I thought it was GJ having Sproule by the throat in the tunnel? Either way everyone knows something went on that day. I'm GJ's biggest fan, he genuinely gave us some amazing times as City fans, but I absolutely can imagine him being a **** to players. Also disagree that Lee Johnson got preferential treatment, he was a decent player, but that's a separate discussion.
R&W 'ex players have continued to follow him too' We certainly know one 'they wouldn't have if he was kicking them around the changing room after every game?' You're being deliberately obtuse, stupid to say it was every game and you know it. 'I am open to evidence' - No you're not, nothing will change you're mind. I sponsored players during GJ's tenure, they all said the same. But you won't believe me. I've seen a wage slip from back then, it's how I know a certain player was paid £6k a week. But you won't believe me. Typically obtuse of you to ask for evidence - as if any player would rock any boat while employed and mortgages to pay. Johnson knew it and has bullied and exploited young men all his career. In my business life I've come across a few 'Johnsons' - they're 1st rate sh*ts. I wouldn't piss in his mouth if his back teeth were on fire.
RP - I was thinking of the likes of Jevons, MacAllister and Fontaine (off the top of my head - but there are probably more) rather than Lee, but hey-ho, you are right - he was indeed one of them. I AM open to evidence - this is the first time I have read anything backed up with 'real' examples. I am not in love with the guy - far from it - and I would NOT want him back at AG - I just appreciated getting us to the playoff final and coming the closest to the promised land since 1980. Nobody else has come close since Alan Dicks. Even Cotts, who I like a lot, has to go some way to match that 'achievement' (which I suppose was ultimately a failure really, seeing as we didn't end up getting to the Prem). I too have encountered bully managers and I concur with your dislike of them. However, it is worth pointing out that I work in what I would call a 'normal' industrial environment, where the boss is paid MORE than the people who report to him/her. He/she can hire and fire (within the constraints of employment law of course) in order to achieve their goals - and if an employee doesn't perform, or do as they are told, or are 'difficult', then they are sacked, or 'moved on'. Football is completely different; the manager is paid a fraction of his 'employees' and if THEY don't do as they are told, or simply don't perform, or tell you to F-off and exhibit dissent, its the MANAGER who gets publically sacked and humiliated, whilst the failing 'employees' remain, collecting their vast sums of money, until their contract expires, protected by quite ridiculous clauses. They can even get re-employed, after raping someone, killing people in a drink-drive crash, or stubbing a cigar out in someone's eye....... I can't speak for any of those City players, as the only one I met in person was Louis Carey, but I would GUESS that, like in most clubs, there were some big ego's amongst them who would, at times, deserve a good bollocking to remind them who is boss (Louis didn't come across that way BTW). That doesnt excuse using violence of course. Football, although a crazy, upside-down industry, polluted and ruined by obscene sums of money, is still answerable to the law of the land regarding physical assault, and he (Johnson) should have faced a club disciplinery at the very least - possibly even legal prosocution, if true, but then, I wasn't there and I don't know what was actually said or done. As for the £6k per week - I have no reason to disbelieve you. Apparently the average championship salary according to the Daily Mail is £4089 per week, so £6k per week is above average even by today's standards (if you can believe the Daily Mail of course). I have no idea what the rest of the squad were on at that time - although rumour had it that when James played for us the following season he was on £15k per week..... not sure what any of that proves though - that footballers are overpaid? Really?!!! Even more reason to rip into them (non-physically) when they don't do their jobs and endanger yours as their manager. I really like the way we are trying to play under Cotts - which is far more entertainning than GJ's boring 1-0 wins. However, we are finding it tougher than I expected getting established in this league and I fear that if we don't learn to adapt to the pace and quality of the Championship very soon we are in danger of spending the entire season in a relegation scrap. I think if Cotts can sort out our defence then the goals (and the points) will come and we will rise up the table.
Very harsh indeed,great times under gj. I am amazed nobody has not mentioned why basso left under the circumstances he did. Thought it was common knowledge.
I mentioned it earlier in this post. Enlighten me RR - why did he leave? Did GJ beat him up? I genuinely don't know - all I hear is rumours.
What has always baffled me R&W about your position with GJ is everything negative about him is "opinionated posts on these forums presented as 'facts' from people who hated GJ anyway because of his son" yet you will happily present similar 'rumours' regarding players wages etc as fact, when I would take these figures as purely made up in peoples heads and added a bit on!
Banksy I thought I was quite careful to state that the wages claim was 'according to the Daily Mail' and said 'if you believe the Daily Mail' as my caveat. I never state hearsay as fact (or at least, never intend to - if I have done, please tell me and I will apologise and retract). Anyway, it was RP who originally quoted wages - and I wasn't arguing against him - I actually agreed with him. I am genuinely curious about GJ, because I liked and admired him. In my mind he brought an 'inferior' bunch of players together and confounded the pundits and bookies alike, taking us to within 90 minutes of the premier league. The Sun newspaper had us down to lose almost every week and got it wrong - which was brilliant. In fact, they were wrong so often that season that they stopped predicting Championship results. I loved that season more than any other I can remember (even more than last season - which I also loved, but not as much). I was too young to really get involved in the 1976 campaign, so 2008 was my 'golden year' and I want to understand if GJ is deserving of my praise, or as RP says; not worth pissing on if he was on fire. Like RR said ' strong words' and I am interested in WHY anyone would think that about someone who so nearly delivered the golden goose to us. Nepotism has been mooted around and understandably so when there are relatives in any organisation, but to be honest I don't give a flying fk if GJ, Cotts or even Steve Lansdown wants to play their relatives - as long as Bristol City succeeds - which we were doing to a point during that time. No disrespect is intended by my posts and Redprintt is as entitled to his opinions as I am to mine - as is everyone on here. In response to the original poster; I rank Cotts behind GJ simply because he hasn't taken us as high as GJ did - yet, but I do like him VERY much and am loving the style of football he plays. I REALLY hope we can push on and climb up the table - but I still want to know what went on to make GJ crash and burn so spectacularly - and why some people dislike him so much.
I have had that bully type Manager in my past- It works very well to begin with, everyone is frightened to do anything but conform- That usually involved working very late, hard, and putting pressures on my own staff. Eventually, someone feels brave enough to stand up to them and the tactics no longer work as the control slips- More people eventually get brave and that manager was then usually moved on to another district where the short term success would start again. SAF shows this, but his long tenure, showed he had something else as well.
Would love to hear about Basso. I didn't realise there were any weird circumstances surrounding his departure?
I happen to agree with a lot of what you say! An observation is not an attack on your personal opinion by the way, and I am a similar age to you regarding 2008 being a 'golden era' but it fell apart as it inevitably does for football managers and I feel GJ has to take some of the blame for the 'nearly' part. and for me this does include nepotism and a loss of connection with the players. That is just my opinion and it doesn't mean I 'hate' GJ..
I agree with banksy, I'm old enough (cough,cough) to remember back to Fred Ford he pressed all of my buttons, although people don't remember but I will mention Alan Dicks and some of the crooked deals he is supposed to have pulled off for personal gain at Bristol City expense and who gives 30 plus year olds 11 year contracts, stupidity, but we only remember the successes as time goes by, GJ did alright for me but once again he had his downside, the guy did gain promotion and nearly glory, we have had some dross for managers recently, once again all opinion. Now we have Cotts and thank god we have, I just wish he would cut out the clichés and let his football do the talking, still as the title says he is our best in the last 20 years, in my opinion.
Tend to agree Wiz. Time does tend to distort the memory... A bit like when it seemed that it never rained during Summer Holidays etc For me, overall, SC is head and shoulders above GJ and anyone since the days of AD. I'm not quite old enough to remember Fred Ford though
It never did rain during the summer holidays, did it? well it never did when I was a kid! I remember endless days of playing football or cricket bathed only in glorious sunshine!
And me, thats pretty bizarre really, but it's true, I can only remember sunny 6 weeks holidays and leaving the house at maybe 7am and returning well after dark,thats if we weren't camping out, that is an old cliche in it self but I genuinely cannot remember one day of rain! Looking back though it was pretty obvious Jimmy Saville was a nonce..
