Youth Players

[shamussy]

After watching the Arsenal-Madrid game where only 2 english players played (for the spanish side), it really does make you think 'whats the point in suporting your local team?'

Lets face it, if we sign a load of random players from around the country, what makes their pride in playing for BRISTOL CITY?

There are 11 random players from around the country playing for most teams around the country.

A local derby between city and swindon, what do the players care?

Lets get the youth in, try our best to keep them when they improve and see the majority of our side being from bristol, being proud to play football there.

[Guest HampshireCider]

After watching the Arsenal-Madrid game where only 2 english players played (for the spanish side), it really does make you think 'whats the point in suporting your local team?'

Lets face it, if we sign a load of random players from around the country, what makes their pride in playing for BRISTOL CITY?

There are 11 random players from around the country playing for most teams around the country.

A local derby between city and swindon, what do the players care?

Lets get the youth in, try our best to keep them when they improve and see the majority of our side being from bristol, being proud to play football there.

I well agree that alot of derby passion is lost with too many foriegners in our game today but i think there will never be a post war bristol city fc with 11 bristolians (although we were pretty close a few seasons ago, coles, doc, hill, burnell and so on) but its not just that foriegne players are cheap its that these players at arsenal, man u, liverpool really are the best players in the world, I'm sure there would be no complaints if we found the next henry or roberto carlos. we too, but the more money a club has, the more of these players it wants....and gets.

Even reserve games in the prem are flooded with all sorts of overseas players. but i feel at bristol city we will rarley have a bristolian out of the side, especialy now Benyon and Williams are ready to break through soon.

Plus i love seeing players coming from abroad and playing for us as they can do well e.g Agostino, Brennan, And who can forget jaki!!

A few will probaly say this is a pointless post but I'm just trying to say that bristol city will never become an all foreign 11, there is too much talent on the pitches of Bristol (Although many players may slip away from Bristol) for it to be constantly overlooked year after year.

[Sirben]

Clubs like us rely on getting home grown players coming through as it is the best way the club can survive. Especially in terms of making profit from selling these players on and not having to pay transfer fees and signing on fees for outside players.

[bh_red]

After watching the Arsenal-Madrid game where only 2 english players played (for the spanish side), it really does make you think 'whats the point in suporting your local team?'

Lets face it, if we sign a load of random players from around the country, what makes their pride in playing for BRISTOL CITY?

There are 11 random players from around the country playing for most teams around the country.

A local derby between city and swindon, what do the players care?

Lets get the youth in, try our best to keep them when they improve and see the majority of our side being from bristol, being proud to play football there.

That's what we did a few years back around the time of the last play off final, then it all went breasts up, we sacked wilson and the team fell apart, I think slowly but surely we will go back to that, but it takes time to have the right players in the team, who can forget the LDV win against the gas a few seasons back, think we had 7 Bristol lads in the starting line up!

[Guest HampshireCider]

Clubs like us rely on getting home grown players coming through as it is the best way the club can survive. Especially in terms of making profit from selling these players on and not having to pay transfer fees and signing on fees for outside players.

ALL TIME BRISTOLIAN XL

Tony Cook

Andy Llewellyn Gary Collier Chris Garland Geoff Merrick

Keith Fear Trevor Tainton Boby Williams Jantzen Derick

Paul Cheesly Don Clark

[CiderHider]

ALL TIME BRISTOLIAN XL

Tony Cook

Andy Llewellyn Gary Collier Chris Garland Geoff Merrick

Keith Fear Trevor Tainton Boby Williams Jantzen Derick

Paul Cheesly Don Clark

Fair do's, no place for Doc in that Midfield?

[Red_Mat]

After watching the Arsenal-Madrid game where only 2 english players played (for the spanish side), it really does make you think 'whats the point in suporting your local team?'

Lets face it, if we sign a load of random players from around the country, what makes their pride in playing for BRISTOL CITY?

There are 11 random players from around the country playing for most teams around the country.

A local derby between city and swindon, what do the players care?

Lets get the youth in, try our best to keep them when they improve and see the majority of our side being from bristol, being proud to play football there.

No offence, but that's a bit of a stupid argument. For almost 150 years, football teams up and down the country have been full of 'foreigners'.

Can you ever remember when City had 11 Bristolians in the side? Or when Arsenal had 11 north Londoners? Or Chelsea 11 West Londoners? Or Newcastle 11 Geordies?

No, because ever since people have played football they've travelled around. City have had Londoners, Northerners, Brummies, Scots, Welsh and Irish, players. Just because they come a bit further away these days, doesn't really make any difference.

Where do you draw the line, anyway? "Oh, right, Matty Hill comes from north of the river (Patchway), that means he isn't a proper City boy." That just doesn't work.

One example is Harry Kewell. A lifelong Liverpool fan, even though he's from Australia. Doesn't stop him giving his all in Liverpool-Everton derbies, or taking out Gary Neville in the first minute of the recent Man Utd-Liverpool game.

Ok, so a very small number of teams - like Arsenal - you could argue have taken it too far. Without Campbell and Cole, their fans don't appear to have any players they can really identify with. But then you take a look at Henry, Ljungberg, Bergkamp, Viera (when he was there), and Pires, and tell me their fans don't idealise them as much as if they were from round the corner.

I'm not an Arsenal fan - far from it - but you look at Henry and you see someone who is, and always will be, a Gunner.

I really appreciated what Danny Wilson did by bringing through the younger players. It did feel like they were proper lifelong City fans. But Lita, Amankwaah, Rosenior, Fortune, Roberts, Peacock, Murray, etc, didn't come from the local area, let alone support City.

Ok, I know others like Hill, Golbourne, Coles, Doherty, Burnell, Phillips, Woodman and Brown were locals, but I think it's as much about creating a 'team', rather than a group of individuals, and you can do this whether they're local or not.

That's what I think DW did really well. He helped create a brilliant team and team spirit, no matter where they were from.

[Mikenoski]

I well agree that alot of derby passion is lost with too many foriegners in our game today.

I'd disagree with that. The passion of a local derby is fueled by the fans. If the players care about the fans and the support they receive from them... They have no better time to proove themselves than in a local derby.. regardless of their nationality.

[Red_Mat]

I'd disagree with that. The passion of a local derby is fueled by the fans. If the players care about the fans and the support they receive from them... They have no better time to proove themselves than in a local derby.. regardless of their nationality.

Good point. The atmosphere comes from the supporters watching, not the players. They respond to it.

[Guest HampshireCider]

Fair do's, no place for Doc in that Midfield?

Maybe on the bench. I'm a Doc fan but was thinking of flair rather than bite

[Guest HampshireCider]

Maybe on the bench. I'm a Doc fan but was thinking of flair rather than bite

Subs

Cashley (GK)

Gordon Parr

Doc

David Rodgers

Gordan Low

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

Subs

Cashley (GK)

Gordon Parr

Doc

David Rodgers

Gordan Low

Gordon Low wasn't a Bristolian. He was Scottish, I think, and previously played for Huddersfield Town. He was also Denis Law's best man!

Not sure Gordon Parr was a Bristolian either.

[BCFC_Dan]

I have to admit that I watched last night's game and thought "wouldn't it be wonderful if City had such a talented and cosmpolitan side". To have 11 Bristolians who cared would be nice, but it seems quite unlikely that a side that good could be made up entirely of Bristolians and it is the quality that is more important than the birthplace.

However, not being an Arsenal-sized club, we largely have to choose between commitment and talent and I agree that we get more of both from academy players, so for me that is the way to go.

[Guest HampshireCider]

Gordon Low wasn't a Bristolian. He was Scottish, I think, and previously played for Huddersfield Town. He was also Denis Law's best man!

Not sure Gordon Parr was a Bristolian either.

I stand corrected on Gordon Low (Aberdeen born)

Gordon Parr was %100 Bristolion though, Had a short spell playing in Ireland then came back to Bristol as an Electritian (Hes my girlfreinds mums uncle)

[mozo]

I was chuffed to see the West-country spine in Danny Wilson's team. It's a rare but admirable thing.

[Guest HampshireCider]

I was chuffed to see the West-country spine in Danny Wilson's team. It's a rare but admirable thing.

It was more than the spine, was arms and legs too!

phillips hill coles carey woodman aninsyah doc burnell aron B

This could have been the start of our "all bristol XL (well excluding phillips)

And I'm sure of thos that left that more could have been done to keep them. you might say they left because of money but then look how much money we are giving stewart..............and for what in return!? :@

[mozo]

It was more than the spine, was arms and legs too!

phillips hill coles carey woodman aninsyah doc burnell aron B

This could have been the start of our "all bristol XL (well excluding phillips)

And I'm sure of thos that left that more could have been done to keep them. you might say they left because of money but then look how much money we are giving stewart..............and for what in return!? :@

Strange that it was Tinnion, not a local lad (obviously) but City through and through as they say, who let some of those lads go and opted for the other route.

[Guest HampshireCider]

Strange that it was Tinnion, not a local lad (obviously) but City through and through as they say, who let some of those lads go and opted for the other route.

He would have done the same if he was bristolion too, or if all those players were geordies. i just think he wanted city to be "his team" now that he had the managers job.

and to be fair, it wasnt like he couldnt afford to bring others in and let go our local lads! we all know he was very well backed in the transfer market.

[mozo]

He would have done the same if he was bristolion too, or if all those players were geordies. i just think he wanted city to be "his team" now that he had the managers job.

and to be fair, it wasnt like he couldnt afford to bring others in and let go our local lads! we all know he was very well backed in the transfer market.

unfortunately, there's no good in losing young local talent unless you're a) getting big money for them and b) can replace them for less and replace them well.

Tinnion's rebuilding may well have worked in the long run (if he could have kept us up this season) but it would have taken years. If he had kept the spine the same but worked on the smaller details we could be on our way up this season.

If half the players weren't willing to play for Tinman you have to question whether that possibility was considered by the board when they appointed him. They certainly didn't back him when the wholesale rebuilding plan went awry this season.

The club needs to build and progress from now on and for me that means holding on to Cotterill and Williams, and keeping on Brooker as skipper for many years.

[Guest HampshireCider]

unfortunately, there's no good in losing young local talent unless you're a) getting big money for them and b) can replace them for less and replace them well.

Tinnion's rebuilding may well have worked in the long run (if he could have kept us up this season) but it would have taken years. If he had kept the spine the same but worked on the smaller details we could be on our way up this season.

If half the players weren't willing to play for Tinman you have to question whether that possibility was considered by the board when they appointed him. They certainly didn't back him when the wholesale rebuilding plan went awry this season.

The club needs to build and progress from now on and for me that means holding on to Cotterill and Williams, and keeping on Brooker as skipper for many years.

Ive heared romours that doc and coles wernt happy about their one time playing\drinking buddy suddenly becoming the boss and knowing what they got up to out on the town. fast forward half a season and we have that spine again in heywood, noble, Brooker and cotts and hopfully NEXT SEASON WE WILL GO UP!!

[BCFC_Dan]

The problem was that the lack of promotion caused the ambitious young players to want to leave, and the less ambitious ones to become complacent.

It's disappointing that they left, but after the play-off failure and Tinnion's appointment they were always going to.

We have to make sure that this lot are supported better than the last lot.