Odd criticism on the Blue Moon forum

[Steve Watts]

Was having a browse last night and quite a few were moaning about the - and I quote - "farmers field of a pitch"!!!

Am I missing something or were they watching the wrong match by mistake?  That pitch is perfect!  Which is quite an achievement considering the hammering it takes!

[Numero Uno]

5 minutes ago, Steve Watts said:

Was having a browse last night and quite a few were moaning about the - and I quote - "farmers field of a pitch"!!!

Am I missing something or were they watching the wrong match by mistake?  That pitch is perfect!  Which is quite an achievement considering the hammering it takes!

It certainly isn't anywhere close to perfect, that's a really rose tinted view tbh. It might look nice and manicured from the stands and I'm sure the Groundstaff work their bollocks off to get it in as good a condition as they can. But all I see is players slip sliding all over the shop, Saturday was mental, happened about 25 times. It needs looking at. Far too many games of football, women's international football and rugby played on it in a short space of time, lately, for me.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Numero Uno

[Bristol Oil Services]

2 minutes ago, Steve Watts said:

Was having a browse last night and quite a few were moaning about the - and I quote - "farmers field of a pitch"!!!

Am I missing something or were they watching the wrong match by mistake?  That pitch is perfect!  Which is quite an achievement considering the hammering it takes!

Tell them, we don't plough these days. No-till. Hold the carbon. Ploughing is so 20th century.

[OneTeamInBristol]

The pitch currently is probably in the worst state it's been in for a while to be fair to them.

Not that that is particularly bad compared to some clubs but players were losing their footing again last night due to the amount of action it's seen recently. 

[Steve Watts]

1 minute ago, Numero Uno said:

It really isn't perfect, that's a really rose tinted view tbh. It might look nice and manicured from teh stands and I'm sure the Groundstaff work their bollocks off to get it in as good a condition as they can. But all I see is players slip sliding all over the shop, Saturday was mental, happened about 25 times. It needs looking at. Far too many games of football, women's international football and rugby played on it in a short space of time, lately, for me.

I think that's harsh.  You look at what the Mammary Gland was like when Bristol was still over there and then look at what we are playing on - that's chalk and cheese.  Ok, I accept "perfect" might be over egging it slightly, but farmers field?  Come off it!

To be fair, the slipping and sliding, particularly on Saturday, just looked like they got their boot choice wrong for the match.

[One Team]

One comment I noted was referring to us as rag supporting Heysel apologists! ‍

[Spike]

Got to agree with the replies, last week it was constant how often players were slipping and last night it happened a few times too. Having so many games played its really taking its toll on the pitch and when you consider how a slight slip during a nothing tackle has put Atkinson out for so long it's likely to happen on a pitch that isn't in good condition. 

The pitch really does need a rest and playing rugby on it is only going to make it worse. 

[Numero Uno]

Just now, Steve Watts said:

I think that's harsh.  You look at what the Mammary Gland was like when Bristol was still over there and then look at what we are playing on - that's chalk and cheese.  Ok, I accept "perfect" might be over egging it slightly, but farmers field?  Come off it!

To be fair, the slipping and sliding, particularly on Saturday, just looked like they got their boot choice wrong for the match.

Yeah, sixteen players all got their boot choices wrong yet having the option to change boots at half time still managed to slide around second half too and then it happens again last night..............the pitch at the moment is all fur coat and no knickers. Before anyone gets offended I'm not blaming the Groundstaff for that. In reality hosting those two Women's internationals on the same day has done it no favours.

[Steve Watts]

2 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

Yeah, sixteen players all got their boot choices wrong yet having the option to change boots at half time still managed to slide around second half too and then it happens again last night..............the pitch at the moment is all fur coat and no knickers. Before anyone gets offended I'm not blaming the Groundstaff for that. In reality hosting those two Women's internationals on the same day has done it no favours.

Though I don't recall Hull having the same problems, so who knows.  Maybe like you say I'm seeing it through rose tinted specs though,  I completely accept that may be the case.

[The Bard]

Pitch is fine.  Criticism was obviously from someone sat watching on TV.  The high camera angle makes it look worse than it does in the ground..  

[AshtonGreat]

I’m pretty sure I read a criticism of the pitch in one of the media reports too

[Port Said Red]

14 minutes ago, One Team said:

One comment I noted was referring to us as rag supporting Heysel apologists! ‍

I was looking at their thread before the game and they seem to have an obsession with the idea that this was our first gate over 20000 and that it was because "most of Bristol supports Liverpool or United or Rugby". 

Perhaps, there is some truth in the division of football fans, but as Bristol and the surrounding area seems to be increasingly full of incomers, it's not surprising that they would bring their allegiances with them.

I don't think we can be too upset at how ill informed they are.

[Coxy27]

21 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

Their fanbase is absolutely littered with low life scum. 

Who's isn't?

[spudski]

10 minutes ago, The Bard said:

Pitch is fine.  Criticism was obviously from someone sat watching on TV.  The high camera angle makes it look worse than it does in the ground..  

It isn't fine. I watched some of the match from TV this morning. Some of the close ups showed areas with big areas of grass missing, and holes. In concentrated areas. Either from warm up positions, mauls and scrums.

We've been lucky with the weather this winter. Imagine how much worse it could be if we had had it wet for long periods.

[Red-Robbo]

12 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

I was looking at their thread before the game and they seem to have an obsession with the idea that this was our first gate over 20000 and that it was because "most of Bristol supports Liverpool or United or Rugby". 

Perhaps, there is some truth in the division of football fans, but as Bristol and the surrounding area seems to be increasingly full of incomers, it's not surprising that they would bring their allegiances with them.

I don't think we can be too upset at how ill informed they are.

 

Ironic for a team whose fanbase contains quite a number if non-Mancunians -and indeed a number sat watching them on telly in Beijing. 

I think they've also forgotten how low their crowds were sometimes, before an influx of filthy oil money from a despotic state propelled them to where they are now.

Still, northerners are not exactly famed for being humble...

[Mr Popodopolous]

Quick browse of their matchday thread, some chippy one eyed individuals for sure. Blue Moon for reference. Divers this, etc- a side with Grealish in banging on about divers.

That said minority v majority etc. On other platforms and their post match thread there is more balance.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Rocking Red Cyril]

46 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Ironic for a team whose fanbase contains quite a number if non-Mancunians -and indeed a number sat watching them on telly in Beijing. 

I think they've also forgotten how low their crowds were sometimes, before an influx of filthy oil money from a despotic state propelled them to where they are now.

Still, northerners are not exactly famed for being humble...

Northerners are famous for being up their own asses

[Rocking Red Cyril]

1 hour ago, Numero Uno said:

Yeah, sixteen players all got their boot choices wrong yet having the option to change boots at half time still managed to slide around second half too and then it happens again last night..............the pitch at the moment is all fur coat and no knickers. Before anyone gets offended I'm not blaming the Groundstaff for that. In reality hosting those two Women's internationals on the same day has done it no favours.

Fur coat with no knickers does not picture anything to do with football 

 

[Rocking Red Cyril]

I do think the pitch looks it's worst for many a year. The demands of rugby and two England lady's game has not helped at all . But all that slipping past few games does not look good. When I played, local village team. I used short studs beginning and end of season and long rugby studs through the worst weathers in winter. And I did often play on ploughed fields, or so it seemed  

[Taz]

Somebody said the other day on another thread that the pitch is due to be completely renewed in the summer as it's at the end of its life.

[BS3City]

I agree the pitch is as poor as it's been for many a year at the moment, but it's our pitch and I couldn't give a toss what some northern oik thinks about it.

So f@#k Man City, I look forward to laughing at the penalties they receive for their enormous financial indiscretions.

Let's move on to the next item on our agenda - 3 points to gain from our latest trip to South Wales. (Wales is a lovely country, spoilt only by Welsh people).

COYR!!!

[Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan]

1 hour ago, Port Said Red said:

I was looking at their thread before the game and they seem to have an obsession with the idea that this was our first gate over 20000 and that it was because "most of Bristol supports Liverpool or United or Rugby". 

One poster on there said that our crowd will be 15k less for the next league game as usual 
Another claimed to live near Ashton Gate and said that statement was “100% accurate”….clearly lying, or just thick as shit. Probably one the many Gas sympathising Man City or ‘Ci - teh’ glory hunters who’ve sprouted up in the last 10 years whilst our crowds have actually grown to the 19/20k we get now in the lower half of Div 2.

Apart from that I thought most of their comments were pretty fair, they were the better team, the pitch is very slippery for some reason at the moment. Few compliments about us giving it a go. 
On top of that nice comments from Pep, Nige seems happy, ££s in the bank, avoided a humiliating defeat and we’re not far from safety which seemed a long way off on Boxing Day.

Could be worse.

 

Edited March 1, 2023 by Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan

[East Yorkshire CideRed]

1 hour ago, Steve Watts said:

Though I don't recall Hull having the same problems, so who knows.  Maybe like you say I'm seeing it through rose tinted specs though,  I completely accept that may be the case.

Not a huge issue at the MKM Stadium, as Hull FC play Feb to Sep, so their pitch doesn't get as much of a pounding during the winter months,

[downendcity]

11 minutes ago, Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan said:

One poster on there said that our crowd will be 15k less for the next league game as usual 
Another claimed to live near Ashton Gate and said that statement was “100% accurate”….clearly lying, or just thick as shit. Probably one the many Gas sympathising Man City or ‘Ci - teh’ glory hunters who’ve sprouted up in the last 10 years whilst our crowds have actually grown to the 19/20k we get now in the lower half of Div 2.

Apart from that I thought most of their comments were pretty fair, they were the better team, the pitch is very slippery for some reason at the moment. Few compliments about us giving it a go. 
On top of that nice comments from Pep, Nige seems happy, ££s in the bank, avoided a humiliating defeat and we’re not far from safety which seemed a long way off on Boxing Day.

Could be worse.

 

Yes it could!

  

[Steve Watts]

1 hour ago, East Yorkshire CideRed said:

Not a huge issue at the MKM Stadium, as Hull FC play Feb to Sep, so their pitch doesn't get as much of a pounding during the winter months,

I meant they didn't seem to have that issue on our pitch on Saturday.  Not that I recall anyway.

[Kingswood Robin]

It's certainly looking the worst it's been since it was installed, but farmers field, that's a load of old bullocks !

Not so long ago we'd have been delighted with it in August let alone February. Any complaints about the subs bench not having heated seats? 

[Steve Watts]

3 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Ironic for a team whose fanbase contains quite a number if non-Mancunians -and indeed a number sat watching them on telly in Beijing. 

I think they've also forgotten how low their crowds were sometimes, before an influx of filthy oil money from a despotic state propelled them to where they are now.

Still, northerners are not exactly famed for being humble...

To be fair to them in League 1 they were still averaging 28k....though that may have been swelled by the 150000 that the Slags took up there....

[Red-Robbo]

Just now, Steve Watts said:

To be fair to them in League 1 they were still averaging 28k....though that may have been swelled by the 150000 that the Slags took up there....

 

Aye, but they've "found" 24K ardent supporters since then. Maine Rd wasn't selling out when they were third tier.

I accept their claim that they have the majority support in Manchester proper, but I can recall when they were averaging low 20s in the early days of the Prem. Roughly the same amount as our support last night which apparently is "******* shit". How we could've got more in isn't clear. House them on the roofs I suppose?

[2015]

Actually think their fans are a sound bunch, still have a massive core fanbase from back in their League 1 days in the late 90s. 

Can't help but feel sorry for them for the sheer misery of having Man Utd as your neighbours during the 90s and 00s. 

[Red Army 75]

Pretty sure I read Nigel wasn’t happy as the ladies were training on parts of the ground they were told not to 

Pitch is being over used

Edited March 1, 2023 by Red Army 75

[Talk Of The Town]

[Kodjias Wrist]

Always going to have a few thickos on a forum spouting lies/nonsense. In general they are a good bunch especially the hardcore city fans.

[Talk Of The Town]

Anyone that’s on Twitter you can follow the Groundsman and see the amount of work they put into the stadium pitch and failand. I’m pretty sure it’s 5 sites they now look after 

[ralphindevon]

Although a great occasion the pitch could really have done without the 2 womens games on the same day.

During the Lionesses match I thought was the worse I’ve seen the pitch for years.

I’m amazed just how good it is when you think what it goes through.

[ralphindevon]

2 minutes ago, Bobby Bollax said:

Anyone that’s on Twitter you can follow the Groundsman and see the amount of work they put into the stadium pitch and failand. I’m pretty sure it’s 5 sites they now look after 

Amazing effort, the rugby posts were going up after last nights game.

I just hope with the summer concerts there’s enough time to get it back to top drawer before next season 

[Mr Popodopolous]

18 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Aye, but they've "found" 24K ardent supporters since then. Maine Rd wasn't selling out when they were third tier.

I accept their claim that they have the majority support in Manchester proper, but I can recall when they were averaging low 20s in the early days of the Prem. Roughly the same amount as our support last night which apparently is "******* shit". How we could've got more in isn't clear. House them on the roofs I suppose?

Tbh if you look through attendances even into the 1990s they still are somewhat lower- took a while to recover to the levels that we see today.

Some oc that will be down to the newer practice of counting all tickets sold regardless of attendances, some of it pre further redevelopment of grounds, new grounds etc. Not sure that Man City are especially exceptional in this regard.

Edited March 1, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Numero Uno]

2 minutes ago, Bobby Bollax said:

Anyone that’s on Twitter you can follow the Groundsman and see the amount of work they put into the stadium pitch and failand. I’m pretty sure it’s 5 sites they now look after 

To be fair I don't think the work ethic and dedication of ground staff is in question. A lesson to be learned perhaps that income and prestige are great things but at the end of it all providing a decent playing surface for Bristol City and Bristol Bears is the main aim. Playing two games of International Women's Football in wet conditions one after another bang smack in the middle of a busy and important playing period for the main club that plays on that pitch as far as I'm concerned is hopefully something that never happens again.

[Mr Popodopolous]

Tbh forums don't always reflect reality.

Know a few Man City fans, all quite sound. One of them was very complimentary last night- said didn't think that score did us justice, coukd see Scott in a Man City shirt, impressed with our wide players etc.

Another again thought scoreline was harsh and believes that with VAR the Sykes penalty would have been more likely than not to have been given- both have supported for years, Maine Road etc so definitely not post 2008 glory fans.

Often found them to be quite decent, the real Man City fans. 2nd one also doesn't use Bluemoon Forum, has a bit of disregard for it tbh.

[GrahamC]

22 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Aye, but they've "found" 24K ardent supporters since then. Maine Rd wasn't selling out when they were third tier.

I accept their claim that they have the majority support in Manchester proper, but I can recall when they were averaging low 20s in the early days of the Prem. Roughly the same amount as our support last night which apparently is "******* shit". How we could've got more in isn't clear. House them on the roofs I suppose?

I used to think this but last August I stopped in Manchester for a night on the way to Scotland & saw absolutely no one in City garb in Manchester but loads In United merch.

Neither side were playing (Prem season hadn’t even started) so that didn’t skew it.

[Robbored]

The AG surface is desso grass laid to help cope with amount use it would be getting with the Bears using AG for their matches and tbf it’s stood up pretty well.

It’s only this season that ‘problems’ have begun to arise. That might be that it’s begun to age and the artificial elements have started to deteriorate or maybe it’s simply been overused with the women playing their international match at AG.

I daresay that plans are afoot to carry out work on the pitch this coming close season.

 

[Silvio Dante]

In amongst the many media interviews recently, I’m sure I saw one from Nige a few days ago where he expressed his dissatisfaction with England (and indeed all other nations in the Arnold Clark cup) where we’d asked them not to use certain areas of the pitch to warm up in but they went ahead and did it anyway. It struck me in a couple of ways - firstly, it won’t do our chances of hosting another international much good, but on the more positive front, how protective he was of the clubs assets.

Can someone tell me I wasn’t dreaming that?

[City Rocker]

29 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

I used to think this but last August I stopped in Manchester for a night on the way to Scotland & saw absolutely no one in City garb in Manchester but loads In United merch.

Neither side were playing (Prem season hadn’t even started) so that didn’t skew it.

Correct, the myth that 'most football fans in Manchester support City' is just that, it's never been true, as all Mancunians are well aware!

[View from the Dolman]

7 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

In amongst the many media interviews recently, I’m sure I saw one from Nige a few days ago where he expressed his dissatisfaction with England (and indeed all other nations in the Arnold Clark cup) where we’d asked them not to use certain areas of the pitch to warm up in but they went ahead and did it anyway. It struck me in a couple of ways - firstly, it won’t do our chances of hosting another international much good, but on the more positive front, how protective he was of the clubs assets.

Can someone tell me I wasn’t dreaming that?

 

[Red-Robbo]

16 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

I used to think this but last August I stopped in Manchester for a night on the way to Scotland & saw absolutely no one in City garb in Manchester but loads In United merch.

Neither side were playing (Prem season hadn’t even started) so that didn’t skew it.

 

They tend to be more north Manchester-based, whereas United's fans are from Salford and (unsurprisingly) Trafford. Just like Bristol though, the situation isn't as simple as City fans here/United fans here.  United definitely have the south Manchester districts of Guildford and Penzance though.    It'll take a while for the glory-hunting kids of today in their Etihad Airways shirts from Sports Direct to become glory-hunting adults.

I haven't particularly got a downer on Man City fans though. As others have said, the ones down last night seemed a reasonable bunch. Spoke to a couple in the TF before the game. They lived in Devon but were originally Mancunians. Very complimentary about Bristol and - as they'd checked out the stadium early - complimentary about AG. The multiple games this last few days can explain the state of the pitch. 

Never had much time for the team though. I think the (weird) reason is that their light blue shirts reminded me of the light blue stripes on Embassy Regal packets. Possibly the worst fagerette ever made*. But every f-er I knew seemed to smoke them back when I was a kid. 

 

 

* John Player Special are also in with a shout here. This was proper brands, before all your Superkings and supermarket brands. 

[Open End Numb Legs]

Some ManC fans are a bit miffed that the game didn't go all their way and was not 0-6. Ignore them, if they are talking about the pitch it is a sign we played pretty well.

[sephjnr]

Was there not a thread earlier this or last week saying that the artificial portion of our pitch was due to be replaced this season / overdue?

[Selred]

4 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

I think they've also forgotten how low their crowds were sometimes, before an influx of filthy oil money from a despotic state propelled them to where they are now.

 

They averaged 33,000 the last time they were in the First Division (now Championship).... 

[Red-Robbo]

Just now, Selred said:

They averaged 33,000 the last time they were in the First Division (now Championship).... 

Which was more than they averaged when they were in the Premiership (as was).  I'm not trying to claim they have ever been a small club, but we had more in last night than they were getting 30 years ago.  It hasn't always been 50k+ and the increase to that level is due in large part to a stadium funded by the national (and local) taxpayer plus them suddenly being propelled by oil money to becoming a huge club. That sort of never sits happily with me. 

[Numero Uno]

18 minutes ago, View from the Dolman said:

 

Simple, don't have them back. Let England Women and their opponents go and ruin other pitches up and down the country. Disrespectful *******.

[Selred]

6 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

Which was more than they averaged when they were in the Premiership (as was).  I'm not trying to claim they have ever been a small club, but we had more in last night than they were getting 30 years ago.  It hasn't always been 50k+ and the increase to that level is due in large part to a stadium funded by the national (and local) taxpayer plus them suddenly being propelled by oil money to becoming a huge club. That sort of never sits happily with me. 

Not sure how reliable this is, but suggests otherwise:

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/manchester-city/besucherzahlenentwicklung/verein/281

[Mad Cyril]

29 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said:

...Nige expressed his dissatisfaction with England (and indeed all other nations in the Arnold Clark cup) where we’d asked them not to use certain areas of the pitch to warm up in but they went ahead and did it anyway.    

I understand they ruined the urinals. Terrible mess.

[2015]

7 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

Which was more than they averaged when they were in the Premiership (as was).  I'm not trying to claim they have ever been a small club, but we had more in last night than they were getting 30 years ago.  It hasn't always been 50k+ and the increase to that level is due in large part to a stadium funded by the national (and local) taxpayer plus them suddenly being propelled by oil money to becoming a huge club. That sort of never sits happily with me. 

But you could also say that 30 years ago BCFC were averaging 9k in home matches. Maybe attendances on average have increased during the last 30 years in general?

[Numero Uno]

2 minutes ago, 2015 said:

But you could also say that 30 years ago BCFC were averaging 9k in home matches. Maybe attendances on average have increased during the last 30 years in general?

That's a fact over the last 40 years. Crowds in the 80's were generally shite.

[2015]

1 minute ago, Numero Uno said:

That's a fact over the last 40 years. Crowds in the 80's were generally shite.

Whether people like this fact or not, the dwindling stadium attendances and crowd trouble was the main reason the Premier League was formed and Sky took their chance on it. 

Football in England had to change to appeal to a wider audience, because in the 1980s it was a mess. Sorry if this hurts anyone's nostalgia by the way

[Red-Robbo]

1 minute ago, Selred said:

Not sure how reliable this is, but suggests otherwise:

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/manchester-city/besucherzahlenentwicklung/verein/281

Their average attendance in the Premiership 1994-95 22K.

They are a bigger club. I'm not saying otherwise. I'm just pointing out that if their online fans reckon we never get above 20K apart from when we play them, they've also had some real dips in decades past and now many of their fans have come out of the woodwork for the glory years.

[tin]

1 hour ago, GrahamC said:

I used to think this but last August I stopped in Manchester for a night on the way to Scotland & saw absolutely no one in City garb in Manchester but loads In United merch.

Neither side were playing (Prem season hadn’t even started) so that didn’t skew it.

Just like Bristol, their city is red! 

[2015]

Just now, Red-Robbo said:

Their average attendance in the Premiership 1994-95 22K.

They are a bigger club. I'm not saying otherwise. I'm just pointing out that if their online fans reckon we never get above 20K apart from when we play them, they've also had some real dips in decades past and now many of their fans have come out of the woodwork for the glory years.

If I'm honest, I don't think Man City's support has anywhere near taken off compared to what happened when Abramovich took over Chelsea. I very rarely see a Man City shirt around where I live.

As stated above, attendances have on average increased over the past few decades. City's has gone up and down a lot from relegation to promotion back to the League we're in. Man City have had ups and downs too, so naturally it will fluctuate.

[Selred]

4 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

Their average attendance in the Premiership 1994-95 22K.

They are a bigger club. I'm not saying otherwise. I'm just pointing out that if their online fans reckon we never get above 20K apart from when we play them, they've also had some real dips in decades past and now many of their fans have come out of the woodwork for the glory years.

We've only recently started getting above 20k.

You said they only started getting big crowds since oil money, which isn't true. They've had great attendances for decades.

[Mr Popodopolous]

10 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

That's a fact over the last 40 years. Crowds in the 80's were generally shite.

Didn't jusr snap back from 0 to 100 in the 1990s or early 2000s either- took a while to build up again. Across the board I mean.

[Kodjias Wrist]

2 minutes ago, 2015 said:

If I'm honest, I don't think Man City's support has anywhere near taken off compared to what happened when Abramovich took over Chelsea. I very rarely see a Man City shirt around where I live.

As stated above, attendances have on average increased over the past few decades. City's has gone up and down a lot from relegation to promotion back to the League we're in. Man City have had ups and downs too, so naturally it will fluctuate.

I would say its similar. There are lots of Man City shirts and training gear around gyms over the last 4 or 5 years. Can't remember many Chelsea fans in school other than those with Italian heritage. Not many in college or work etc.

[Red-Robbo]

1 minute ago, Selred said:

We've only recently started getting above 20k.

You said they only started getting big crowds since oil money, which isn't true. They've had great attendances for decades.

I don't know how old you are, but now isn't the only time Bristol City have had crowds of more than 20K.

They are getting 50K plus now which is vastly more than they did pre-oil money and taxpayer-funded stadium. 

Not sure why this is an argument?

[Open End Numb Legs]

There were some nice words from Pep and the players in TV interviews post match but if the supporters think attendance gives them credibility they might want to read the news more often:-

'The Premier League charged City with more than 100 alleged breaches of financial regulations on Monday and has referred the findings to an independent commission. The charges relate to a nine-year period from 2009.........'

[Mr Popodopolous]

13 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

I don't know how old you are, but now isn't the only time Bristol City have had crowds of more than 20K.

They are getting 50K plus now which is vastly more than they did pre-oil money and taxpayer-funded stadium. 

Not sure why this is an argument?

Very quick Google search says total PL attendances, let's take 1994-95...average 24,271. Remember it had 22 teams also- a divisional average.

This season it is 38,053. Question is also what spare capacity- Etihad away capacity and attendance vs Maine Road- of course they've added fans post 2008 but feels a bit more nuanced to me, both in the context of a new ground and beyween average attendances more widely then and now.

See also, the spike when they left Maine Road.

http://european-football-statistics.co.uk/attnclub/league/manc.htm

Edited March 1, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Selred]

9 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

I don't know how old you are, but now isn't the only time Bristol City have had crowds of more than 20K.

They are getting 50K plus now which is vastly more than they did pre-oil money and taxpayer-funded stadium. 

Not sure why this is an argument?

That literally was 30 plus years ago Robbo!

They are getting 50k plus now as they have a bigger stadium…

Also pre oil money, they had 42k fans average. Is 8k vastly more? 

Edited March 1, 2023 by Selred

[lenred]

1 hour ago, 2015 said:

Actually think their fans are a sound bunch, still have a massive core fanbase from back in their League 1 days in the late 90s. 

Can't help but feel sorry for them for the sheer misery of having Man Utd as your neighbours during the 90s and 00s. 

Completely agree.  Couple of mates are Man City fans (from Manchester - man and boy fans - not glory hunters) and I’ve been away with them a few times.   Always a great craic and a very sound bunch on the whole like you say.   Met up with them after the game last night for a few beers and they had nothing but good things to say about our players, the ground and the atmosphere.  

Edited March 1, 2023 by lenred

[Red-Robbo]

4 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Very quick Google search says total PL attendances, let's take 1994-95...average 24,271. Remember it had 22 teams also- a divisional average.

This season it is 38,053. Question is top what spare capacity- Etihad away capacity and attendance vs Maine Road- of course they've added fans post 2008 but feels a bit more nuanced to me, both in the context of a new ground and beyween average attendances more widely then and now.

 

*sigh* this is all in response to Man City fans claiming we never get 20,000. 

There's no nuance there. They are wrong and typically prem fan Big Bollocks attitude. Man City are a very well supported club, but since they've become Abu Dhabi FC they've had more fans than at any time in their history. 

Edited March 1, 2023 by Red-Robbo

[TonyTonyTony]

I know loads of Man U and City fans through work. Man City fans are mire genuine, and from Manchester but they know they will never be as big a club as Man U. They don't have the history. Even if they won the champions league twice in a row Man U would still be "bigger" than them, and that annoys them greatly.

As for our pitch - it really isn't in good shape. Patchy as ****

[Steve Watts]

2 hours ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

Aye, but they've "found" 24K ardent supporters since then. Maine Rd wasn't selling out when they were third tier.

I accept their claim that they have the majority support in Manchester proper, but I can recall when they were averaging low 20s in the early days of the Prem. Roughly the same amount as our support last night which apparently is "******* shit". How we could've got more in isn't clear. House them on the roofs I suppose?

I realise this makes me sound like a real apologist for them, but early days of the Prem the average attendances full stop were so much lower (stats below).  Several reasons for this of course.  We were coming out of Thatcherist rule, unemployment levels high, mortgage interest rates high, and also the forced move to all seater stadium chopped loads off capacity and forced stands to eventually be replaced, which is why it's seen figures increase year on year.

Having said that, they picked up more than 52,000 extra fans last season after the previous one saw them with a pitiful average of 526.  Disgraceful! 

1993    21,125
1994    23,040
1995    24,271
1996    27,550
1997    28,434
1998    29,190
1999    30,581
2000    30,757
2001    32,906
2002    34,470
 

[RedM]

2 hours ago, View from the Dolman said:

 

I understood that for league games there is very strict guidelines that have to adhered to regarding warming up pre-match, where subs warm up and also warm down afterwards. Unfortunately for unknown reasons these 'guidelines' aren't respected for internationals on the whole.

And yes the Desso is at end of its life and has to be completely renewed, weeks of work if people can remember when it was done a few years ago.

 

[RedM]

7 hours ago, Spike said:

Got to agree with the replies, last week it was constant how often players were slipping and last night it happened a few times too. Having so many games played its really taking its toll on the pitch and when you consider how a slight slip during a nothing tackle has put Atkinson out for so long it's likely to happen on a pitch that isn't in good condition. 

The pitch really does need a rest and playing rugby on it is only going to make it worse. 

Atkinson's injury nothing to do with the pitch at AG though.