Am I Alone?

[RedUn]

Is there anyone else out there who would trade the transient "glamour" of two legs against the Gas or the Sky caper vs 'boro for the necessary league points that would get us out of this hell-hole league?

I'm sorry (if I have to be) but I don't give a monkey's about upcoming games ij the Paint Pot and/or FA Cup matches ... if cup progress were any use at all to the team as a motivational thing, they would not have lost their most important recent match (H v Cheltenham).

Folks (particularly Kelvin) have had the stuffing ripped out of them on this forum for mentioning it but actually we are not guaranteed an automatic promotion spot, or even a play-off one ... and so far, sure as eggs is eggs, that ain't been good enough!

[OC 1645]

Is there anyone else out there who would trade the transient "glamour" of two legs against the Gas or the Sky caper vs 'boro for the necessary league points that would get us out of this hell-hole league?

I'm sorry (if I have to be) but I don't give a monkey's about upcoming the Paint Pot and/or FA Cup matches ... if cup progress were any use at all to the team as a motivational thing, they would not have lost their most important recent match (H v Cheltenham).

Folks (particularly Kelvin) have had the stuffing ripped out of them on this forum for mentioning it but actually we are not guaranteed an automatic promotion spot, or even a play-off one ... and so far, sure as eggs is eggs, that ain't been good enough!

You're not alone RedUn, like you I'd gladly trade the transient glamour of the FA Cup and Paint Pot Cup for a place in the Championship next season.

Up the City

[Guest]

Is there anyone else out there who would trade the transient "glamour" of two legs against the Gas or the Sky caper vs 'boro for the necessary league points that would get us out of this hell-hole league?

I'm sorry (if I have to be) but I don't give a monkey's about upcoming games ij the Paint Pot and/or FA Cup matches ... if cup progress were any use at all to the team as a motivational thing, they would not have lost their most important recent match (H v Cheltenham).

Folks (particularly Kelvin) have had the stuffing ripped out of them on this forum for mentioning it but actually we are not guaranteed an automatic promotion spot, or even a play-off one ... and so far, sure as eggs is eggs, that ain't been good enough!

you echo,echo,echo my thoughts; we have to get in the top 2 and these cup games are begining to take there toll

[GrahamC]

Nope, I'll second that, too. A mate said in midweek that he'd wished Boro had scored with one of their late Poll assisted free kicks, I didn't think it at the time but I know what he meant.

I despise Rovers but would gladly lose both legs in the JPT if the trade off was we went up automatically.

[BristolCity1992]

To win the fa cup would be special though.

[Dorset_Cider]

Is there anyone else out there who would trade the transient "glamour" of two legs against the Gas or the Sky caper vs 'boro for the necessary league points that would get us out of this hell-hole league?

I'm sorry (if I have to be) but I don't give a monkey's about upcoming games ij the Paint Pot and/or FA Cup matches ... if cup progress were any use at all to the team as a motivational thing, they would not have lost their most important recent match (H v Cheltenham).

Folks (particularly Kelvin) have had the stuffing ripped out of them on this forum for mentioning it but actually we are not guaranteed an automatic promotion spot, or even a play-off one ... and so far, sure as eggs is eggs, that ain't been good enough!

I'd stick my eggs in with you too RedUn............. Middlesbore will have done their homework and who really care about the gas.

In an ideal world it would all be for our taking but the really important thing is, as you say, the points that will get us out of league division three.

All the other stuff is a distraction from the real issue and you're not alone

[Maesknoll Red]

I can only agree with the sentiments echoed, I'm on record on here and on the City list in wanting a Shrewsbury win, two reasons, I despise the gas and never want to see them win, but more importantly a cuptie against Shrewsbury would have been low profile and now where near as distracting.

With regard to the FA Cup, I'm sure that wouldn't have had such a negative impact without the JPT, but I do tend to agree that that for our aim of getting promoted I wouldn't have been too disappointed to have lost to Middlesbrough - I'd have swopped the draw for a loss if we could have had 3 points against Cheltenham.

Lets hope GJ and KM can lift the attitude and application of the players for Monday and lets not forget the last couple of times we've played the sags, they've kicked lumps out of our players - I'd happily see the reserves and youth players playing against them in the JPT, we've been waiting far too long to escape this poxy division and to do so must remain our No1 aim and focus for the rest of this season.

[CGS RED]

Perusing todays Division 1 results, made this topic even more objective.

You look at the same old clubs, crowds mainly 3000-6000, same old names we can put to faces. To stay is like drowning in a sea of apathy. Mostly the results went our way, but we are still faced with weeks of double fixtures.

Squad rotation will be paramount in getting us out of this country toilet league. Woodman for McAllister, Keogh for anyone, Noble for Johnson, Betsy for Murray, Wilson for Orr, Artus for Skuse.

Not full time or all together, just intelligent rotation, so that key players get a break, players who don't have the same recovery rate as others..........they are not all the same.

RedUns point is exemplified by Tranmere who in recent seasons had a good promotion run going, then got caught up in a long Cup run. Their promotion run faultered, then died.

[SuperDziek]

Agreed.

Whilst there are undoubtedly decent financial rewards available the longer we stay in the FA Cup, and the JPT, our ultimate aim is promotion, and everything should be geared towards that....even if it means fielding so-called 'weaker' sides in the Boro game, and against the Sags.

The sooner we are in the Championship, the more likely we are to keep hold of the better academy players coming through, as well. That shouldn't be forgotten.

[grifty]

I'd still like us to do the treble this year...

[bh_red]

spot on, personally I would have had no problem with us losing by the odd goal in the home game against Coventry, in the same vien defeat away to Orient in the JPT would have meant we would have been fully focused on the league, not dealing with bloody cup replays and 2 legs against the gas, in all honest I would happpily play the kids against the gas, if we win, great, if not, never mind

ALL I WANT IS PROMOTION

[bucksred]

Is there anyone else out there who would trade the transient "glamour" of two legs against the Gas or the Sky caper vs 'boro for the necessary league points that would get us out of this hell-hole league?

I'm sorry (if I have to be) but I don't give a monkey's about upcoming games ij the Paint Pot and/or FA Cup matches ... if cup progress were any use at all to the team as a motivational thing, they would not have lost their most important recent match (H v Cheltenham).

Folks (particularly Kelvin) have had the stuffing ripped out of them on this forum for mentioning it but actually we are not guaranteed an automatic promotion spot, or even a play-off one ... and so far, sure as eggs is eggs, that ain't been good enough!

Here here, rather play Wolves/Brum/Saints/WBA/Sunderland than Cheltenham/Northampton/Yeovile/Orient any damn day. FA cup dream on.......

[Bodie]

i don't care about the rovers game maybe thats something for the one gamers to enjoy

as a season ticket holder the league is the goal

[Rednready]

Its not just the fact that RedUn has support on this issue, the replies are coming from many of our better quality posters, people who use reason and intelligence in their posts. To me thats worth a 100 nasty unreasoned one liners.

[Luke_Ciderhead]

All I can do is agree. I've a feeling that if we hadnt been in the FA cup, or JPT we would have beaten Cheltenham, and had an extra three points on the board. Its extremely worrying that the players will lose focus, pick up injuries etc...if I had a choice, i'd rather be out of both competitions because all I want is to see Bristol City in the championship next season.

Beating the gas, or getting further in the FA cup will mean nothing, if come the end of May we are still in this hellhole of a league.

[solo1bc]

Clearly you're not alone RedUn but I don't agree entirely with your post...

I do would certainly agree that I'd trade the cup runs for a six point gap in the league but I've got no problem having the cup games now that we're in them... A few reasons below...

The other top sides haven't pulled away from us even with our busy schedule and matching the likes of Boro can only give our lads confidence and raise the profile of the club. This 'should' translate into better performances from our lads and also make it easier to attract better players. Cheltenham seems to have belied this theory a little bit but I think that the unbeaten run record and 'favourites' tag had as much to do with that as any cup hangover. Time will tell but I think that result will do us some good in the long run...

Any cup run and especially a JPT final will bring good revenue into the club which will hold us in good stead WHEN (not if!) we get promoted this year. It's probably worth at least £1 million to the club and that's potentially 3-4 championship level players. Let's not forget that we're still running at a loss and are in debt as well so anything to relieve that has got to be good.

I've got no problem with the 'one gamers' as you called them... If even 1% get hooked and come to a couple of extra games then, although miniscule, it's still an increase in gates... All it takes is for a young kid to make a trip to cardiff for a big day out and they're at least saved from supporting the sagheads if not from supporting Chelsea/Man U!

So, yes I'd trade the cup runs for some points, no I wouldn't be that bothered losing to Boro but beating the gas is NEVER a bad thing in my opinion!

[You Know I Am Right]

if you offered me beat s****horpe and lose to rovers i would say no chance! local rivalry is what football is about not just success overall.

maybe its just me but beating rovers would be the highlight of the season promotion or not.

maybe thats whats wrong with football today, too many people not interested in derbies etc.

don't get me wrong i would love us to get promoted but at the moment all i want is 2 wins over our biggest rivals

[robins72]

Ive been saying this for the past week. Pretty scary really! Lots of impending suspensions with all the games coming up not to mention any injuries that can be sustained from the jpt games!! Just hope we have the mental strength to pull through. Tomorrow nights game will be a big test for us after our long unbeaten run and losing to Cheltenham Wednesday night.

[bh_red]

if you offered me beat s****horpe and lose to rovers i would say no chance! local rivalry is what football is about not just success overall.

maybe its just me but beating rovers would be the highlight of the season promotion or not.

maybe thats whats wrong with football today, too many people not interested in derbies etc.

don't get me wrong i would love us to get promoted but at the moment all i want is 2 wins over our biggest rivals

personally if we were to beat Rovers 8-0 over the 2 legs, but miss out on promotion i'd be gutted on our season overall,

The Rovers game is a no win situation for us, if we lose, we will never hear the end of it, however if we win by the odd goal it will be a case of should have done better, if we batter them then, it will be a case of that what is expected.

if you had a choice of these two following scenarios which would you take?

a) Lose 3-2 over to legs to Rovers, lose one nil at Boro, but then push on and secure automatic promotion ?

or

b) Beat Rovers, Win/Lose in the JPT final, Beat Boro, Beat West Brom, then lose at Old Trafford 1-0 to Man U after a great performance, but then miss out on the play-offs due to fixture congestion and too many games not focusing on the league and worrying about cup games.

personally........I'd take A without doubt

[Chappers]

I have to go with the original poster. We will soon have 5 consecutive midweek games, and both Cups are likely to provide an unwelcomed distraction. As for beating the Gas being preferable to promotion - I just can't believe that. As we head off to Carlisle or Hartlepool, instead of West Ham or Sunderland, I doubt that many will be thinking 'At least we beat the Gas in the Paint Pot!'.

[Leveller]

if you offered me beat s****horpe and lose to rovers i would say no chance! local rivalry is what football is about not just success overall.

maybe its just me but beating rovers would be the highlight of the season promotion or not.

maybe thats whats wrong with football today, too many people not interested in derbies etc.

don't get me wrong i would love us to get promoted but at the moment all i want is 2 wins over our biggest rivals

Looking at all the other posts on this, I would say you are on your own. I don't understand why derbies are considered so important. Loads of Everton & Man City fans may be satisfied with mediocrity as long as they beat Liverpool & Man U, but where's the sense in that?

Maybe it's because I'm not actually Bristolian, but beating local rivals means very little to me. Just the same as playing Gillingham or someone to me. Going to the Millennium is far more of an issue, but I'd trade that for 3 points at S****horpe, let alone guaranteed promotion.

[robins72]

if you offered me beat s****horpe and lose to rovers i would say no chance! local rivalry is what football is about not just success overall.

maybe its just me but beating rovers would be the highlight of the season promotion or not.

maybe thats whats wrong with football today, too many people not interested in derbies etc.

don't get me wrong i would love us to get promoted but at the moment all i want is 2 wins over our biggest rivals

Interesting to read your comments there. How long have you been supporting city? 9 years in league 1 is a long time for a club and I'm sure the majority of fans would swap the jpt and fa cup replay for promotion. Local derbies were always a favourite of mine when we were in the same leagues. Doesnt mean the same to me anymore. We need to get out of this division this season because if we don't we will lose all our star players. The players that we have in the acadamy will be sold to bigger clubs and we will end up like rovers in a downward spiral of midtable mediocracy with gates of 7000. This season is vital to us as we have had alot of exposuer in the press and on tv. Lets hope that we can win through come May. I certainly will consider whether renewing my season ticket in the summer if I have to enjure another season of league 1 football, and I know I'm not alone on that one.

[farmeronecow]

i believe promotion is the prime objective this season, i would prefer to go up and be two divisions above the gas,(because they aint going to get promoted) than beat them get to a jpt final and then not go up becouse we let league form slip..

[Andy Horsman]

Coming back from game vs Cheltenham, some Spurs 'fan' was on 606 saying that all that matters is beating Arsenal, worth a season ticket then, mate!!??

Like most City fans I would ideally like to enjoy basking in the success in as many comps as possible.However another failure in getting out of League 1 will mean players leaving, crowds falling and loads of shattered dreams(again).

Promotion is the priority.

[You Know I Am Right]

Interesting to read your comments there. How long have you been supporting city? 9 years in league 1 is a long time for a club and I'm sure the majority of fans would swap the jpt and fa cup replay for promotion. Local derbies were always a favourite of mine when we were in the same leagues. Doesnt mean the same to me anymore. We need to get out of this division this season because if we don't we will lose all our star players. The players that we have in the acadamy will be sold to bigger clubs and we will end up like rovers in a downward spiral of midtable mediocracy with gates of 7000. This season is vital to us as we have had alot of exposuer in the press and on tv. Lets hope that we can win through come May. I certainly will consider whether renewing my season ticket in the summer if I have to enjure another season of league 1 football, and I know I'm not alone on that one.

quite a while actually

did you go to trumpton when we lost 3-0 4-0 and at the mem when we lost 2-0?

if you did and you still don't consider the derby to be our biggest game then it obviously didnt hurt you as much as it hurt me

[samo]

I do agree with the overall sentiment, as if we were promoted we'd be playing bigger clubs and therefore bigger games every week.

However, I don't think gunning for promotion and good cup runs are mutually exclusive. Only last season Colchester, arguably one of the most impressive sides in our division after christmas, made it to the LDV semis (as we have) and to the FA cup 5th round.

Other examples of promoted sides performing well in the league and cup last year are Carlisle (LDV final), Leyton Orient (FA cup 4th round) and (topically considering this weeks result) Cheltenham, who made the FA cup 4th round and the LDV area semis.

These examples show that it doesn't have to be a straight choice between promotion and good cup performances.

Plus, this weeks result has been put in perspective for me with Cheltenham beating Swansea yesterday. They clearly are on the up right now, and caught us cold last match. We had just come off a long, busy run and were introducing a number of new signings, so we were bounf to be a touch vunerable.

[robins72]

quite a while actually

did you go to trumpton when we lost 3-0 4-0 and at the mem when we lost 2-0?

if you did and you still don't consider the derby to be our biggest game then it obviously didnt hurt you as much as it hurt me

Yes Ive been to the mem when we lost but what I'm saying is its only a cup game. A distraction we don't need anymore. I live in gas territory and was taunted for years about it but still support city!! It would be important to me if it was a league game but not a cup game.

[Redbarn]

Yes RedUn, I think you do have a valid point. I posted a similar sentiment before the Coventry replay, there were a lot of people who poo-pooed that notion at the time...the phrase "words coming back to haunt you"! come to mind.

Perhaps we are causing anxiety for no reason, but, if City fail to get promoted at the end of this season, I feel sure that one of the MAIN reasons quoted for failing to achieve this would be the extra games played at this very crucial period, all periods are crucial its true, but, time is running out, only 18 games left.

I don't want to piss on anybody's bonfire, but, lets all keep our heads firmly on our shoulders and wait for that FAT LADY TO SING OUR TUNE.

P.

[Dolman Block B]

Yes RedUn, I think you do have a valid point. I posted a similar sentiment before the Coventry replay, there were a lot of people who poo-pooed that notion at the time...the phrase "words coming back to haunt you"! come to mind.

Perhaps we are causing anxiety for no reason, but, if City fail to get promoted at the end of this season, I feel sure that one of the MAIN reasons quoted for failing to achieve this would be the extra games played at this very crucial period, all periods are crucial its true, but, time is running out, only 18 games left.

I don't want to piss on anybody's bonfire, but, lets all keep our heads firmly on our shoulders and wait for that FAT LADY TO SING OUR TUNE.

P.

Stick both cups where the sun don't shine Pete, promotion is a MUST

[downendcity]

What do we fans want? We wants to watch the best players wearing City shirt and playing against the best teams. To this end promotion has to be the main aim for this season , and one for which we would happliy trade defeat against 'brough and Rovers.

The reason it is so important is perhaps demonstrated by Pospisil's comments about his failed move to City. He was flattered that City were after him, impressed wih the club and happy with the money on offer, as were Hearts. The deal floundered because we were not prepared to inester"bail out" clause in his contract i.e. if we don't get promotion he would want a get out cluase to enable him to move on. The reason for this is that he wants to play at Championship level not division 1.

We need Championship football if we are to be able to attract the quiality of player necessary to establish ourselves at the next level up and then move on to challenge higher up the table. Winning cup game and making money from a Cardiff final will still only enable us to tread water unless beter players want to come here. The only benefit from an extended cup ru(s) is that I would like the plaeyers to get used to winning as it can only build confidence.

Promotion it is for me.