Was Steve Lansdown a Gashead?

[OC 1645]

The following was posted on cheshire_red's BCFC RivalsNet message board. Is it true that Steve Lansdown started out as a Gashead? :noexpression: .........

Gownothunter Posted on 15/3 19:26

lansdown is a fan of himself not the club as City is it's fans and heritage which he clearly thinks little of.

Our club is not just a plaything for this arrogant man who started on the Gas's terraces and thinks nothing of kicking out hundreds of life long City supporters from their seats in the Williams.

He simply does not understand the passion we have for "our" club and how we are embarrassed by nights like tuesday when the wake returned.

It's not cruel it is full of contempt to all those fans who signed a petition, filled out the trusts survey then turned out last saturday and showed exactly what support is.

Saturday was just a sop and then he pulls away what he thinks is his property.

The emphasis should be on fans Goblin and at this moment City despite being in contention for promotion is starting to reek.

[Guest DanC]

Tis 100% true.

http://www.epost.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nod...e=sidebarsearch

He begins with a revelation of some note. He was once a Bristol Rovers fan. Geography (his boyhood in Tockington) saw to that and as a lad you could have found him on match days in the Tote End, at Eastville.

His allegiance to Bristol City was prompted by his son, Jon. At the age of six, he asked Steve to take him to a football match - a Bristol City football match. Which is where that first client of his, Des, comes in.

"When my boy wanted to start watching football, Rovers were playing at Twerton Park and there was no way I was going to go there. So, as I knew Des, we got a couple of tickets to go and watch City against Bury. They won one-nil and Dave Smith, I believe, scored the goal. We were hooked. We started going down for the odd games, then we got a season ticket for the Williams Stand."

[Ray White]

I had a go at him being a Sag head a while ago after we'd lost to Brighton in the play offs and i got shouted at.

[grebes]

I had a go at him being a Sag head a while ago after we'd lost to Brighton in the play offs and i got shouted at.

Good.

[Robbored]

The point is that Steve Lansdown may well have started off on the terraces at Eastville but it wasn't long before he realised that he couldn't face a life of watching crap and so stepped over to the red side.

I call that a sound decision.

[Dolman Block B]

The following was posted on cheshire_red's BCFC RivalsNet message board. Is it true that Steve Lansdown started out as a Gashead? :noexpression: .........

Gownothunter Posted on 15/3 19:26

lansdown is a fan of himself not the club as City is it's fans and heritage which he clearly thinks little of.

Our club is not just a plaything for this arrogant man who started on the Gas's terraces and thinks nothing of kicking out hundreds of life long City supporters from their seats in the Williams.

He simply does not understand the passion we have for "our" club and how we are embarrassed by nights like tuesday when the wake returned.

It's not cruel it is full of contempt to all those fans who signed a petition, filled out the trusts survey then turned out last saturday and showed exactly what support is.

Saturday was just a sop and then he pulls away what he thinks is his property.

The emphasis should be on fans Goblin and at this moment City despite being in contention for promotion is starting to reek.

Lot of ways this could be taken!

An ex Rovers fan who has seen the light?

Someone who realised that life watching the blue side of Bristol would take him nowhere?

A dark side holding the chairmanship of our beloved club?

And on and on and on and on untill its realised that its ....

a man who has put so much money and effort in, to hopefully see this bloody football club up to the next level!!!!!!

I couldnt give a monkeys if he was a Somalian drug baron with a host of massage parlours in Clifton village!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fair play to the bloke, and theres simply nothing more to add!

[cheshire_red]

I couldnt give a monkeys if he was a Somalian drug baron with a host of massage parlours in Clifton village!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you think there might be a decent discount for St Holders?

[Dolman Block B]

Do you think there might be a decent discount for St Holders?

Hopefully... :noexpression: ....... ......And he could become a legend if we gained promotion and.......

O P E N E D T H E E A S T E N D

[RedZepperin]

[cider head]

no chance of opening the tote end is there

[Guest Ron]

I couldnt give a monkeys if he was a Somalian drug baron with a host of massage parlours in Clifton village!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:laugh:

something you're not telling us, Arny?

[Robbored]

no chance of opening the tote end is there

Its open 7 days a week but its since been renamed - 'The kitchen department'.

[cheshire_red]

Its open 7 days a week but its since been renamed - 'The kitchen department'.

I paced it out once it is most definitely the toilets area. So you can pish on the Tote End.

[cider head]

Its open 7 days a week but its since been renamed - 'The kitchen department'.

too many security guards there for my liking, i can't get over the netting for my fish 'n' chips

[NATCHER]

I call that a sound decision.

Of course you do.

To me a football team is hardly a thing of choice, more an inheritance or a geographical chance. Lansdown obviously followed this rule as in his earlier years watched his local side north of the river. But what happened when Lansdown Junior decided he wanted to watch football, he drops his team and starts watching their local and most bitter rivals. Surely a decision taken by a man who does not understand football or football supporters.

Ask yourself, could you become a Rovers supporter?

[City Rocker]

Is it not also true that the late, revered Harry Dolman had gaseous tendancies before he saw the light? That's what I heard anyway, correct me if I'm wrong.

Doesn't really matter either way, because the man lived & breathed Bristol City FC and the club's promotion to the top flight shortly before his death was, he said, the proudest moment of his life.

I myself went to a few games at Eastville when I was a kid - a really disagreeable experience for a seven year-old, which ensured I became a died-in-the-wool red forever more

[cider head]

Of course you do.

To me a football team is hardly a thing of choice, more an inheritance or a geographical chance. Lansdown obviously followed this rule as in his earlier years watched his local side north of the river. But what happened when Lansdown Junior decided he wanted to watch football, he drops his team and starts watching their local and most bitter rivals. Surely a decision taken by a man who does not understand football or football supporters.

Ask yourself, could you become a Rovers supporter?

fair comments..

Ask yourself, could you become a Rovers supporter?

NO NEVER

[OC 1645]

I paced it out once it is most definitely the toilets area. So you can pish on the Tote End.

An excellent shout Sir.

I'm just worried that Steve Lansdown's interest in BCFC only goes as far as gaining publicity for his Hargreaves Lansdown organisation. :noexpression: The Chairmen, of for instance, Wigan and Crystal Palace are outright football fanatics loyal to their home town clubs that they grew up with on the terracing - but can the same be said of Steve Lansdown ????????

[Dorset_Cider]

Yes, I believe that this was true but it is no longer of any real importance....... is it?

[RedTop]

I have a confession. The first team I supported was Leeds Utd, because there was a player there with the same name as me. Even my first kit was a Leeds Utd strip in the days of Eddie Gray, Peter Lorimer, Peter Harvey etc. I wore it proudly in the streets after I got it for Christmas when I was six or seven. In fact the first two times I went to Ashton Gate, it was to see Leeds Utd play. City were just the opponents, as far as I was concerned, and I wanted Leeds to win. It's only from going back a few times to Ashton Gate with my dad when I realised that I enjoyed those two games that I started wanting to go time and again, and then got hooked. Does this mean I'm not a real City fan?

I hope not. In fact, come to think of it I think my mum mentioned that dad was a QPR fan in his youth because he grew up in London. He only started coming to Ashton Gate to take me when I was a kid, and we ended up going for 20-odd years together until he died - rather similar to the story of Jon Lansdown getting his dad hooked on City. Having seen my dad at matches over the years (we had season tickets together for the best part of two decades and watched every home game together in all four divisions) I'm in no doubt that he was City through and through within a very short time of our starting to go to The Gate. Sometimes people start going to a club through accident of birth or geography, a fanatical relation or some other element of chance. Does it matter if Harry Dolman or Steve Lansdown started off on the other side of the divide? Not to me, because they have surely proved their commitment to our club since makign it their club, by putting their time and their money where their mouth is over the years since choosing to come to City. People can accuse SteveL of making wrong decisions, and he has made a few over the years, but I don't think anyone who has met him and talked to him about City could accuse him of not putting his heart into the club or acting in what he believes is the club's best interests. My concern is that he lets his heart rule his head sometimes and spends more money than we can afford in order to bring success. There are doubtless City fans with plenty of money who have been going to Ashton Gate longer than SteveL yet have not invested in the club, so it seems odd to question his commitment.

Some of us didn't have the good fortune to be born City fans. We had to find our way here. Does that mean we're not 'the real deal'?

[cider head]

I have a confession. The first team I supported was Leeds Utd, because there was a player there with the same name as me. Even my first kit was a Leeds Utd strip in the days of Eddie Gray, Peter Lorimer, Peter Harvey etc. I wore it proudly in the streets after I got it for Christmas when I was six or seven. In fact the first two times I went to Ashton Gate, it was to see Leeds Utd play. City were just the opponents, as far as I was concerned, and I wanted Leeds to win. It's only from going back a few times to Ashton Gate with my dad when I realised that I enjoyed those two games that I started wanting to go time and again, and then got hooked. Does this mean I'm not a real City fan?

I hope not. In fact, come to think of it I think my mum mentioned that dad was a QPR fan in his youth because he grew up in London. He only started coming to Ashton Gate to take me when I was a kid, and we ended up going for 20-odd years together until he died - rather similar to the story of Jon Lansdown getting his dad hooked on City. Having seen my dad at matches over the years (we had season tickets together for the best part of two decades and watched every home game together in all four divisions) I'm in no doubt that he was City through and through within a very short time of our starting to go to The Gate. Sometimes people start going to a club through accident of birth or geography, a fanatical relation or some other element of chance. Does it matter if Harry Dolman or Steve Lansdown started off on the other side of the divide? Not to me, because they have surely proved their commitment to our club since makign it their club, by putting their time and their money where their mouth is over the years since choosing to come to City. People can accuse SteveL of making wrong decisions, and he has made a few over the years, but I don't think anyone who has met him and talked to him about City could accuse him of not putting his heart into the club or acting in what he believes is the club's best interests. My concern is that he lets his heart rule his head sometimes and spends more money than we can afford in order to bring success. There are doubtless City fans with plenty of money who have been going to Ashton Gate longer than SteveL yet have not invested in the club, so it seems odd to question his commitment.

Some of us didn't have the good fortune to be born City fans. We had to find our way here. Does that mean we're not 'the real deal'?

I to have a confession! i'm also a ENGLAND FAN

To be honest it's not a question his commitment and being a city fan now, (no problem with that)

what i can see what some are getting at is when city fans talk of their history (i know we ain't won much)

does steve lansdown fully understand where some die hards city fans are coming from? ie: things

about past players, gerry gow, paul cheesley to doing the conga at 7-1 down at northampton

where even being crap there was a togetherness in the stands unlike today, to some

people's preference to the robin badge (it's only a badge) to the eastend, moving season ticket holders of

30 years out of the williams for the prem seating, stuff of old going on when he could well

have been stood on the tote end? this is no way a dig or being hostle to him as i know he has done a lot of good

for city, but it seems city started from 1996 in some peoples eyes.

the point is does he understand where some city fans are coming from?

as sometimes passion for your football club can lead to frustration for the misunderstood.

[RedTop]

I to have a confession! i'm also a ENGLAND FAN

To be honest it's not a question his commitment and being a city fan now, (no problem with that)

what i can see what some are getting at is when city fans talk of their history (i know we ain't won much)

does steve lansdown fully understand where some die hards city fans are coming from? ie: things

about past players, gerry gow, paul cheesley to doing the conga at 7-1 down at northampton

where even being crap there was a togetherness in the stands unlike today, to some

people's preference to the robin badge (it's only a badge) to the eastend, moving season ticket holders of

30 years out of the williams for the prem seating, stuff of old going on when he could well

have been stood on the tote end? this is no way a dig or being hostle to him as i know he has done a lot of good

for city, but it seems city started from 1996 in some peoples eyes.

the point is does he understand where some city fans are coming from?

as sometimes passion for your football club can lead to frustration for the misunderstood.

Well I never saw Cheesley or Atyeo play, or Billy Wedlock come ot that, but I understand the club has a proud and treasured history that goes back before my time. If I think back to 1986, when City were at Wembley for the first time, I'd been supporting BCFC for less time than Steve has now and I remember just how totally committed I was, and how I felt privileged to be part of something that stretched way back before my time. Ten years is plenty of time to ingest being a City fan and understand what it's all about. The chairman can't talk fondly of how he's seen Gow etc play or remember it any more than I can make out I was there when Cheesley headed the winner at Highbury or admired Atyeo in his prime, but that doesn't mean the history doesn't inform how I view the club and the way I think it should go forward, so I see no reason why it should be different for SteveL. If you follow the logic of that, the person most qualified to be chairman would be the oldest fan with the longest tradition to recall, but it's not just about that.

Like I say, I'm not suggesting SteveL hasn't made mistakes or that there haven't been PR disasters. I don't care what anyone at the club says, there have. The badge for me stands out as the worst example, but personally I lay the blame for that mainly at the door of Richard Gould, who I thought was clueless in his time here and was glad to see leave. I do think SteveL misjudged the level of ownership fans felt towards the badge (even though, interestingly enough, it had only been adopted a few years earlier when Scott Davidson scrapped the robin). Other mistakes, such as the quality of the shirts last season, have nothing to do with identifying with so-called 'ordinary fans'. But some of the controversies often cited, such as Premier Seating, have simply been attempts to change which have been driven by trying to bring extra revenue into the club to fund success, and which I think were blown out of proportion. I hope those running the club never allow criticism to stop trying to take the club forward. They must listen to fans but never be afraid to make changes to improve things.

[cider head]

Well I never saw Cheesley or Atyeo play, or Billy Wedlock come ot that, but I understand the club has a proud and treasured history that goes back before my time. If I think back to 1986, when City were at Wembley for the first time, I'd been supporting BCFC for less time than Steve has now and I remember just how totally committed I was, and how I felt privileged to be part of something that stretched way back before my time. Ten years is plenty of time to ingest being a City fan and understand what it's all about. The chairman can't talk fondly of how he's seen Gow etc play or remember it any more than I can make out I was there when Cheesley headed the winner at Highbury or admired Atyeo in his prime, but that doesn't mean the history doesn't inform how I view the club and the way I think it should go forward, so I see no reason why it should be different for SteveL. If you follow the logic of that, the person most qualified to be chairman would be the oldest fan with the longest tradition to recall, but it's not just about that.

Like I say, I'm not suggesting SteveL hasn't made mistakes or that there haven't been PR disasters. I don't care what anyone at the club says, there have. The badge for me stands out as the worst example, but personally I lay the blame for that mainly at the door of Richard Gould, who I thought was clueless in his time here and was glad to see leave. I do think SteveL misjudged the level of ownership fans felt towards the badge (even though, interestingly enough, it had only been adopted a few years earlier when Scott Davidson scrapped the robin). Other mistakes, such as the quality of the shirts last season, have nothing to do with identifying with so-called 'ordinary fans'. But some of the controversies often cited, such as Premier Seating, have simply been attempts to change which have been driven by trying to bring extra revenue into the club to fund success, and which I think were blown out of proportion. I hope those running the club never allow criticism to stop trying to take the club forward. They must listen to fans but never be afraid to make changes to improve things.

thats fair comments,

what i'm hearing from some and the way it reads in PR

is that the way he comes across is that i was not there so i don't care attitude TO THOSE THAT WERE THERE at those times,

it may not be the case it's just the PR thing that city are not great with, i mean ok the eastend is not everyones cup of tea

but for the chairman to say i'll be glad when the bloody thing is knocked down is not going to warm fans to him who care about

that part of bristol city, it's split this forum so much so people who never met are chucking insults around at each other (it's crazy)

a small issue about who wants to sit where at ashton gate gets this much focus.

But like you said PR needs to improve from everyone i guess.

[Nibor]

Some people are born lucky.

Some people get lucky early in life with help from their parents.

Some people get lucky later in life with help from their kids.

SteveL is in group 3.

I don't care whether he used to watch Rovers, I'm convinced he is now a City fan and he's willing to try harder to understand the "core" fan. There's some way to go, and it will be quite telling to see what happens about the Rotherham game, but I don't think he considers the club to be his plaything or is a gashead at all.

[City_pete1]

I to have a confession! i'm also a ENGLAND FAN

To be honest it's not a question his commitment and being a city fan now, (no problem with that)

what i can see what some are getting at is when city fans talk of their history (i know we ain't won much)

does steve lansdown fully understand where some die hards city fans are coming from? ie: things

about past players, gerry gow, paul cheesley to doing the conga at 7-1 down at northampton

where even being crap there was a togetherness in the stands unlike today, to some

people's preference to the robin badge (it's only a badge) to the eastend, moving season ticket holders of

30 years out of the williams for the prem seating, stuff of old going on when he could well

have been stood on the tote end? this is no way a dig or being hostle to him as i know he has done a lot of good

for city, but it seems city started from 1996 in some peoples eyes.

the point is does he understand where some city fans are coming from?

as sometimes passion for your football club can lead to frustration for the misunderstood.

I to have a confession! i'm also, an England fan. I am not going to watch City Saturday... I am watching England u21 v Italy u21 for the first ever professional game at Wembley.... God I'm excited. (no constructive part to my thread, just excited and want to share )

[Dolman Block B]

:laugh:

something you're not telling us, Arny?

Always thought there was a dark to him Ron........

[Guest]

[Dolman_Dave]

My dad has very similar roots too to be honest.

He grew up in Stapleton within sight of Eastville and went to watch Rovers matches as a boy although he was more interested in playing in those days.

When he stopped playing, one of his mates who was a city fan asked him if he fancied going to a Tuesday night game with him (1987) and, for some reason, I asked if I could go to. I was hooked from that day onwards and badgered him to go to every game although he was really busy running his own business at the time. We started to go more regularly in the 1990 promotion season and from then on went to most games. We've had season tickets since 1998 and he even loves it when we beat the gas despite his roots. He joined the City Foundation last week and will be there at Donny tomorrow.

But he started watching City cos his son (me) had got hooked on it. I thank god he never took me to a Rovers game!

Interestingly, we took my cousin, a keen footballer, to his first city game which just happened to be that very same game against Bury when Dave Smith scored the winner. Although he's missed a few games this season, he will be at Donny tomorrow too. That performance had quite an effect on people!

[Red Wardy]

Of course you do.

To me a football team is hardly a thing of choice, more an inheritance or a geographical chance. Lansdown obviously followed this rule as in his earlier years watched his local side north of the river. But what happened when Lansdown Junior decided he wanted to watch football, he drops his team and starts watching their local and most bitter rivals. Surely a decision taken by a man who does not understand football or football supporters.

Ask yourself, could you become a Rovers supporter?

EXACTLY

[wurzel920]

My dad has very similar roots too to be honest.

He grew up in Stapleton within sight of Eastville and went to watch Rovers matches as a boy although he was more interested in playing in those days.

When he stopped playing, one of his mates who was a city fan asked him if he fancied going to a Tuesday night game with him (1987) and, for some reason, I asked if I could go to. I was hooked from that day onwards and badgered him to go to every game although he was really busy running his own business at the time. We started to go more regularly in the 1990 promotion season and from then on went to most games. We've had season tickets since 1998 and he even loves it when we beat the gas despite his roots.

But he started watching City cos his son (me) had got hooked on it. I thank god he never took me to a Rovers game!

Thats quite freaky same happened with my Dad.