Just couldn't understand why we've got 34 more points than you, then I realised. How could I have missed that - you've got a game in hand. Only joking guys - seriously. They say it's tough at the top being shot at all the time, but it must be heartbreaking to be at the bottom. As you know, our own morale has been at a low ebb over the previous 5 years or so through off-field matters, but at least we've been reasonable on the pitch throughout that time to help make up for it. Now with the stability and committment our new people have brought to the club and its' supporters, everything seems to be going our way. Just at the moment though - it aint over yet and there's a long way to go. You seemed pretty stable and well set up these past years with Lansdowne at the financial helm, but haven't pushed on regarding playing matters where it eventually counts. The obvious impact at our level (mere supporters) is the marked effect on attendances. We're happily getting 24 -26K for each home game and I see you're getting about half that. No blame attached - just the way it is. Everyone wants to support a winning team, and that's not suggesting the respective increase/decrease is made up of plastics - supporters just get frustrated. Genuine question - no windup or bullshit. If there was one thing (idea/policy?) that you could take from over here that would help you out, what would it be?
Rickster - I assure you it's not a gloat my friend. We've been the butt of enough of that sort of crap with the admin, 10 point deductions, Ridsdale and bankruptcy jibes over the past 5 years to the extent that I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Apart from my opening sentence which was just a throwaway light hearted joke, I am first and foremost a football fan and serious about the situation in which you find yourselves. You believe what you like though.
Wed 3 things to put us back where we want to be sparkey. Bigger crowds would fuel the financial coffers but before you can get them in the seats you need a decent team on the pitch and right now we have neither. Many years of neglect has led to our recent demise and until someone at the top decides they've had enough then we have no chance of moving forward. Quite honestly unless we can perform miracles during the transfer window our goose is all but cooked. Supporters of Bristol City are getting tired of excuses and sub par performance at all levels of the game and quite frankly I think we have become a bit of a laughing stock considering the size of Bristol.
Morning Oldsparky me ole' mucker....a happy new year to you and your family mate Well thats the nice bits out the way, now back to business...........we are quite simply, in a dire, dire, situation with no obvious direction being steered other than down! Where do we start?.....the team. Good enough forwards for sure, Stead never gives up, Baldock and Davies should be top scorers in this league as they both have undoubted talent. Albert has become a bit of a cult hero and although he can be good on his day and change a game, he does'nt do it enough and,imo, is somewhat overated by the majority (dons tin hat ready for barrage!). Midfield?.......do we have one?......Danns on loan showed us what we are missing...skill and guts. Too many L1 level type players. Defence?.......dont make me larf!....we have a defence of incompetant loanees in essence, with the exception of a good full back, that lack guts and commitment. Harsh????.......not realy, just my frustrated view, right or wrong. Keeper.....Heaton I think could be decent, but he must be suffering from a bad back by now (no clean sheet all season) and his confidence must be on the edge. Off for a tear break now........
If we could take one thing from your example Oldspark, it would be for me, the stadium....simple. Cardiff City were on a par with us for many years in regards to crowd size ect, but look what has happened since your new home was built. We now stand in your shadow both on and off the pitch. The CCS is a great place for concerts having been to a few there as well as AG over the years. Did we get lost in the hunt for our new home?....possibly yes. The old eye taken off the ball scenario by the chairman what with all the legal/nimby bullshyte that went on may well of contributed to our current plight. A genuine train of thought amongst our lot is the lack of rebuilding our team from the back over the last 2 or 3 seasons. We still have the likes of Carey and Fontain on our books who many feel should have been let go some time back. In midfield we still have Skuse and Elliot from seasons gone bye. The above four mentioned have seen 4 managers come and go btw. Damn.....I mentioned the M word. More tears I fear!
HNY to you too Caldicot - and the rest of you (even Rickster ) Heaton is a good keeper. I was sorry he left us, but to be fair he needed to play and with Marshey here, he'd have little chance. The problem for him (like any other keeper) is that when you've got a pile of **** in front of you, it can stick to your boots. From what I scan doing the rounds, your defence is indeed dire. Wholesale changes look on the cards to protect Heaton or you'll only go one way. Teams should be built from the back and played from the front. Defending from the front gets you nowhere. Fear creeps in, you lose shape and inevitably concede goals. We've learnt that since Malky has been here. Our back four of Connolly, Hudson, Turner and Taylor have performed heroics. With Whitts in front of them collecting, we play it out now rather than lumping it. It's all about grinding out the 1-0 wins. Three of our four Christmas wins have been that scoreline, Millwall at home, Leicester and Brum away. We had to score two against Palace in the other one because we gave them a goal start. Being pretty is a bonus and we can play some very attractive stuff when the need arises. Hope you get a realist rather than an idealist at the club at board and management level - without that, the only way is down matey.
Aspects of other clubs are more relevent to BS3. Millwall operate on a smaller budget and achieve more than Bristol City. Charlton's community links are admirable. The BCFC academy is being re-vamped and hopefully given time a clear synergy will appear with the first team. All the above I feel are possible without aping the less than authentic model at Vincent Tans showpony. Rather West Brom than "fire and passion""
what we need is whittingham, craig no one, bellamy, Conway, Hudson and your whole team please.. Yes ok we'll take Maynard back iswell..
Sparkey Happy New Year to you too, (and good luck with your defensiveness). In fact we'd like to sign you up as a coach to teach our side how to defend, because you are better at it than they are. In fact, my gran is better at it than they are which is why we are in this mess. That and the fact that 1) We never replaced our spine after the Wembley defeat to Hull in 2008 2) Successive managers have failed to upgrade our defence 3) We have wasted a fortune on dumb ass loanees who have mostly been a complete waste of time 4) We have failed to invest sufficiently in our youth academy for the past 30 years 5) We have been prevented from developing by managers that didnt really want to be manager (Coppel), and fans that hounded out a successful manager because we were only winning 1-0 (!) 6) We have a section of selfish locals who have prevented the expansion of the club and the city for their own aims Please try not to confuse humour with aggression again in 2013 Sparkey I wish you and your little blue friends a good year, and a sound start to your 2013/14 season in the Premiership.
HYN Old Sparkey These are hard times in old Bristol town when we have to admit that Cardiff City are everything that we aspire to be, and have left us miles behind with ease, despite your more questionable recent history, whereas our leaders/owners dont have the first clue as to how to run a professional and successful club. Now to be slightly controversial and ask who would have thought that there would possibly be two Welsh teams in the Premier League next year let alone one, however I guess your record towards the end of recent seasons and royally screwing things up and snatching defeats from the hands of victories might happen again.......... Still, there's always Ritchie Blackmore to cheer me up !
Despite suffering at hands of Cardiff in their twenties, when I was a mere thirteen year old I used to look at the Cardiff fixture as a must do. I liked Ninian park and its traditional feel. Now due to Hamman, Risdale, bland functional efficiency stadium, plastic support and oddball global marketing strategy identity I won't miss the fixture. The answer is nothing mate. Bemused to indifferent by what was CCFC nowadays.
That's fair enough Clifton and LOYAL - everyone has a right to their opinions. Clifton - as far as "aping the less than authentic model at Vincent Tans showpony" is concerned, have it your way by all means. I also note the comparison of your club with Millwall and Charlton. That's also fair enough but actually demostrates a contentment with mediocrity. LOYAL - we needed to move at the time in much the same way that you do now - it's that failure that's holding you back. Glad you don't miss anything about CCFC these days because you wont have to the way we are both going. Maybe even two divisions apart for next season. Angelic - Ritchie Blackmore (and some of his contemporaries) make the long winter nights worthwhile. They give me a buzz that few since can manage.
Bristol City geographical and cultural future should in my view be made more by defining itself in the West and furthering the clubs reach also via its activities outside the starting XI. Bristol City have a parallel to Charlton with the community trust. Millwall also involve themselves thoroughly in the local community. Both clubs add an emphasis on youth development. I do not see either aspect of those clubs as being mediocre, but as being an essential part of a modern football club. I look upon the "Redbirds" as sickly. A club that played roulette and had to be rescued by an indvidual who pumped money in with cynical, and silly strings attached. Looks like a charade. Not for me that.
Decent postings for a change eh Minxy?....see, we are not always just about slagging off our Del boy lol. HNY.
Clifton - no wish to spar with you over this, but I don't want to get into a debate that relies on pedancy to support an argument. You have no need to lecture any Cardiff supporter about youth academies or community support - we are amongst the leaders in both fields. Our fully FA endorsed academy takes and nourishes young local talent from around the 8 year old mark right through their education and beyond. The club is heavily involved with the wonderful Ty Hafen childrens hospice and associated organisations in both Cardiff and its' surrounds. We have transformed the image of our club so much that last year we were voted the Family Club of the Year. Beneath the new stadium Family Stand (the old Grangetown Stand end ), there are extensive facities set out for both visiting and local young children families - a fantastic effort to involve youngsters from an early age to support football the right way. All this off the field achievement and also top of the Championship? Yup for sure, we're definitely doing something wrong matey. I'm not saying that the likes of Millwall and Charlton are doing anything wrong, I'm just doubting your contention that you can't have the one direction and achieve the other. It takes both committment and money. Principles are great, but are just hot air with out those two things.
Genuine question - no windup or bull****. If there was one thing (idea/policy?) that you could take from over here that would help you out, what would it be? Sorry Mon wants bugger all thy ave. You might think BCFC looks like the furry tea bag left for months below a bin liner, but its OUR tea bag. That thing you have is a McDonalds, the 99p one bought by some Malaysiian and he is putting HIS sauces all over it. Red kits, new names, new slogans none of it included YOU ... Emporers new clothes ... HE could do anything yet, might even call it all FIRE & PASH FC the LADYBOYS STADIUM.
