you know this? Let me guess your secret sauce told you.

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Well he's not the only one

http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=44543

[Bristol Boy]

And how do you know this? Let me guess your secret sauce told you.

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I don't post rumours or BS.

Check the facts, then apologise.

[Keepers Ball]

I don't post rumours or BS.

Check the facts, then apologise.

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Take some of that to the ribs

[RedM]

Well he's not the only one

http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=44543

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But it doesn't say it was LL.

(RedM desperately hoping it wasn't, but now beginning to face the stark reality)

This feels so wrong, but what do I know I thought Tinnion was right at the time.

[Guest routabout]

If Lansdown does what many of us expect, and appoints Lawrence then I fear he (and possibly the club given his level of investment in relation to our debt) will be drinking in the Last Chance Saloon. Cock this appointment up and the next chants heard down at the gate will be "Sack the Board". As Lansdown has pretty much intimated, if he is forced out he will call in his loans.

This is what is really getting to me. If that isn't holding us to ransom, then I don't know what is. I used to have utter respect and confidence in Stephen Lansdown, but this is not on. In fact this makes my blood boil.

In my mind, one evil act, outweighs many good acts and I do not forgive easily.

[red_pill]

He is ruining this club single handed. He leaves all the work that he should be doing to Colin Saxstone and when something good happens Lansdown takes the praise but infact it was all Saxstones doing ie the new stand.

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Oh pl-eeese... what twaddle!

[Guest routabout]

But back to the title of this thread, the highly unpopular and doubtfully suitable, Lennie Lawrence.

Lawrence had best stay the hell away from this club. He is not wanted nor welcome here. Read this Mr Lansdown and Mr Lawrence.

Steve, if you are putting up your ransom note as some kind of shield, to fend off the Lawrence flack, then you are making a big mistake.

If these are your plans, you are about to open up Pandora's box fella. This would be the final straw and if you want to risk destroying the club, as per your ransom note, so that you can bring in a muppet like Lawrence, then you are advised to retire from all forms of work, as you have obviously lost all business acumen.

For this reason, I am confident that Lawrence isn't going to be our next manager. But you can imagine how utterly dismayed I'm going to be, if he is brought in. I by myself would not have any say in things, but when over 80% of people all say this, then I'm sure that you would agree, this would be a ridiculous move.

Ignore your primary source of income at your peril.

[NickJ]

He is ruining this club single handed.

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Only a few days ago it was Tinman doing that. Now its Steve Lansdown.

The King is dead - long live the King.

This almost conspiracy theory against Tinman, SL, Colin Sexstone, and whoever the next manager is, is getting ridiculous.

[NickJ]

Ignore your primary source of income at your peril.

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?????

Explain?????

[Guest routabout]

?????

Explain?????

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The fans. The people who week after week pay around a tenner per hour, per head to watch the 'football' we have been offered. The people who buy sub-standard merchandise at high prices, so that the club can make a greater profit margin. The people who put money through the tills at the club bars and via the so called 'catering facilities'. The people who buy the match day programmes. The season ticket holders. The visitors to the club shop who leave there with some overpriced piece of tat. The suckers, like me, who sign up to Bristol City World Extra. The other suckers who sign up for the text updates.

You know? Us.

Or through some more 'creative accounting' are we now relegated to being just a side line. Something to top up the petty cash tin?

I await your defence of Steve, Colin & co, on that point.

[Guest routabout]

Yes agree were all suckers but if we all stoped buying all this stuff then the club would go bankrupt.

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And don't you think that Steve L and Colin 'ker-ching' Sexstone would be well advised to damned well remember that and at least show us the respect that we deserve on that strength alone?

[Guest routabout]

Oh yes and how could I forget the 'Buy a Brick' scheme, that many of us, myself included, put money into, which is a great show of faith in the club.

But do they respect us for it? On the evidence we are presented with, it would appear not.

Because a comment that intimates, "If I am forced out, I will recall my loans to the club, essentially bankrupting it", does not seem very respectful to us at all, wouldn't you agree?

At best it is an ill advised, 'heat of the moment' outburst. At worst, it's a verbally delivered ransom note.

[red_pill]

This threads barkin'

[Guest routabout]

This threads barkin'

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If by "barkin'", you mean it contains heartfelt expressions of frustration and anger, at the way that the fans are treated as nothing more than a source of income, then you've hit the nail right on the head.

[red_pill]

No, by barkin', I mean that it seems that a few of us on this forum have lost a little perspective.

So, what's the situation? Danny was sacked, we appointed an inexperienced manager with a heart the size of a planet, it panned out like someones first game of Championship Manager (first season ok, freefall in the second), the guy has to go (pushed or falls, doesn't really matter in effect), the board looks for a new manager, maybe someone some people aren't keen on may get appointed, maybe not.

As a city fan, this is part of the ride. Deal with it - in the long term, this ain't no crisis, we still have Bristol City football club! I'm as disappointed as anyone that we're not storming the league as expected, but that's got nothing to do with the bovril in the kiosk or trendy nike shirts. Bristol City are a 3rd division side at the moment, the income is poor and the club is losing money. We ain't going to attract big name managers and we have to deal with that. Our chairman is a successfull businessman investing in a company losing money hand over fist. I'm sure his head tells him he's crazy, yet he's going with his heart. Few clubs have a chairman so honest as we have and that to some extent is to his detriment. He probably tells the fans too much, rather than just going head-down for a decision which he feels is right. Yes, we all invest in city with our hearts, and to some extent in our pockets, but we don't invest in the way Steve Lansdown does. Do you really think he wants to kill the club? Duh!

When people mince around talking of splinter clubs and how they feel exploited by a club in debt trying to make money, i have a simple response, start your club, have fun, and as far as city is concerned, keep your hand in your pocket, but are you a Bristol City supporter? Plenty of people at the gate have seen far worse times...

[Guest routabout]

In my defence, I will say that I am no silly little kid, nor do I have many illusions. I was all too affected in '82 and I've been a fan of this club for long enough to know that if this current predicament isn't handle correctly, it could so easily go very, very wrong for us.

I appreciate that Steve has put a LOT of his own money into the club and I've said many times, that without Steve Lansdown, we wouldn't have a club at all. I do not accuse him of trying to destroy this club. The point I made is that I am none too impressed with the comments that he made recently and I don't think I am wrong in feeling that his words were tantamount to a verbal ransom note.

I appreciate that the club is only trying to make money, but with respect, there are certain limits, before it is going too far. Providing substandard replica shirts is a false economy, which I'm sure you will agree. Applying per ticket, credit card transaction charges is an example of being greedy, which has caused great annoyance.

To let you know where I am coming from, I have never had a season ticket, yet in some seasons, I have been fortunate to attend every home fixture in the league. I wouldn't buy a season ticket, as I am all to aware of the discount and would rather pay the full price in the hope that the club benefit financially.

However idealistic I may seem, in some ways and bitter in others, I am a fan of this club and have been for 27 or so of my 34 years and I always have the best intentions for the club. To patronise me by presuming that I have not enough 'experience' of supporting City, is quite frankly insulting. The "ah bless, sweet dreams" comment, in response to my voicing my opinion on the current mood here, was also patronising and insulting.

I will not retaliate in kind as I see this as being as petty and narrow minded as your comments were patronising.

[lotusman]

For all the anti Lawrence brigade I would love to know their thoughts of Charlton.The way in which that club is managed is an excellent role model to so many and particularly ourselves.

Speak to Charlton fans and they will obviously heap praise on Curbishley,Day & Peacock, however a name which is embraced in similar fashion is no less than Lennie Lawrence!

Why? Simply put he was the founding father of the Charlton that operates today. 15 or so years back he didnt have nearly the resources we had yet managed to keep Charlton a league ahead of ourselves. Indeed he guided them and managed to keep them in the then Premiership equivalent for a much longer period than should have been possible. Not only that but it was all done "away" from home at their pretentious neighbours Crystal Palace.

Make no mistake Lennie Lawrence has much to be proud of in his career,much more so than our clubs achievements in the same period........

What a pity that so many have so much to say but know so little.

[CGS RED]

Beware, Badger in the room, and with good reason !

[tompo]

Yes like you said that was 15 years ago and he hasnt moved with the times and uses old fasion techniques that don't work in todays game.

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Got Cardiff promoted?

[Sirben]

Why don't you create you breakaway team now - Afc Moaners!!

[The Casual Connoisseur]

Got Cardiff promoted?

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And how much money did it take him? oh and didn't he inherit a team with about £3 million worth of "talent" including Robert Earnshaw.

And one of his most excellent buys..................Andy Campbell 25 starts ina bout 4 seasons, not exactly cheap either.

I work with Cardiff City fans day in day out and they are warming their sweaty little palms in anticipation of LL coming and hammering in the final nail of our league one coffin.

[NickJ]

The fans. The people who week after week pay around a tenner per hour, per head to watch the 'football' we have been offered. The people who buy sub-standard merchandise at high prices, so that the club can make a greater profit margin. The people who put money through the tills at the club bars and via the so called 'catering facilities'. The people who buy the match day programmes. The season ticket holders. The visitors to the club shop who leave there with some overpriced piece of tat. The suckers, like me, who sign up to Bristol City World Extra. The other suckers who sign up for the text updates.

You know? Us.

Or through some more 'creative accounting' are we now relegated to being just a side line. Something to top up the petty cash tin?

I await your defence of Steve, Colin & co, on that point.

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Oh, you meant the income of Bristol City - your wording implied Steve's personal income. I'm not being pedantic, I wondered if you meant we should all boycott Hargreaves Lansdown products.

Your posts are a bit aggressive, if you don't mind me saying so, but anyway, don't worry, it won't be Lennie Lawrence. I have no inside knowledge on which I say that, only that I cannot believe SL would appoint somebody who is clearly so unpopular with the fans - that would put him in something of a no-win situation would it not?

[Riaz]

I cannot believe SL would appoint somebody who is clearly so unpopular with the fans - that would put him in something of a no-win situation would it not?

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He'd be popular if LL got us promotion??

[Guest routabout]

Oh, you meant the income of Bristol City - your wording implied Steve's personal income. I'm not being pedantic, I wondered if you meant we should all boycott Hargreaves Lansdown products.

Your posts are a bit aggressive, if you don't mind me saying so, but anyway, don't worry, it won't be Lennie Lawrence. I have no inside knowledge on which I say that, only that I cannot believe SL would appoint somebody who is clearly so unpopular with the fans - that would put him in something of a no-win situation would it not?

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No, I don't mind you saying my posts are agressive. In some cases, I agree, they are. I apologise if they get anybody's back up, but please understand that like many, I'm very worried about the club, overall and the real catalyst for my anger was, as I've said, Steve's comment about calling in his loans if he is 'forced out'. This makes me very scared for the future of the club and very disappointed in Steve himself. I genuinely feel that the club should and could have handled this last week or so, one hell of a lot better.

To be fair, the board know that they will face the consequences of poor decision making and of poor handling of the media and mass speculation. I know that it is merely speculation and that the board do not HAVE to say anything. But a simple, "relax people, it's not going to be Lawrence..." would have had a positive effect on the fanbase. Well, at least the online sub-set.

[steveo_9]

I'm not totallu sure if this has been covered but what is everyones problem with Lenny - i mean he did a job at all the previous clubs he has been at..

The football may not be the greatest to watch but that goes for Mr Allen @ Brentford as well - I remember when they knocked us out teh cup last season everyone was fuming at the tatics they played - especially on this forum..

Would just like someone to help me out here a bit?

[richwwtk]

No, I don't mind you saying my posts are agressive. In some cases, I agree, they are. I apologise if they get anybody's back up, but please understand that like many, I'm very worried about the club, overall and the real catalyst for my anger was, as I've said, Steve's comment about calling in his loans if he is 'forced out'. This makes me very scared for the future of the club and very disappointed in Steve himself. I genuinely feel that the club should and could have handled this last week or so, one hell of a lot better.

To be fair, the board know that they will face the consequences of poor decision making and of poor handling of the media and mass speculation. I know that it is merely speculation and that the board do not HAVE to say anything. But a simple, "relax people, it's not going to be Lawrence..." would have had a positive effect on the fanbase. Well, at least the online sub-set.

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I like your postings, even if I don't always agree. For instance, I disagree with you about Steve Lansdown and his attitude towards the fans (i.e. little more than an income stream). I accept that he has made mistakes, but can't help feeling that the things connected to 'fleecing' us of money are more down to Colin Sexstone than SL. The comment about calling in his loans if forced out is only really pointing out the obvious and was probably said in frustration as a response to the feeling that everything he does is criticised.

As to ruling out LL from the running for the managers post, he has obviously been interviewed and considered so, assuming it won't be him in the end, it would have been very unprofessional to announce that he doesn't have the job before the successful applicant was revealed.

[Guest routabout]

I like your postings, even if I don't always agree. For instance, I disagree with you about Steve Lansdown and his attitude towards the fans (i.e. little more than an income stream). I accept that he has made mistakes, but can't help feeling that the things connected to 'fleecing' us of money are more down to Colin Sexstone than SL. The comment about calling in his loans if forced out is only really pointing out the obvious and was probably said in frustration as a response to the feeling that everything he does is criticised.

As to ruling out LL from the running for the managers post, he has obviously been interviewed and considered so, assuming it won't be him in the end, it would have been very unprofessional to announce that he doesn't have the job before the successful applicant was revealed.

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I agree about it being more Colin than Steve on the fleecing side of things. It's why I often refer to him as Colin 'ker-ching' Sexstone. I made another 'rantish' post about the differences between football and cricket fans, although I'm probably guilty of stereotyping there.

I do see your point about it being unprofessional to announce that LL wouldn't be appointed, if this is indeed the case. But angry outbursts from a frustrated chairman, although understandable, are also unprofessional. An unprofessional act that has a huge negative effect on the fans, versus one that could have a big positive effect on us. Which would you choose? Only Lawrence would be hurt, if at all, but this is the cut throat world of professional football after all.

Sometimes I let emotion get the better of me and I don't put things across, as maybe I should. So I can empathise with Steve. Believe it or not, my only real argument with him, is that thinly veiled threat. It's made a big difference to my opinion of him. An apology on that front, would go down an absolute treat and reassure me of his commitment, whilst also reminding me that he is human and man enough to hold his hands up to his mistakes.