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Biggest Underachievers?

Redland

By Redland
in Football Chat

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Redland

Redland

Posted
Posted

It may have been said before, but the defeat by Yeovil (population 40,000) raises the question "are we the most underachieving football club in Britain?" When I started supporting City in the 1960's we were in the old Second Division. Yeovil were in the Southern League with a sloping pitch and a reputation as cup giant killers.

Bristol is the 8th biggest city in England, the same size as Manchester and only slightly smaller than Liverpool. In footballing terms we also have a large catchment area with the nearest Premiership club being Reading. Despite this we have not had top flight football at Ashton Gate since the 1970's and for the past 7 years we have been stuck in the Third Division (old money).

Size of City is not , in itself, a guarantee of success and over the years other "large" clubs, including Manchester City, Sheffield Wednesday and now Nottingham Forest have fallen from grace and joined us. However, they seem to have the ability to bounce back and gain promotion after a year or two, whilst we remain becalmed in the doldrums. Meanwhile we are overtaken by the mighty Southend, Colchester, Yeovil, Reading, Wigan etc etc. We are no longer a sleeping giant - we are comatose.

Other than Rovers(who have a smaller fan base) I cannot think of a club with as much potential as City that has underachieved as much. The last time we achieved a promotion as Champions, in any division, was 1955!

It gives me no pleasure to state these facts (they are not opinions). I have supported City since the 1960's.I can remember crying ,as a youngster, when 40 years ago Gerry Sharpe sufferd a broken leg which ended his career. I do not pretend to know the answer. We have had numerous managers and players over the years and we have now reached the stage where we lose to Yeovil Town, playing a forward on loan from Sheffield Wednesday reserves, who has never scored a league goal. Apparently we have no better players available.

I will continue to support City - it is in my blood. However, comparing realistic aspirations to reality, can you think of a team in Britain which has underachieved as much as City?

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Guest stingray316

Guest stingray316

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It may have been said before, but the defeat by Yeovil (population 40,000) raises the question "are we the most underachieving football club in Britain?" When I started supporting City in the 1960's we were in the old Second Division. Yeovil were in the Southern League with a sloping pitch and a reputation as cup giant killers.

Bristol is the 8th biggest city in England, the same size as Manchester and only slightly smaller than Liverpool. In footballing terms we also have a large catchment area with the nearest Premiership club being Reading. Despite this we have not had top flight football at Ashton Gate since the 1970's and for the past 7 years we have been stuck in the Third Division (old money).

Size of City is not , in itself, a guarantee of success and over the years other "large" clubs, including Manchester City, Sheffield Wednesday and now Nottingham Forest have fallen from grace and joined us. However, they seem to have the ability to bounce back and gain promotion after a year or two, whilst we remain becalmed in the doldrums. Meanwhile we are overtaken by the mighty Southend, Colchester, Yeovil, Reading, Wigan etc etc. We are no longer a sleeping giant - we are comatose.

Other than Rovers(who have a smaller fan base) I cannot think of a club with as much potential as City that has underachieved as much. The last time we achieved a promotion as Champions, in any division, was 1955!

It gives me no pleasure to state these facts (they are not opinions). I have supported City since the 1960's.I can remember crying ,as a youngster, when 40 years ago Gerry Sharpe sufferd a broken leg which ended his career. I do not pretend to know the answer. We have had numerous managers and players over the years and we have now reached the stage where we lose to Yeovil Town, playing a forward on loan from Sheffield Wednesday reserves, who has never scored a league goal. Apparently we have no better players available.

I will continue to support City - it is in my blood. However, comparing realistic aspirations to reality, can you think of a team in Britain which has underachieved as much as City?

:rofl2br: Your lot don't half make me laugh with some of the discussions you have.You are not underachievers, because you are not a footballing city.Bristol's better know for rugby not football, you can tell this by the attendance's you get. :yawn:

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Dogbert

Dogbert

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I will continue to support City - it is in my blood. However, comparing realistic aspirations to reality, can you think of a team in Britain which has underachieved as much as City?

On the criteria you set, off the top of my head I'd suggest Brighton and Bradford gives us a run for our money as underachievers.

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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

:rofl2br: Your lot don't half make me laugh with some of the discussions you have.You are not underachievers, because you are not a footballing city.Bristol's better know for rugby not football, you can tell this by the attendance's you get. :yawn:

Isnt Nottingham famous for lace making and bikes :rofl2br:

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Guest

Guest

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It may have been said before, but the defeat by Yeovil (population 40,000) raises the question "are we the most underachieving football club in Britain?" When I started supporting City in the 1960's we were in the old Second Division. Yeovil were in the Southern League with a sloping pitch and a reputation as cup giant killers.

Bristol is the 8th biggest city in England, the same size as Manchester and only slightly smaller than Liverpool. In footballing terms we also have a large catchment area with the nearest Premiership club being Reading. Despite this we have not had top flight football at Ashton Gate since the 1970's and for the past 7 years we have been stuck in the Third Division (old money).

Size of City is not , in itself, a guarantee of success and over the years other "large" clubs, including Manchester City, Sheffield Wednesday and now Nottingham Forest have fallen from grace and joined us. However, they seem to have the ability to bounce back and gain promotion after a year or two, whilst we remain becalmed in the doldrums. Meanwhile we are overtaken by the mighty Southend, Colchester, Yeovil, Reading, Wigan etc etc. We are no longer a sleeping giant - we are comatose.

Other than Rovers(who have a smaller fan base) I cannot think of a club with as much potential as City that has underachieved as much. The last time we achieved a promotion as Champions, in any division, was 1955!

It gives me no pleasure to state these facts (they are not opinions). I have supported City since the 1960's.I can remember crying ,as a youngster, when 40 years ago Gerry Sharpe sufferd a broken leg which ended his career. I do not pretend to know the answer. We have had numerous managers and players over the years and we have now reached the stage where we lose to Yeovil Town, playing a forward on loan from Sheffield Wednesday reserves, who has never scored a league goal. Apparently we have no better players available.

I will continue to support City - it is in my blood. However, comparing realistic aspirations to reality, can you think of a team in Britain which has underachieved as much as City?

Remember that incident well and many others; We have seen us at the top and bottom but seem to be going around in circles for a while now, now who has the tiller :unsure: again.

We seem hesitant to take any sort of gamble, christ look at Wigan and the like; S.L has the pennys so what is the problem :dunno:

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cidercity1987

cidercity1987

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Posted

:rofl2br: Your lot don't half make me laugh with some of the discussions you have.You are not underachievers, because you are not a footballing city.Bristol's better know for rugby not football, you can tell this by the attendance's you get. :yawn:

Yeah, Bristol rugby average 10,000, Bristol City average attendance 12,000. Good one.

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bucksred

bucksred

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Houses a rather huge gay community to Mr Ray if I'm correct!

Must be something with your male fans turning up to support their team in "pink flowery lace shirts and pokerdot tight lycra leggings"

Oh well everyone to themselves......... :D

Arny, they love their guns too.... :me?:

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Guest stingray316

Guest stingray316

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So will we when you meet our first team next time;

Bring it on , see you down here in the paint pot cup. :banana:

Yeah, Bristol rugby average 10,000, Bristol City average attendance 12,000. Good one.

Wow. Now that is a big crowd for a city that's 8th biggest. :disapointed2se:

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cidercity1987

cidercity1987

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Bring it on , see you down here in the paint pot cup. :banana:

Wow. Now that is a big crowd for a city that's 8th biggest. :disapointed2se:

We've been through this before haven't we. God help your attendance figures if you were down here for 8 seasons. Looks like it's starting already, 2,000 in the old paint pot, tut tut.

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Guest stingray316

Guest stingray316

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We've been through this before haven't we. God help your attendance figures if you were down here for 8 seasons. Looks like it's starting already, 2,000 in the old paint pot, tut tut.

ha , ha. Only 9,000 less than you get for league games. Yeovil are the footballing team of the west country, with gates not much less than your's and how small is yeovil to bristol. :rofl2br:
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bucksred

bucksred

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ha , ha. Only 9,000 less than you get for league games. Yeovil are the footballing team of the west country, with gates not much less than your's and how small is yeovil to bristol. :rofl2br:

Ah, no, actually, Plymouth are, and they are in the league above you, Bart me old gunslinger you.

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CGS RED

CGS RED

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Posted

The original post mentions us last winning a Championship in 1955.

Why ? We had the best striker in the division, a striker who averaged better than a goal every 2 games, a striker who was not a sick note, a striker who had no concept of tweak or twinge, a striker who represented England.

Our one true legend, John Atyeo.

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The Fat Controller

The Fat Controller

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Posted

The original post mentions us last winning a Championship in 1955.

Why ? We had the best striker in the division, a striker who averaged better than a goal every 2 games, a striker who was not a sick note, a striker who had no concept of tweak or twinge, a striker who represented England.

Our one true legend, John Atyeo.

I'm struggling to think of a single example of a striker like this around at the moment at any level.

Teddy Sheringham? Surely not...

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City Rocker

City Rocker

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Yes it is true that Bristol is the most underachieving football city in England and I think this is pretty well acknowledged nationwide. The fact is that Bristol is a bigger city than Cardiff, Nottingham, Leicester, Coventry, Southampton, Plymouth, etc etc, and is a similar size to Leeds & Liverpool. The difference between Bristol and all of the above is that we have a huge sattelite population with few other league clubs and no Premiership ones for about 80 miles!

If you remember the ridiculous John Maguire and his imaginary-Bristol-City-takeover-wet-dream news story of a couple of years ago - well although his business plan had all the kudos and professionalism of a GCSE economics essay, the part he did research reasonably well was the fact that Bristol has a greater potential catchment area for its football clubs than any other in the country - when taking into account the proximity (or lack of it) of premiership football to the area.

Sam Hammam once apparently claimed Cardiff had the potential to be "bigger than Barcelona". Twať! However, to take his half-baked logic to a more informed conclusion, I'd argue Bristol City *theoretically* have the potential to be bigger than the likes of Ipswich, West Brom, Norwich, Charlton, Portsmouth, Forest, Leicester, Coventry, Southampton, Derby, Bolton, Blackburn and the like.

That's theoretical mind...I can't see it happening in the foreseeable future without a Madejski or similar bestowing his savings upon us. And that seems unlikely. But you never know...

And european cups, league titles.league cups, etc. Made my point. :clapping:

Yes and Bristol is famous for the exploration of Cabot, the engineering of Brunel, the development of the aeroplane, etc. But enough of ancient history....

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MATT BCFC

MATT BCFC

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And european cups, league titles.league cups, etc. Made my point. :clapping:

Not any more your not. I'm 17 and when my dad me Forrest won the Europeon Cup I thought he was joking.

Face it its the past, its like Blackpool used to dominate England but they are seen in most peoples eyes as a small club now.

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Guest stingray316

Guest stingray316

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Not any more your not. I'm 17 and when my dad me Forrest won the Europeon Cup I thought he was joking.

Face it its the past, its like Blackpool used to dominate England but they are seen in most peoples eyes as a small club now.

But like Blackpool we have a famous history with cups and title's. You have not, and let's face it never will. :yawn:

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MATT BCFC

MATT BCFC

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But like Blackpool we have a famous history with cups and title's. You have not, and let's face it never will. :yawn:

So you can see in the fututre can you?

Who cares I doubt you will ever be a major force in English football again.

Its funny how we get a high away attendence against you lot and your fans start to get jealous.

Yes you are jealous, why else would you be on this forum?

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Guest stingray316

Guest stingray316

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Just thought id highlight the key word.

History counts for **** all when you're in the same league as us NOW.

At the moment, Notts Forest (and Bristol City) are as big as Cheltenham Town and Leyton Orient.

But memories are something you can never take away.Like when l was behind the goal when trevor francis scored in munich..... :banana:

So you can see in the fututre can you?

Who cares I doubt you will ever be a major force in English football again.

Its funny how we get a high away attendence against you lot and your fans start to get jealous.

Yes you are jealous, why else would you be on this forum?

Don't flatter yourselfs. l go on all football forums, your's is no different. :yawn:
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