cidered abroad

14 hours ago, weepywall said:

Well if you call 59 a youngster then yes I am...I know very little about PL football, very rarely watch it, haven't got Sky and haven't watched MOTD for years.

If you're only a youngster, then I'm only in late middle age at a week away from eighty!

1 hour ago, Fuber said:

To be fair GF - the point with regards to "stand in the players way" is not Monkeh's opinion or "mouthpiece" spiel from a "group of accountants"; but a partial quote of words that are attributable to our very owner.

While I can see youor viewpoint, I don't think its as black and white or small minded to be thinking about selling Scott. I don't think it was small minded when we did it with Bryan, Reid or Webster.

It just may be worth taking into consideration that we have chance here to completely wipe the FFP slate sparkling clean; as well as.spend on improving not just the midfield, but get a keeper, defender, and forward options if we so feel. For example, is we sell Scott now instead of next Summer for £15m - it may avoid us needing to sell a second player to balance costs - so better squad depth and planning for the longer term.

Good post. The recent discussions come down to two clear pathways.

Do we sell Scott now, bring in two or three to give us at least two per position, who are better than existing squad in the key positions. This costing more to recruit, probably higher wages and may or may not, dilute the team spirit?

If we don't sell Scott until next summer, we may not get as much for him then and lose the chance to build a better all round squad. That could actually delay our chances of promotion this season?

My opinion is that I believe Pearson would prefer to move Scott on now, add a couple more and improve our chances this year.

He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't if we don't get into the top six/two after 46 games.

58 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

For me neither are correct , I’ve always known our beloved city as ‘ Bristawl ‘. 

A new one on me.

We appear to play this warm up fixture prior to every season.

Is there one planned for the next few weeks?

Also anything at Weston SM?

Thanks.

9 minutes ago, TV Tom said:

We'll see, personally i think he's got higher ambitions than Bournemouth, wouldn't be surprised if there are one or two other teams asking Scott's agent to be "kept in the picture"

I keep thinking that Guardiola had the best view of him in a serious match . To judge how good someone is, it is a huge bonus to have seen Scott playing against a considerable number of his first teamers and he was seriously impressed.

3 hours ago, Elruliri said:

I think we are average in most positions, I think we now have deeper depth but would still add to the squad. I  think the spine of the squad needs upgrades from goalkeeper to centre forward. I'm old enough to See us promoted through TC, Big Joe, Ward, Cotterill etc. But I don't think we are promotion candidates. I also don't think we are that far away. 

You are correct that the spine of any club that wants to be challenging at the top end, is of prime importance. Every promotion team that I've seen had a core of solid keeper, central defender(s), midfield supremo and a recognised and regular goal scorer.

I am of the opinion that we will be playing our football in the other(upper) half of the Championship than the last three years.

Whether we get to the top six or top two remains to be seen.

PS. Personally I believe that we are going to surprise and upset quite a few clubs this season.

1 hour ago, chinapig said:

Indeed. Billy Wright, 105 England caps, 90 as captain.

Stan Cullis, one of the great managers from 1948 to 1964,  won the league  3 times. The first English club to take European football seriously, playing friendlies against top European sides before the European Cup started.

Derek Dougan, John Richards, Steve Bull, 3 great strikers. The list goes on even if it doesn't quite match Bournemouth's illustrious history.

I saw that team twice. At Cardiff City in 1952 and in the first floodlit game at City in 1953. They were a very good side with England's captain Billy Wright and a host of top quality in the side.

I didn't know him personally but when one of us passes on we're all sad.

When there is a relatively young family, it makes it such a hard time for them. I hope they realise that he would have wanted them to battle on and not to give up.

We all have to go sometime and life isn't always fair. RIP Ady.

3 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

Yes but the number of younger player loans out has reduced and it happened after Pearson said it would which suggests to me that Pearson curbed Tinnions approach 

No, no and thrice no. It was the clown who was our manager!

I know it's an old saying but that clown couldn't manage a piss up in a brewery.

4 minutes ago, Kirsikka said:

From what I read, he came to us from the Southampton academy,  who, I think, released. Not sure on that bit. Whilst there, they had been paying half the cost of his flights and hotels but our youth team didn't have the budget for that back then so his parents were having to pay it. Not sure that's a case of treating him badly, more a case that the youth team wasn't well funded and wasn't able to contribute at that stage. From what he said though, the move back to Guernsey was a good thing for him so maybe it worked out best for all parties in the end.

He was also at Bournemouth as a schoolboy. Didn't get on very well there. Surprised if he agrees to go there.

?

In any other league and sport, if a club's stadium does not meet the requirements at the time of qualifying for promotion, then promotion would not be a granted.

13 minutes ago, Eddie Notgetinya said:

I’ve always thought that why we’ve left it blank. I think it’s a bit soulless on the outside and that would finish it off perfectly. I support the bears but part of me is a little annoyed that a part of our home of many years has been decorated in tribute to them - not sure if that makes sense or if anyone feels the same 

As one who has supported both City and Bris for a lot of decades. So long that there are only the six City 50 Goals that I didn't see play.

Likewise, I have good memories of the amateur days when so many Bristol players were chosen for England Rugby.

Bristol's history has been more notable than City. Thus it appears that there is a bias toward them but it's probably more noticeable because of City's lack of trophies and international caps.

May be that will change in the near future?

27 minutes ago, stortfordred said:

Why are we touting this boy around? Surely a supporter wants the best players to stay in their team not move somewhere else?

Touting only because the management realise what a gem Scott is.

To keep him much longer denies him the improvement he'll get from playing in the Premiership. The rest of the squad probably isn't good enough to make a real challenge yet even though many fans are feeling quite confident.

So we are looking to sell him for top current price to be able to recruit maybe two or three more who will improve us considerably.

So we lose an apparently top of the range player to increase the quality of the rest of the squad.

To keep him, ultimately, against his will will be disastrous. Scott will never be an Atyeo, staying here for his whole career. If we are to survive as a club long term, it has to be in the Prem and we should stop allowing the things like Luton to make a mint instead of us!

5 hours ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

According to the Second Tier podcast...

 

Absolute trash!

I first met Chris during the early part of 1960-61 season on the supporters club away coach when I think he was around 12 years. His humour was never ending and while I just stuck with Chrissy, he nicknamed me "Moaner" on a train to Plymouth for an FA Cup third round that we won. And I don't remember him using anything else ever again.

I got married in 1969 and living in Southville sometimes bumped into him in the Hen & Chicken until he left for Chelsea. 

The next time I spoke with him was at a hotel in Hambrook on the morning of City home game with Leicester. He wasn't looking forward to it as being a lifelong City fan and didn't want to beat them. 0-0 was an ok result.

My abiding memory of him off the pitch was in a Sheffield fish and chip shop on the way home from an away game. He asked the woman serving, in his best Bristle dialect for "A nake lot" where the "T" is silent. The woman was completely puzzled until we translated it to "A hake lot". No hake on the menu so he got a cod and chips like the rest of us.

On the pitch it's the goals he scored to keep us up, the hard work every time he set foot on the pitch in a red shirt and his fantastic header from six inches against the other lot from Eastville.

RIP Chrissy and condolences to his family.

I just have thoughts that if he stays here another season, in which we expect/dream that we'll be banging on the Prem door and playing for England Under 21's it will significantly increase his transfer value.

And if that happens, I still have a feeling that he impressed Guardiola enough for them to be in the hunt. 

However, while the impression I get from City, is that we don't want him to go yet, I think the reality is that we want a big enough lump sum in our kitty to support our firm desire for Prem at Ashton Gate.

The arrival of Pearson and his cohorts have significantly changed the thinking at City from "We'd like to play in the Premier" to "It's about time that we did what a club the size of City and the population of greater Bristol deserve, is promotion within two years".

Welcome Jason and thanks for mentioning on your first day here that you want promotion!

So do we and it's been a long time since we were last there some forty three years ago.

We know that you and all your new colleagues have been gathered together by Nigel Pearson and Brian Tinnion with the top tier in their minds.

We also know how hard it will be to achieve but as long as you can say that you've done your best, we'll take that.

How about a song for Jason.

Good Knight Irene, good Knight Irene,  We'll see you in our team

40 minutes ago, JoeAman08 said:

Not saying he is the worst mind! Much stronger midfield if Scott stays and Knight comes in. Just would rather see Naismith Scott and Knight with more minutes than James. 

 

He does and I appreciate what he has done over the past couple of seasons. I just feel we can get that from Scott and Naismith while also being a bit bigger and a lot more athletic at that spot. A higher ceiling if you will. 

 

Of course James is a lifetime CM. Naismith was impressive though I thought considering not a familiar position. 

Naismith is a footballer who thrives on making the "killer" pass wherever he plays. And because he's a Championship standard player, and isn't  in the same class as Messi, some go awry. 

Do we benefit more from the positive passes than the Downs league ones? Yes!

52 minutes ago, Monkeh said:

No, they wouldn't of been effective in the modern game,

For example both would of been use to a much heavier ball, not the lightweight one we have now, there is also the state of the pitch to consider, they wouldn't be use to playing on a carpet, they'd be use to ploughed field football,

Also player in there era wouldn't of been as fit as the modern player

I agree that the fitness of modern pros ,especially in the higher divisions, is way better than Atyeo's era and the state of pitches is so better by a million miles.

However, and I don't know if you saw him playing but he was so so good and also helped players in the team. Forget the difference in time but any player that plays 650 matches in a career over 15 years has done it because the number of poor games without their contribution can be counted on the five fingers of both hands.

ATYEO would have been a great player in any era.

I'm starting this thread because the Jason Knight thread appears to be losing it's way with forwards as the main topic.

A big, tall target man will probably never be recruited by Pearson, simply because his idea of attackers are those with speed both initially and over a distance. He knows from his experience as a big central defender, that the big guys like the Welsh lump, Moore at Bournemouth are not too difficult for a decent defender to handle.

Thus he's brought in  a couple of big defenders for us to cope with that type of forward player who is still preferred by most Championship clubs.

But those big centre halves find it almost impossible to deal with the electric pace of those not so physically endowed.

So we definitely do not need a six foot plus target attacker while the emphasis is on speedy attackers.

54 minutes ago, bpexile said:

That brings back good memories, I had a couple of games at Bristol Rugby in the early to mid 60's alongside John Pullin & David Mann before motor bikes & girls got priority.

I often wonder what if..........................................................

@bpexile

Did you know David "Polly" Perkins?

Born on the same day in Southmead, we lived two hundred yards from each other. Both went to Charborough Rd infants and later on to BGS.  Great person even if he did follow the Gas.

Also Maitland Horler was ex BGS and a hooker for Bris United mostly.

I have a picture with the three of us as fairies in the school play Midsummer Night's Dream. A fairy hooker. Ha ha.

7 minutes ago, redkev said:

I agree with everything you say - apart from wishing Derby well I wish no one nothing apart from my boys in red 

been supporting this club since I was 10 now 60 ( ironically went to Eastville before the Gate just the once mind ) I really do feel the next couple of seasons are going to be massive for our club . I think we are set up off the pitch with the stadium, training facilities and the excellent academy along with the coaches we just need a little luck now along with holding onto our best players ( easier said then done ) but we have to come to a point for a couple of seasons at least we keep the wolves away from our talented youngsters , be nice to start with Scott ( which I’m afraid I can’t see ) 

So did I, my Dad took me to Eastville before Bris rugby and City.

February 1950 on a miserable wet Saturday against Palace. I can't remember any goals but as we were sliding down the Muller Road mudbank ( before concrete terracing) all of the first half, Dad decided we'd had enough and left any half time.

35 minutes ago, Ska Junkie said:

Historically, Derby are a bigger club than us, shits given =0.

At present we are higher in the food chain and a club moving in the right direction.

We know what we are, possibly Derby fans should be content to still have their club rather than the bitter comments we are seeing.

For our Derby viewers of a certain vintage, don't forget we looked oblivion square in the face many years ago as well.

I wish Derby well but as things stand, we are in the stronger position.

The other point I am happy to make is that we've seemingly got this done before Scotty goes so can't be held to ransom. Good work to all involved.

Your first paragraph is a fact. Derby have spent more time in the top league and of course with Brian Clough at the head, they had a very good side even if they played on a pitch without grass for most of the season.

Yet for a club of their size, normally pulling bigger gates than City, they have, in my lifetime, led a varied existence. One of my childhood memories was listening to the BBC Saturday football, second half only, commentary on the equivalent of today's Radio Five, with Derby in the Third Division (North). So while winning the First Division they have as I said an up and down record.

They won't take too long to come back up, hopefully by-passing ITFC on a return journey.