Wizered really understands that we are falling - how about you?

Great thread from wizered that echoes several that I have posted in the last few months and I think it's time for all City fans to admit that something is seriously wrong at Ashton Gate.

I believe that the financial situation is serious and it is refelcted in the fact that we have done nothing to address the on-field issues for the last 2 seasons. Nearly all fans can see the glaring deficiencies and yet nothing appears to phase the management. Look at the players that were available during the summer and now play for our rivals in this division and still no action from the top brass at City.

It looks to me that Ashton Gate is not a preferred destination for managers, or players alike, and that will continue until such time that our management change their ways and attitude. Poor attendances will continue until the fans see a change of attitude and at least some semblance of organisation that could improve the situation.

We have fallen way off the pace in attendances and you only have to look at teams such as Notts Forest, Birmingham, Leeds, BRIGHTON, Derby etc to see where most of our problems lie. Until we can even begin to approach those kind of numbers we will continue to be also-rans or relegation contenders every season until the inevitable happens.

A very sad situation that only enhances the phrase "unfashionable club" even further and, quite frankly, I can't see any changes in the near future - how about you?

 

if we have this financial problem why the hell havn't we sold Maynard?

 

My point exactly and it only goes to show the lack of leadership at AG. Knowing our lot they will wait until the end of the season and let him go for nothing. Perhaps they are waiting to see if he can score enough goals to get us promoted and then offer him the new contract that he wants along with a place in the prem (joke!).

 

As it stands, SL continues to support the club and underwrite the debt each year by issuing more shares so although we have a large paper loss, he has said that the club is not in any danger - FOR NOW....

I can imagine how SL must feel with the constant stuff on this board (me included) HOWEVER, I hope that he is enough of a fan to realise that most of us only do this because although it may not sound like it sometimes, we only have the best interests of the club at heart. On that note, I am a little concerned about Ender's view of the grand plan. SL is worth £750m so whilst I expect he is always up for a deal, I don't think that he needs to make a buck from OUR club. A little too cynical I think...

Likewise, with the flack heading Keith's way, I get absolutely no pleasure from it - it is purely because I am concerned about the apparent lack of man management (and I don't mean shouting at the players). I would like Keith to show this so that we can all get back to focusing on success on the pitch and being the 12th man again.

The thing that I hope keeps SL going is the fact that he HAS seen how Gary united the players and fans and how great the joint forward momentum felt. Honestly, I think it would only take a modicum of success to get that feel good factor back again but we have to see unity, organisation and desire on the touchline and the pitch to buy in to and get behind it however this is what has been lacking for the last couple of years. We are currently drifting aimlessly like a rudderless ship and this is responsible for the decline in the attendances...

To be honest, I would like to see the club challenging at the top of the table but I would be TOTALLY HAPPY if I saw that the players were all hungry and driven to succeed with some organisation and to see where it took us as more often than not, hungry teams are successful.

The most important thing is the hunger starts and eminates from the top. We need the manager to show desire and that he is driven and passionate about the success of the club, a bit like PDC at Swindon. Something like this, linked with a bit of success and it wouldn't take long for those who have drifted away to get back behind the team properly again and we could all embark on another journey.

Problem is, I am just not seeing this from KM at the moment and if I'm not, it is pretty certain that the players aren't inspired and here we are, back at the beginning of the circle again...

ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO BE SORTED AND NOW BEFORE ANOTHER SEASON DRIFTS BY and if we want Nicky to re-sign (with a release clause)...

 

Leadership comes from the top down and right now I see very little evidence that leads me to believe that it's happening.

Something needs to happen soon to give the motivation and desire back to the players, which in turn will prove to supporters that the management realises that we have problems and they will be addressed.

Motivation comes in may forms and it appears that it's in short supply at AG, so let's hope we see some soon.

 

I agree with all of these sentiments.

I have followed City since the late 60's and I'm lucky that I've seen the brilliant FA Cup run of '73, the two League Cup Semi Finals in '71 and '89 and our first visit to Wembley in 1985 plus various other high points, which are outnumbered by all of the lows of course. With those heady days gone, my hopes for a repeat having tasted the good times are probably more than a lot of younger fans.

Alan Dicks built a truly great team in the 70's but it took him a while and in those days expectations were a lot less. After narrowly avoiding relegation at the end of 1971 when we beat Watford away 2-0 we went from strength to strength over successive seasons until we were deservedly promoted in 1976. We were a very difficult team to beat but we played open and exciting football, especially at home where we were seldom beaten, unlike today when teams run us ragged and score 3 or more against us at the Gate, often without reply. We've got no balls, no fight, but worst of all we seemingly have no leadership on or off the pitch and that's deeply concerning.

Only GJ has come close to achieving anything for us in the folllowing 35 years post Alan Dicks before he completely lost the plot, but Millen isn't even in the same league as he was and we're still going backwards at a rate of knots in terms of gates, league position, money, publicity, ambition (seemingly) and everything that goes with it.

It also seems to me that SL is taking a much less active (or visible) role and I have no faith in Sexstone as Chairman either even though it's a temporary appointment. I think the whole stadium farce has taken it's toll on the club in general and we're now just drifting waiting for a Messiah who may never come. Now there's a sobering though for a Wednesday morning.

 

Let's cast our minds back! just over a season ago Coppell as manager, ex England goal keeper signs, shedfulls of publicity, praise from supporters of other teams for the ambition we seemed to be showing, sales of shirts on the up, season tickets selling well and optimism flowing through of all our veins. Ashtongate a great place to be. Now look at us? I for one think that SL had, up till then, done a great job. So he made a few mistakes don't all chairmen do that? Let's at least allow the new board a modicum of time to attempt to halt the slide, if after 10 or 15 games we are still around the relegation zone then time to do something about it. As stated by others I think there are three or four worse teams than us so am not too worried about going down (or am I?)