When I first heard of this Mark Ashton fellow, and heard him spouting all this business psychobabble, and I learned he had this daffy title (personnel manager or whatever) I just thought the people with their finger on the button had lost their way. Add to that the Ashton picture of a rather prissy looking public schoolboy, and the signing of little Lee to replace our double winning manager, and I seriously thought that Stevie L had got it all wrong big stylee. However An impressive list of signings that has mended the inactivity of last summer and built a squad that looks powerful and will doubtless get better as we progress through the season must be accredited to Mr Ashton, who has made us competitive in the market with larger clubs. Also the young manager in charge is impressing me more by the day, and offers far more than I assumed he would. Indeed, he appears to be potentially the real deal at last All of which leads me to admit that (call me naive) I am surprised, delighted and humbled by Lansdown's moves, and greatly relieved to see that the club we all hold close is still in very safe hands. It promises much this term, and I am looking forward to a season of high drama, high quality and history. Cherish these days, because they may be rare indeed
Yeah I absolutely detest the sort of person that he seems to be symptomatic of, completely fake and plays the business bullshit game, but there's no denying he's been very very good.
Mr Ashton has achieved nothing yet beyond carrying out elements of his role. The outcomes are not evident. Mr Johnson likewise. As for BCFC it is a oddity, the strategy behind it opaque with its sporting partners and tentacles attached to various businesses - Bristol Sport. Holdings - Pula . The clubs debts are large, and its has no real assets of its own. Cherish? No. Its just part of the rich tapestry of BCFC history. A history littered with recent twists and turns as Mr Lansdown chopped and changed strategies and structures, sometimes by the season. There could be a element of emporer's new clothes to this but the investment in infra structure is where Mr Lansdown earns credit, it is possible that Bristol City with the right vision (Bristol Sport is ???) can become as acclaimed as a Southampton, or Swansea. Different models, very different, it is hard to compare BCFC v Bristol Sport to anything. Its one of a kind, hopefully not a Hans Christian Andersen kind.
Oh I don't know Everyone loves a fairy tale We are still at the beginning of the season, but much that is happening in front of our eyes is healthy, is it not. Glass half full or three quarters empty ?
If we are entirely honest with the season so far ... we scraped a win against a team no one knows the strength of === we do not know the strength of city ... ..yes some good names on a bit of paper, at the moment, but look at who Fulham had last season! DEMBELE and McCormack and ...!
On here I have defended Bristol Sport x the academy and the redevelopment consistently etc however it has not bore fruition. One look at BCFC's accounts (viable as a business only due to loans and equity from SL) and it is clear the club is in anything but a healthy position. My glass does neither. Tend to be level headed about results good or bad, its al part of it from the first tom the fourth and? I hope in five years time to see a BCFC that is functioning at a more even keel on and off the pitch.
Went right over your head this thread didn't it? Simply someone posting thanks and admiration for what Lansdown, Ashton and Johnson have so far done. Kept us up when it looked as though relegation was firmly on the table and has now brought in arugably our best ever championship signing in Lee Tomlin, convinced des Taylor to leave Bournemouth and now we have someone from Southampton's U21 set up coming in. Yes the job is only half done but we got someone in who is doing it! And doing it to a brilliant standard at that. Not sure why I'm bothering really as again this will go straight over your head and you'll find some negativity to bring up.
Not at all. The reply went over your head. I have consistently defended (I was pro) the structure which is being put in place including the appointment of Mr Ashton. At this point achievements are more or less nil. Now we have someone from Southampton's U21 set up coming in ... And it is meaningless if Mr Lansdown decides he does not want to pursue that path in a seasons time. Bristol City have been in some of these positions before, then changed, then changed back. The umbrella under Pula down to BS through sporting businesses is however entirely new in Bristol City's history. It is something new (?) within English football, Bristol Sport does not mirror foreign FC and sporting organisations either. That could be exciting, it could also be a source of something very different.
I can understand this, being as I lived through the Ashton Gate 8 saga, and woke one morning to a question of wether there would still be a Bristol City by close of play. I remember the first game after the event, against Fulham, where there was half a team making their debuts (and doing alright by the way) and feeling like I was a Man U fan after the air crash. However, I do think that if there is no opportunity to dream then what is the whole point of supporting a club or coming to a football match. We certainly didn't have that atmosphere at our club back in the days of Gow, Dicks, Earnie, Cash and Taints. Then it was reach for the sky and see what this lovely team can do. That is the kind of Bristol City I want to support, not a frightened little club that is petrified of success and subsequent failure - else wise where is the passion, and where the soul ?
The proof of what has been done, what appointments have been made, and whether the roadmap for the club will be successful or not won't be known for a good while to come yet. In the meantime all we can do is dream of where it may take us in the years to come. The signs so far are encouraging enough, but let's see where we are around the turn of the year for starters.
Mark Ashton, Junior and our scouts have done a great job so far. They have been able to 'do' great jobs because of Steve Lansdown. I commented on here when SL appointed Junior that he'd be given the biggest 'war chest' ever. It's proved to be true and all City fans are grateful and delighted with the new signings. Let's not run away, however good the jobs Ashton and Junior are doing, thinking it's them that deserve all the credit. All credit in my eyes is down to Lansdown's money affording better players. I spare a thought for SC - he gave us the best season in many a long year. Who knows how successful he'd have been if allowed the many millions afforded to his successors.
As soon as the results go W D L L L there will be ;posters on here going Johnson has not got a clue, we need there four five quality signings but wont say who or how much, Ashton is a waste of money, there is something wrong in the boardroom but wont say what and Lansdown should sell the club if he is not going to spend more. One poster will say all five. Shiny will blame the leave campaign and older people.
But he was allowed to bid £9 million for Gray or Gayle?? I don't think he was denied the transfer fees that LJ has been given (less than those bids) but LJ choose not to spunk it all on one player. Think you're trying to build an excuse for LJ doing well this season. Don't worry we will no doubt go on some sort of bad run sometime so you can have all your fun then
If he is as young as the others he is might think the same when it comes down to W D L L L. That's the way it is.
You are spot on ROD, the money was there but just never choose the right players and if i remember they didn't want to come here....was that to do with SC? Who knows....Yes RP is just waiting at the first chance to pop at LJ......If we win it will be to do with the chest of money given, if we lose it will be down to LJ being a crap manager!! Of course it will come but that's what happens with all managers in the end!!
'fact is though, last summer we couldn't sign anyone decent for love nor money' Or that's what we were told. But he was allowed to bid £9 million for Gray or Gayle?? I think you're right to add question marks. There are a few who believe everything that comes out of AG. 'have all your fun then' - Fun ??? Fun, elation and pure joy was last Saturday.
