We Haven't Been Promoted

[Redland]

I'm concerned that many posters on this forum seem to think we are already in the Championship, Posts such as "what will you miss about the lower leagues" are typical. Just a reminder that we are still in the lower leagues and unless we get another three points we could miss out. It is not unreasonable to assume that Forest and/or Blackpool will win their last two matches. They will then have a superior goal difference to City.

True, we are in pole position and have an excellent opportunity - but there is still the final hurdle to jump. The last thing we need is complacency leading to a loss, or draw, at Millwall followed by a nervy 1-1 draw at home to Rotherham where we have 60% of the possession and they score a goal against the run of play from a corner or free kick.

What we have achieved so far is the right to play for promotion over the final two matches. Does anyone share my concern that the celebrations are premature? If I was Colin Calderwood and I wanted to motivate my players I would show them this forum.

[East End Lad]

Totally agree.

[Flaxbourton Red]

agree

a lot of hard work needs to be done on saturday

we've got nothing at the moment save for a place in the play offs

[Portland Bill]

I'm concerned that many posters on this forum seem to think we are already in the Championship, Posts such as "what will you miss about the lower leagues" are typical. Just a reminder that we are still in the lower leagues and unless we get another three points we could miss out. It is not unreasonable to assume that Forest and/or Blackpool will win their last two matches. They will then have a superior goal difference to City.

True, we are in pole position and have an excellent opportunity - but there is still the final hurdle to jump. The last thing we need is complacency leading to a loss, or draw, at Millwall followed by a nervy 1-1 draw at home to Rotherham where we have 60% of the possession and they score a goal against the run of play from a corner or free kick.

What we have achieved so far is the right to play for promotion over the final two matches. Does anyone share my concern that the celebrations are premature? If I was Colin Calderwood and I wanted to motivate my players I would show them this forum.

Well said, according to this forum we had already beaten Rovers before we played them in the Paint Trophy.Its not over till its over.

[NifflerNomad]

I'm concerned that many posters on this forum seem to think we are already in the Championship, Posts such as "what will you miss about the lower leagues" are typical. Just a reminder that we are still in the lower leagues and unless we get another three points we could miss out. It is not unreasonable to assume that Forest and/or Blackpool will win their last two matches. They will then have a superior goal difference to City.

True, we are in pole position and have an excellent opportunity - but there is still the final hurdle to jump. The last thing we need is complacency leading to a loss, or draw, at Millwall followed by a nervy 1-1 draw at home to Rotherham where we have 60% of the possession and they score a goal against the run of play from a corner or free kick.

What we have achieved so far is the right to play for promotion over the final two matches. Does anyone share my concern that the celebrations are premature? If I was Colin Calderwood and I wanted to motivate my players I would show them this forum.

i agree to, don't forget notts forest lost to milwall and Rotherham wont lets us walk over them, just because they're going down!

[Red to the world]

I'm concerned that many posters on this forum seem to think we are already in the Championship, Posts such as "what will you miss about the lower leagues" are typical. Just a reminder that we are still in the lower leagues and unless we get another three points we could miss out. It is not unreasonable to assume that Forest and/or Blackpool will win their last two matches. They will then have a superior goal difference to City.

True, we are in pole position and have an excellent opportunity - but there is still the final hurdle to jump. The last thing we need is complacency leading to a loss, or draw, at Millwall followed by a nervy 1-1 draw at home to Rotherham where we have 60% of the possession and they score a goal against the run of play from a corner or free kick.

What we have achieved so far is the right to play for promotion over the final two matches. Does anyone share my concern that the celebrations are premature? If I was Colin Calderwood and I wanted to motivate my players I would show them this forum.

Join the RTTW realist club.

I think we will make it.

But counting chickens is very dangerous especially when you look at our home record against bottom half sides.

And don't forget Blackpool - if they get a win at Scunnie and NF win at LO and we lose at Millwall, that says we are one in front of NF and two in front of Pool with one to play.

Dangerous times to be planning the celebrations............

[Guest Ron]

Rotherham wont lets us walk over them, just because they're going down!

But it doesn't stop them being crap

[BS10 RED]

Millwall have a bit of form coming into this game (on the pitch that is), but Carlisle were the real form team of the division. They showed that in the first half, but second half we showed exactly why we are in the position we are - I think that is why people are rightly confident and looking forward to promotion.

I don't see anything wrong with that - we are a better side than Millwall or Rotherham and should be expecting to beat both. Let's face it, it makes a massive change to be upbeat and positive on this forum rather than slagging off right left and centre and being negative.

We should be confident and we should be looking to win both games.

Yes, it could go tits up - but it shouldn't, so I say let people enjoy the situation, we can get back to being apprehensive and nervous on saturday !

GJ will have the players focussed properly even if we aren't !

I agree with this

[stortfordred]

GJ will have the players focussed properly even if we aren't !

absolutely right. It does not matter what is said on here. It's on the pitch where it matters.

Where we can make a difference is by continuing to support even if we go a goal down....just like we did at Carlisle.

[North Lincs Red]

Join the RTTW realist club.

I think we will make it.

But counting chickens is very dangerous especially when you look at our home record against bottom half sides.

And don't forget Blackpool - if they get a win at Scunnie and NF win at LO and we lose at Millwall, that says we are one in front of NF and two in front of Pool with one to play.

Dangerous times to be planning the celebrations............

I'm sure we will make it,got to.. because i'm off to mexico on the 21st may and i'll miss the play of final!!!

[Redland]

We should be confident and we should be looking to win both games.

I agree - but there is a difference between being quietly confident and premature celebrations.

[bristolcitysweden]

I'm concerned that many posters on this forum seem to think we are already in the Championship, Posts such as "what will you miss about the lower leagues" are typical. Just a reminder that we are still in the lower leagues and unless we get another three points we could miss out. It is not unreasonable to assume that Forest and/or Blackpool will win their last two matches. They will then have a superior goal difference to City.

True, we are in pole position and have an excellent opportunity - but there is still the final hurdle to jump. The last thing we need is complacency leading to a loss, or draw, at Millwall followed by a nervy 1-1 draw at home to Rotherham where we have 60% of the possession and they score a goal against the run of play from a corner or free kick.

What we have achieved so far is the right to play for promotion over the final two matches. Does anyone share my concern that the celebrations are premature? If I was Colin Calderwood and I wanted to motivate my players I would show them this forum.

Fair enough. We are not there yet.

[NifflerNomad]

But it doesn't stop them being crap

true enough

I'm not putting a downer on thing I'm loving the fact that were so so close to the promised land, all I'm saying is,

IF we lose 2milwall and NF & BP win, like someone else said our recored with teams near the bottom are......... iffy

i.e cheltenham & bradford

if we had beaten bradford we would been 7 points clear at the time and been having our promotion at milwall,

but i guess i can wait another week

[bh_red]

But counting chickens is very dangerous especially when you look at our home record against bottom half sides.

looking at around record against Bottom half team, we look dead on for a win, of the bottom half only Cheltenham and Bradford have beaten us and a draw against Huddersfield, apart from that we have beaten the remaining 9 bottom half teams at home

[Flaxbourton Red]

looking at around record against Bottom half team, we look dead on for a win, of the bottom half only Cheltenham and Bradford have beaten us and a draw against Huddersfield, apart from that we have beaten the remaining 9 bottom half teams at home

huddersfield beat us early in the season at their gaff

[bh_red]

huddersfield beat us early in the season at their gaff

talking about HOME form against bottom half teams

[Flaxbourton Red]

talking about HOME form against bottom half teams

of course, thats why i put "at their gaff",

point is we havn't got any god given right to beat teams at the bottom of the table, their season is over, they have no pressure on them at all.

[Kibs]

Just to add that if anyone thinks it will be any easier just because Millwall have nothing to play for and we have everything to play for then they should have seen the Burnley V WBA game tonight......Burnley, Who are playing for mid-table at best were right up for it and Albion came away with nothing despite being 2-0 up.

It will be tough but I'm hopeful we have enough to see us through and like a few others on here, I'm not entirely convinced that Forest will win at Orient.

[Barry]

I agree - but there is a difference between being quietly confident and premature celebrations.

would agree that it not necessarrily premature celebrations, but confidence in our team. however i wouldn't describe it as being quietly confident

[WTFiGO!?!]

Anyone fancy a wager on us not playing Championship Football next season ??

Cough up or shut up I say.

I'm prepared to eat my word's later on if need's must.....

[MarcusX]

I swear some people would rather see this forum covered with "we're going to blow it" and "this team aint good enough" threads. Its good to see this place so positive (most of it).

Being only 19 and not remembering much of our last promotion, all i really remember is that we came second by a long way to watford, i am really going to enjoy it this time!

Like others have said elsewhere experiancing the lows of the play off final, the 7-1 at swansea and the 9 game losing streak really makes this season special if we go up.

We might be celebrating a bit early but lets face it we're in a brilliant position, its been sooo long since we've been this close and for the first time in years we actually look like we want it and we don't look like we're going to throw it away!

p.s. is it tempting fate too much that i've volunteered to work on playoff final day?!

[One Team In Keynsham]

Anyone fancy a wager on us not playing Championship Football next season ??

Cough up or shut up I say.

I'm prepared to eat my word's later on if need's must.....

I won't stick a bet on it, since it is tantamount to betting against City (and taking a tenner off you would not compensate for disappointment causedby staying down), but after all of the years of watching City this is definitely not job done by any stretch of the imagination. We SHOULD take 3 points off Rotherham, making the Millwall result irrelevant, but it only takes one of those days and we are screwed again.

[WTFiGO!?!]

this is definitely not job done by any stretch of the imagination.

A very secure comment to be making....

Are we all pussy's or will someone here actually dare to put their money where their inner gremlin's are ??

Until someone does I cannot read these types of post's and grant them any respect.

RTTW and Red Robin included.

[One Team In Keynsham]

A very secure comment to be making....

It becomes job done when it is mathematical.

[Guest DanC]

You are correct in saying that we are net yet up but in theory we could lose both of our remaining games and still go up. The ball is firmly in our court.

Not sure if you were at Carlisle but the fight and spirit shown to come back from behind has made many of us believe that this is finally our year. The celebrations at the final whistle were similar to celebrations from a team that had just been promoted.

Carlisle was such a big game. If we would have lost then Forest would be 1 point behind us and I'm sure be more confident going into the final two games.

However we are the side with a four point gap going into the final two games with confidence on our side after a fantastic result at Carlisle.

Despite what Calderwood is saying Forest's chances of taking 2nd spot is very remote.

[kachina]

I would go as far to say if we don't go up I'll bare my arse to the Queen.

It's in the bag boys, in this league Rotherham are closest to Forrest do you really think they will want them to go up when they can sit back let us thrash them and condemn Robin Hood and his northern numptys to another year of torture. I think not,

optimistic not pessimistic, THE REDS ARE GOING UP!!!!

[pdgifford64]

Being only 19 and not remembering much of our last promotion, all i really remember is that we came second by a long way to watford, i am really going to enjoy it this time!

In fact it was not as far as you thought young man. Last day defeat at PNE saw Watford leapfrog us into first. Didn`t stop the team being mistakenly given the champions medals though and the match at the gate v Watford the next season was a nightmare. As if being taunted with the fact that we were top and ######ed it up wasn`t enough they then proceeded to stuff us 4-1 if my memory serves me right.

It may well explain why some are reluctant to start celebrating just yet, however, top spot has gone and IMO.....

:goingup:

WE ARE GOING UP SING WE ARE GOING UP WE ARE GOING UP SING WE ARE GOING UP

PDG

[Steve Watts]

A very secure comment to be making....

Are we all pussy's or will someone here actually dare to put their money where their inner gremlin's are ??

Until someone does I cannot read these types of post's and grant them any respect.

RTTW and Red Robin included.

Not sure they'll be losing too much sleep over that!

These are valid points being made. I'm bricking it going into the last two games... Millwall won't be easy, but it's a game we have to win. I wouldn't fancy promotion resting on the last game of the season. Remember that we have two flippin' Rugby matches on the pitch in 5 days before the Rotherham game. The potential state of the pitch, particularly with the rain making a return, will likely mean that we can't play our normal fluid passing game. I really hope wee do it (of course), but people are right to be cautious if they don't want to end up with egg on their faces... I mean, we're City.... we've been here many times before over the 25 years that i've been supporting 'em...!

[downendcity]

Listening to radio 5 live last evening they were discussing the Championship promotion race and were talking to Paul Simpson about Preston's position, in particular that they are wobbling at the moment. His comment was that, at this stage of the season, it's not about fitness, ability and tactics. It's mainly about the players mental attitude - whether they can go out and do what is required.

Let's be honest, much of the posting on here is not getting ahead of ourselves, it a phsycological confidence booster, because we all know that we are so near and yet stll so far, and I am sure many posters just don't want to face up the reality that we could blow it, even at this late stage so excercise bracado through overly positive postings.

However, getting back to Paul Simpson's comments, I think the last few weeks demonstrate the mental toughness that GJ has instilled into his squad. Tough games at home against Forest, Swans and Yeovil could easily have derailed our promotion push. Draws againts Forest and Swans could have seen us wobbling ( City bottlers?) especially followed by defeat at Gillingham. Going to the form team of the division, losing our first choice keeper and replacing him with a loanee was surely a recipe for disaster, compounded by conceeding in the first 5 minutes.

The measure of this team is that they didn't just recover to draw, but produced a great second half performance to win. Yes, we can still throw it away, but somehow, I think Gary and his team are made of much tougher stuff than that. I just hope he asks the team before Saturday's game "just how much do you want this lads?" and I hope the reply is " as much as the City fans do!".

P.S. Steve Brooker and Bradley Orr have introduced a promotion incentive scheme for the first team squad. Fail to get promotion, and they have organised they all have to take showers for a month in Horfield nick including picking the soap up off the floor!

[Eddie Hitler]

If everything goes as wrong as it could be.

At least we get the Bristol derby next year