This should cheer everyone up I still love watching these highlights - I can't believe it was 4 years ago - before Covid was even designed!
that was 2 very good squads up until a month later after the cup match and after ARSENAL seemed to fall apart I recollect? beat Sunderland a game or so later then a losing streak for a couple years had a good squad[ squad that had been together for a while ? ] thats what we need now a settled squad with right direction .. I am always behind the manager .. but must say at the moment it is a bit strained!
Sadly, I hadn't started going to games yet at that time. I was a kiddie 'armchair' fan during the glory days I didn't start going to the Gate until we were in div 4 after our spectacular drop.
I was too young for the Arsenal game, but the Man Utd game is probably the biggest result in living memory for most of us, given we were a division below the mighty Man Utd. Without doubt a great result against Arsenal, but we were in the same league, so not such a big upset/surprise for me.
It was a magnificent result, our first match in the highest league and away to the mighty Arsenal, this little non entity team spanked them, I will never forget that tidal wave of REDS streaming up to London and the togetherness upon our return, manager, players and Bristolians all in it together, no exageration it was a brilliant period, no one expected it but we all hoped for it together, wonderful.
SuperMac made his debut for Arsenal in that game. A £300k record transfer which was far more than our entire squad. For me the Arsenal game was the most memorable game ever as it was our first match back in the 1st Division after 65years(I think). However that May evening in Coventry still gives me shivers every time I think of how fortunate we were to have all been there going absolutely loopy on the pitch at full time.
We should have beaten them more convincingly on the day too. We hit the post (Tainton?) and had the lions share of possession.
R&W Not one player who started against ManUtd started against Huddersfield. What a different squad Pearson has to deal with and makes you wonder how we got here. Pearson moans about the squad he has but I don't enjoy listening to his barely hidden exasperation of their lack of ability and mistakes. It's clear the lack of quality he has to work with but constant post match moaning is akin to pi**ing in the wind.
When I see NP struggling even after he appointed an old mate from his playing days to assist with our present team of aged experienced additions, youth not quite up to required quality, injury prone warriors and overpaid showmen, it takes me right back to how Terry Cooper revived our club and with patience, what success he achieved, read this article and I believe you will see a simular pattern - https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/my-club-terry-cooper/
It’s impossible to overstate what TC achieved, obviously not as sexy as AD, but in my view equally as important
How on earth can you liken the $hit$show Terry Cooper took over, to what Nigel Pearson has taken over? To do so is an absolute dis-service to TC....
True, although 4 years is a long time to expect many/any to still be around, especially the older players such as Steele, Smith etc. That was a strong squad we had then before Mark Ashton set about dismantling it, albeit for very vast sums to the BCFC coffers.
I remember that great night and my neighbours wondered what all the fuss was about when the roof lifted off my house as the winning goal hit the back of the net. Looking back at what has happened to the squad that could have taken us to a better place since that special night is like reading a horror story. The good players disappeared down the road to better things and the replacements have failed to come even close to that standard and commitment. I know teams need to move on with new players replacing the ones that have met their best before date, or bring in wads of cash for their services, but there doesn't appear to have been a plan in place for the next step up the ladder. The blame game has been going on since certain departures but that should never have been a time for procrastination or bad decision making and yet we managed to do everything wrong at the same time leading to the current state of utter drabness and foolishness. Will the next transfer window help our cause - well let's just wait and see what Nigel has hidden under his hat.
First off I stated 'He revived our club'.....'With patience what success he achieved' how the hell is that doing TC a dis-service. Secondly I stated 'I believe you will see a SIMULAR PATTERN' not 'liken' As regard NP actions and simular pattern ~ * Appointed old mate as assistant manager * Signed older, experienced players as cheaper option * Selected acadamey/ youth players to balance up squad * Coaching, health and fitness problems * Injuries long and short term * Shackled with financial restraints * Multi tasking with internal club issues. All of these show simular patters to the TC era, I won't go on about the '**** Show' of over expenditure, mis management, mass poor signings, imbalance of players wage structure, inherited football squad from Ashton/Johnson/Holden days
You are 100% correct, TC revived our club from it's last rights being administered, and was in the bottom half of the fourth division, following successive relegations from the 1st division. NP is picking up a club that was top half of the 2nd division 18 months ago. Hardly the same comparison was my point. Nice of you to bring up the previous regime again though....
