Are We Really That Unusual ?

[andy g]

I agree that these three lads appear to have been a bit stupid (although once again it would be nice to know the facts before jumping on the usual player-bashing bandwagon)

But I'm not convinced that this club has any more of a problem with a 'drinking culture' than any other. Its been said before, but like it or not, these are young lads we're talking about. And young lads with lots of money. They might be proffesional athletes, but you're not going to knock the 'lads on the town' thing out of them easily.

Almost every club has problems of this sort from time to time. From the local club up here (shrewsbury - and i could give you hundreds of examples of players getting into trouble up here !) to premiership champions like Chelsea, all clubs have the odd player who misbehaves from time to time.

In most cases there are some players who are worth than others and quite often there are 'known' offenders. And I'm not saying we shouldnt do all we can to keep these players under control.

But I don't think we should beat ourselves up over this or worry that somehow we are different than other clubs. We're not.

[Guest DrFaustus]

But I don't think we should beat ourselves up over this

A somwhat unfortunate expression perhaps?

[Alex_BCFC]

But I don't think we should beat ourselves up over this or worry that somehow we are different than other clubs. We're not.

Except I can't remember too many clubs who have 3 players arrested this season.

[Guest MaloneFM]

I believe you mean 'off' rather than 'up' herr doktor

[Tunley Legend]

How about this for a novel theory - lets be "different" to all the rest. Why not forget about sweeping arrests and City Centre "kick-offs" under the carpet and lets educate our players so that they perhaps learn to drink a little bit more sensibly, or if they do decide they want a blow out every so often, perhaps we can educate them to do it somewhere they will be unknown and/or un-noticed. It seems that many footballers are so un-educated that you have to hold their hands and advise them on everything from signing contracts to paying their Council Tax - so lets take the initiative and do it.

Why do we support the club at the end of the day? Is it because we want them to do well or is it because we want to be apologists for very well paid but indisciplined players who never seem to learn from their own or other team mates mistakes. This incident is the second time in the last two months that player behaviour in the City Centre is being scrutinised and we have had around half a dozen players arrested in the last couple of years. Perhaps, as a club, we SHOULD be beating ourselves up about it.

[Guest DrFaustus]

I believe you mean 'off' rather than 'up' herr doktor

Ha ha ha ha. I could well imagine some of your younger fans getting 'excited' by all this chat of testosterone filled young men.....

....in tight fitting shorts, their muscles rippling, the smell of Raljex.

Aaaarggghh. My Friday persona has err....popped out again.

[Guest MaloneFM]

Ha ha ha ha. I could well imagine some of your younger fans getting 'excited' by all this chat of testosterone filled young men.....

....in tight fitting shorts, their muscles rippling, the smell of Raljex.

Aaaarggghh. My Friday persona has err....popped out again.

The one that can't spell is it? R-A-L-G-E-X.

Are you a real doctor herr doktor?

[Guest North Street]

I agree that these three lads appear to have been a bit stupid (although once again it would be nice to know the facts before jumping on the usual player-bashing bandwagon)

But I'm not convinced that this club has any more of a problem with a 'drinking culture' than any other. Its been said before, but like it or not, these are young lads we're talking about. And young lads with lots of money. They might be proffesional athletes, but you're not going to knock the 'lads on the town' thing out of them easily.

Almost every club has problems of this sort from time to time. From the local club up here (shrewsbury - and i could give you hundreds of examples of players getting into trouble up here !) to premiership champions like Chelsea, all clubs have the odd player who misbehaves from time to time.

In most cases there are some players who are worth than others and quite often there are 'known' offenders. And I'm not saying we shouldnt do all we can to keep these players under control.

But I don't think we should beat ourselves up over this or worry that somehow we are different than other clubs. We're not.

No BCFC are not unique in this aspect and in the past many clubs actively encouraged their players to get out on the lash together to build team spirit.Seem to remember Rob Newman enjoying a night out or two along with more than a few others and the very great Cheesley propping up bars before he decided to work behind them. Hopefully this will all blow over very soon and those serious Violent disorder charges will be amended to minor public order charges then we can get back to marvelling at Browns aggresion in midfield. No doubt there are a few too many on here who have never had a night out in their lIves who will continue to demand that these young men should be locked up 24/7 never to be allowed out because they are supposed to be proffessional athletes who are not entitled to have a social life because of the wages BCFC pay them. Boys will be boys and messrs Brown, Orr and Partridge will get what is coming to them but cider is made of apples and somewhere down the line this will all happen again as those young men out there playing for BCFC will never be the puritanical Saints

How about this for a novel theory - lets be "different" to all the rest. Why not forget about sweeping arrests and City Centre "kick-offs" under the carpet and lets educate our players so that they perhaps learn to drink a little bit more sensibly, or if they do decide they want a blow out every so often, perhaps we can educate them to do it somewhere they will be unknown and/or un-noticed. It seems that many footballers are so un-educated that you have to hold their hands and advise them on everything from signing contracts to paying their Council Tax - so lets take the initiative and do it.

Why do we support the club at the end of the day? Is it because we want them to do well or is it because we want to be apologists for very well paid but indisciplined players who never seem to learn from their own or other team mates mistakes. This incident is the second time in the last two months that player behaviour in the City Centre is being scrutinised and we have had around half a dozen players arrested in the last couple of years. Perhaps, as a club, we SHOULD be beating ourselves up about it.

Yes lets be different to all the rest and educate them to be more like the rest of todays young men who also would not dream out having a night out. So why not get some of Citys former players to act as role models for our impressionable young pups i nominate Newman, Milne, Cheesley, Shail and Dziekanowski to show the errant youth the error of their ways.

[Tunley Legend]

No BCFC are not unique in this aspect and in the past many clubs actively encouraged their players to get out on the lash together to build team spirit.Seem to remember Rob Newman enjoying a night out or two along with more than a few others and the very great Cheesley propping up bars before he decided to work behind them. Hopefully this will all blow over very soon and those serious Violent disorder charges will be amended to minor public order charges then we can get back to marvelling at Browns aggresion in midfield. No doubt there are a few too many on here who have never had a night out in their lIves who will continue to demand that these young men should be locked up 24/7 never to be allowed out because they are supposed to be proffessional athletes who are not entitled to have a social life because of the wages BCFC pay them. Boys will be boys and messrs Brown, Orr and Partridge will get what is coming to them but cider is made of apples and somewhere down the line this will all happen again as those young men out there playing for BCFC will never be the puritanical Saints

Surely though we need to make an attempt to at least calm some of thse lads down because the next time could see a City player lying in a gutter (although by the sound of it that describes the state of Partridge pretty well) or a mother mourning the loss of her son who was knocked senseless by a City player. The whole point is that if the lads were being "social" there would be a lot less of a problem.

On a slightly different note, what makes me laugh is that off the pitch we seem to have a squad full of players who are quite willing to help each other out when the boots and fists are flying in a bar but on the pitch we must be one of the quietest sides in English football. Nobody seems to gee team-mates up, shouts of "man on" seem to be very rare, there is no obvious leader in the side and everybody seems generally shy. Our lads have obviously got things the wrong way round!!

[Mr Mosquito]

andy g, another apologist?

Also read the great article from Sipowicz on the cover page of the www.bristolcitynet.co.uk website regarding the drink culture problems that Gary Johnson has inherited.

Just to reiterate, it's interesting to note that Gary Johnson will relocate from Yeovil to Bristol to keep a firmer reign on the errant players and their drink culture. Intelligence reports suggest that the time these activities got out of control was under Danny Wilson's tenure as manager as Danny Wilson would not relocate from Chesterfield to keep an eye on the problem. Seems as if Brian Tinnion tried to sort the problem but was ultimately felled by this clique of players. It is my opinion that Gary Johnson must have our firm support in crushing this drink culture or else we'll never have the players in a fit enough mental and physical state to escape this poxy division.

Take no notice of the players' apologists who post on this forum who would insist that it's the fault of bouncers, Police, Gas, Gary Johnson, the fans, the club, roadsigns, spiked drinks etc when they're involved in punch ups, car crashes, 1-7 away defeats, etc.

[CiderHider]

But I don't think we should beat ourselves off over this

Less fortunate expression

[Tunley Legend]

No BCFC are not unique in this aspect and in the past many clubs actively encouraged their players to get out on the lash together to build team spirit.Seem to remember Rob Newman enjoying a night out or two along with more than a few others and the very great Cheesley propping up bars before he decided to work behind them. Hopefully this will all blow over very soon and those serious Violent disorder charges will be amended to minor public order charges then we can get back to marvelling at Browns aggresion in midfield. No doubt there are a few too many on here who have never had a night out in their lIves who will continue to demand that these young men should be locked up 24/7 never to be allowed out because they are supposed to be proffessional athletes who are not entitled to have a social life because of the wages BCFC pay them. Boys will be boys and messrs Brown, Orr and Partridge will get what is coming to them but cider is made of apples and somewhere down the line this will all happen again as those young men out there playing for BCFC will never be the puritanical Saints

Yes lets be different to all the rest and educate them to be more like the rest of todays young men who also would not dream out having a night out. So why not get some of Citys former players to act as role models for our impressionable young pups i nominate Newman, Milne, Cheesley, Shail and Dziekanowski to show the errant youth the error of their ways.

Where did I say that the players should not have a night out? I don't mind having my post criticised but at least have the common decency to read it properly before you totally mis-quote it. What I am saying is that given we know these lads will have nights out and given what they do for a living and the potential publicity they will attract lets educate them to avoid the current situation occurring again. Please tell me what is wrong with that. Or does having a drink and then brawling somehow make you more of a "lad" and therefore socially superior to everybody else?

[Guest North Street]

Where did I say that the players should not have a night out? I don't mind having my post criticised but at least have the common decency to read it properly before you totally mis-quote it. What I am saying is that given we know these lads will have nights out and given what they do for a living and the potential publicity they will attract lets educate them to avoid the current situation occurring again. Please tell me what is wrong with that. Or does having a drink and then brawling somehow make you more of a "lad" and therefore socially superior to everybody else?

No offence was intended as i was not critising your post rather making a tongue in cheek point about exactly who could BCFC call upon amongst it's former pros to offer their thoughts on the perils of St Nicholas street. Bristol City's acedemy certainly do along with the egg chasers offer advice to their proteges. Most of our players hail from working class backgrounds so the culture of ladism is almost inescapable and is accepted as normal. Young working class men will fall, it is going to happen from time to time, i am not an apologist for their behaviour [if guilty] but i think telling young men to have only a occasional night out because they are proffessional football players would fall on deaf ears at virtually every club. Football clubs have always had drinking cultures although the "win loose always booze days" have now gone.

Question Greebo, who would you want to educate BCFC's players?

Imagine someone like Glenn Hoddle being brought in for the day to Hector the lads on the evils of fermented hops and apples? My legs would not be able to mpove fast enough from the ground to the Rising Sun.

[Tunley Legend]

No offence was intended as i was not critising your post rather making a tongue in cheek point about exactly who could BCFC call upon amongst it's former pros to offer their thoughts on the perils of St Nicholas street. Bristol City's acedemy certainly do along with the egg chasers offer advice to their proteges. Most of our players hail from working class backgrounds so the culture of ladism is almost inescapable and is accepted as normal. Young working class men will fall, it is going to happen from time to time, i am not an apologist for their behaviour [if guilty] but i think telling young men to have only a occasional night out because they are proffessional football players would fall on deaf ears at virtually every club. Football clubs have always had drinking cultures although the "win loose always booze days" have now gone.

Question Greebo, who would you want to educate BCFC's players?

Imagine someone like Glenn Hoddle being brought in for the day to Hector the lads on the evils of fermented hops and apples? My legs would not be able to mpove fast enough from the ground to Rising Sun.

I agree with the last comment. But how about Tony Adams? A respected player with a down to earth attitude who has fallen foul of alcoholism, wrapped a car around a lamp post when drunk and has come out the other side. He now runs his own drying out clinic I believe. Footballers will always drink and get drunk (as do most other people) but if it can be controlled so that it is more the lads night out it is supposed to be rather than an excuse to get involved in a mass ruck in the middle of Park Street then it has to be a good thing.

[andy g]

andy g, another apologist?

I didnt think I was being an apologist. I was saying that the supposed 'drinking culture' at this club isnt as unusual as some people seem to think.

Anyway, I shouldnt be sat here at the computer, I should be out getting drunk... (in a responsible manner of course)

[Guest North Street]

I agree with the last comment. But how about Tony Adams? A respected player with a down to earth attitude who has fallen foul of alcoholism, wrapped a car around a lamp post when drunk and has come out the other side. He now runs his own drying out clinic I believe. Footballers will always drink and get drunk (as do most other people) but if it can be controlled so that it is more the lads night out it is supposed to be rather than an excuse to get involved in a mass ruck in the middle of Park Street then it has to be a good thing.

Adams would be exactly the choice i would make but i would expect it to have minimal effect.

Hard drinking is endemic in Britain and football. It is very much part of football folk lore at clubs, the players go out together and go over the stories with ex/older pros about their clubs equivalent of the dentist chair.

This is the norm at most clubs despite some believing it is only happening at Bristol City and can be blamed on previous managers for City's ill's

Blackthorn for me tomorrow