Bristol City have a bright, bright future so why the negativity? Our City reporter explains why he shares the enthusiasm for the next campaign So Bristol City finished 11th in the end this season - their highest finish for eight years since 2009-10 under Gary Johnson. Back then Johnson senior left the club the following March, to be replaced initially by Keith Millen then Steve Coppell, and the Robins haven't flown so high since. This season promised so much but this writer doesn't understand the negativity surrounding the club at times. Perhaps it comes from a fear that like back in 2007-08 and going so close to joining the Premier League that things won't be so good next season. Yes, it was 10 wins from 13 up to Boxing Day this year (or just two losses in 26 games, if you prefer) and afterwards just four wins in 25 games (13 defeats in the last 25 games of the season) but there are various factors at play here. Lee Johnson has taken the brunt of the fans' ire, but here's a thing. It was Lee Johnson who took the team to such heights in the first place. I see it as going 3-0 up to lose 3-4. Plenty of positives but work to do. No-one said it would be easy or a quick fix. Especially doing things on a budget. Huddersfield-esque miracles don't happen for everyone, alas. And yes Neil Warnock has worked wonders over the bridge but Cardiff were buoyed by parachute payments only recently and not everything Warnock has touched has turned to gold over the years. Hey, even Manchester United and Alex Ferguson were labelled as bottlers back in 1992 after they blew the First Division title to hand Leeds United the league after only drawing with Luton Town and losing at West Ham when clear at the top of England's top tier in the year before the formation of the Premier League. Dwelling on the negatives for this campaign overlook several key happenings: that win over Manchester United, pushing Manchester City all the way, a club-record-equalling Carabao Cup run (and memories to last a life-time), five years of progression up the football league, no more relegation battle, top half of the Championship and elite clubs being interested in the brightest talents at Ashton Gate. There's plenty to look forward to. The club has the best crowds for 39 years and has sold more tickets than ever before for next season already. That improvement on the financial side will all be ploughed back into the club and help retain the best players and make it easier to bring in quality. Fewer punts on loan players and untested players will be needed. Au revoir, Lois. Then you've Lee Johnson himself. Outside the club Johnson is coveted and those links with West Brom aren't dying away just yet. Johnson has shown capable of building a side full of goals, attacking football and has successfully moulded 20-goal strikers in the last three years. He'll do so again once he sorts out the defensive side of the Robins. Then you have the magnificent work of Brian Tinnion and the academy. Bristol has produced several top talents over the years and this looks likely to continue. Recently Gary Probert revealed that there had been interest in several City prospects and BristolLive understands this to be true too (more on this later in the week). Looking at specifics, you have two young players in Zak Vyner and Lloyd Kelly who must play next season - one has represented his country at U20 level and one is close to. This is in a nation dominating on the global stage at the youth levels. Beyond that, Jonny Smith, Max O'Leary, Joe Morrell. And there are more. "I genuinely believe there are players all the way down to under-16 level who can go on and play for Bristol City," explained the head coach at the weekend. Meanwhile, no senior players are out of contract and anyone who leaves must be brought for a decent figure. Steve Lansdown will reinvest. New training facilities are on the horizon while Ashton Gate is one of the best grounds in the Championship if not the best. Millwall boss Neil Harris mentioned Johnson as being in with a shout for manger of the season. As Aden Flint said last week: "he must be doing something right". A drive for financial sustainability muddies the water but there are local lads who are good enough and need to play. If City can get their recruitment right - and yes there is work to do here; most of the recent permanent signings have been good if not the loans though - then there is little reason to think the squad willl be as, if not stronger. Meanwhile Famara Diedhiou will improve further and could hit 20 goals given a full season. Eros Pisano will be all the better for a year in the Championship too. With a new quality right-back, central midfielder and attacker, plus Matty Taylor and Milan Djuric keeping fit for the season, City have all the tools to maintain their top half challenge and to dally with the play-offs again next term (someone pass this on to Bobby Reid). And further down the line? Maybe, just maybe... https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bristol-city-bright-bright-future-1544507
Personally see the better players going,then a struggle to replace with quality,we are a selling club,not a building club.
I honestly don’t know if it’s Lee Johnson or the fans. As a City fan since the 1970s I have rarely experienced positivity or enthusiasm - more resignation and frustration. For a while I dare to dream - then get brought down to earth when, with what seems certain success looming, we blow it and end up going back where we belong. So much now that for my own sanity I set my expectations low. Over the season Lee has delivered us a top half finish - the best final position since his dad - who delivered the best since Alan Dicks - so why are the fans attacking each other over him? Some say it’s the Bristol City way - ‘Fight fight wherever you may be ......’ is one of our songs - and I saw some of our fans fighting each other first hand at Forest - bizarre but true. We have seen poor performances before - and relegation too, but the banners and the knives seem reserved exclusively for the Johnsons - which to me seem again, bizarre and somewhat self-destructive. I hate it when we lose and I love it when we win, but ending the season better - or at least not worst - than we started is acceptable for me. I don’t know where I’m going with this response except to say that Lee isn’t the worst manager we have had by a long shot - no, by an AMAZING shot - number 3 behind Dicks and Johnson senior - so get off his back and let the story unfold. Get ON his back by all means if we look like relegation certs - but until then we have some stability - which is an undervalued asset.
I love the sentiment and agree wholeheartedly, but you know as well as I do, that that will never happen!! As you suggest, it seems to be the Bristol City way!!
When Lee played for City, he played because of who his father was, not how good he was. I know some City fans disagree and think he did OK with us but reality is it caused immense resentment among many City fans. His appointment of head coach by Lansdown was never deserved with his very limited experience on his CV. Consequently whether you agree or disagree with the above the upshot is BCFC will never unite under LJ. LJ has used the profits of Kodjia and Bolasie to bring in 30 players and yet now has to sell Bryan, Reid or Flint this summer. A poor start next season and you really will see a club divided. Post promotion to the Premiership Warnock has said his knack of bringing together all at the club - especially players and fans has been a cornerstone of his eight promotions. I don't think BCFC will ever be united with our present head coach, I said it at the time and I still wholeheartedly believe it. A terrible decision by Lansdown.
I heard a rumour today, that if Southampton come down Hughes will be off. And went on to say that Johnson is on their list of replacements. That might keep some happy if true. Now I like Lee but like most baffled by his decisions. Take Sunday for instance, 0-3 down playing Bryan LB and our top scorer back in midfield. Then in second half Magnusson on Kelly left back and Bryan forward. Great move we started to play with confidence and brought the score back to 2-3 even the Sheff Utd fans went quiet and looked worried. Their team was getting rattled and we were on top. So what does Lee do? He takes Kelly off and bring Semenyo it on. Reverted Bryan back to LB and the momento was squashed. Now I’m all for giving the youngsters a chance, but we was losing so it could of been a negative on the youngster who only touched the ball 3 times. Me personally would of brought Taylor on to keep the momento going and gone for the other goal maybe two. Fans would then go home happy with the fight back and we could all maybe finished on a high. Now it’s definitely a lose but could of been more. I’m confused with all this players for the future which is great, but a lot of these players are not better than we currently have. They might (I hope) go on to prove me wrong but I’m not going all Redprint on the transfer money, or RR on LJ out. I seriously don’t think some of them will. But I do want to see a successful summer activity and stop going for the future as we’ve got enough of them now we need players who are better than we have.
We come at this from different angles RP, but the only statement of yours I can challenge is ‘A terrible decision by Lansdown’ - because we still don’t know yet - it could be a stroke of genius - until January it looked that way and it could again. Absolutely everything else is without question accurate. Still sad if people use their judgement of him as a player against him now though - especially as his managerial record isn’t that bad as league positions go.
Good post ROD unless he is poached it looks like the owner is sticking with him again. Now if the Crown Jewels are sold and he bring more rubbish in he is in for a rough time.Personally think that would see him gone before Xmas. Massive period now for him with recruiting the correct players and losing the better players. Again the recruiting at Ashton Gate has been a shambles this season.Will that change we will have to wait and see.
Don’t know what truth was in the rumour, but with Southampton now safe barring a 10 goal swing on final day we will never know.
When he actually gets offered a job and not some paper talk/rumour the above will be true. I can't believe any club will come in for him. However should any club come in for him he will be gone like a long dog. Career wise he has to make the most of City's pre Christmas form because a bad start in August after a few players sold will put him in an untenable position.
