Bristol City (H) 8/4/06 League

[Magic Man Fan]

APPOINT CHRIS NICHOLL AS MANAGER THIS SUMMER

Just what I've said elsewhere tonight mate. It has to be done and Bonser needs to make it worth his while.

And another thing, but until we get some structure back at the club on the footballing side instead of just coaches then we will slip into oblivion.

We had Paul Taylor for years, then the structure from Colin Lee...to absolutely nothing.

Take the piss all you like but we need Sun Tan Man or someone in a director of football role back if we're going to keep appointing coaches.

[geoffwhiting]

Does anyone think Kevan is doing a better job that PM?
I wonder just how embarrased Geordie etc. feel about their campaign.

You, futuresobright, are really irritating.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as far as I can recall your posts say absolutely nothing, other than trying to justify Merson as a manager (which is impossible to do) by sarcastic remarks about the poor bloke who's had to inherit the cr@p that Merson has left behind.

As a manager Merson was rubbish, he had to go. It seems we probably didn't get the right replacement, but that could IN NO WAY justify keeping Merson on. We were going down under Merson, absolutely NO doubt, it seems we're still going down now, so this is no worse, even if no better, but at least we've had a mini-revival and some hope along the way since PM went.

Say something about the club, say something about being a supporter, say you're hurting, say you're peed off, but for God's sake say SOMETHING more than mere sarcastic digs at well-informed posters like Geordie!

[We-ARE-Walsall]

Don't rise to it, it's nothing more than a wind up.

No one needs to justify themselves for what has been said about Merson, the facts speak for themselves.

Things aren't going well for KB, but he hasn't been allowed to build 3 or 4 different squads over 2 seasons has he

[Pedagogue]

Take the piss all you like but we need Sun Tan Man or someone in a director of football role back if we're going to keep appointing coaches.

Believe me, MMF, the last person that we want back at the club is Sun Tan Man. He is one of the principal long-term reasons for the club's problems.

[Exile]

Agree , Leamore - a director of football is a much better idea than an agent of footballers.

[larryhaggler]

This club has sucked all the 'support' out of me.
We are going down, I have accepted that.
What makes me so angry and disgusted is that we are going down without a fight, or a whimper.
Where was the gung ho, lets get into em, high tempo, effort, passion and fight ?
Even if confidence is low, and your not really good enough to be a pro footballer (Wright) then effort and the will to try and want to win and avoid relegation is a must - MOTIVATION KB ??????
If they dont care and they I mean from Chairman down to that shower of shite jogging on the field, then I will vote with the feet, I cant take anymore, I have next years season ticket which I'm prepared to sell.
BONSE I would accept the club going into administartion just to get rid of you, you and all your puppets DISGUST me and I'm ashamed to be a WFC supporter today. You certainly dont deserve the support.

[Salop Saddler]

Geoff, you said something along the lines of....."by sarcastic remarks about the poor bloke who's had to inherit the cr@p that Merson has left behind. "

Am I correct in stating that Broadhurst VOLUNTEERED to do the job, APPLIED to take the role on, and allowing for the time he spent at the club PRIOR to his appointment knew full well what he was taking on?

This 'cheap option' manager is no more defendable than the previous holder of the position, and will be derided no more than the next cheap skate option who comes along fitting Bonsers ridgid pre appointment criteria (ie, out of work and cheap) and whose willing to work within ridiculous constraints.

[Neil Ravenscroft]

The verdict is on the front page.

http://upthesaddlers.com/wp/archives/20 ... stol-city/

Agree with most comments, other than I don't know why anyone would have kept Constable on, who I thought looked useless. Didn't know when to make runs and when not too. Looked a non League striker.

[Jorge14]

The verdict is on the front page.

http://upthesaddlers.com/wp/archives/20 ... stol-city/

Agree with most comments, other than I don't know why anyone would have kept Constable on, who I thought looked useless. Didn't know when to make runs and when not too. Looked a non League striker.

Perhaps that may be true, Neil...but that "non league striker" looked more dangerous than a 40 year old with 998 games behind him, and more effective than a former International player.
A sad indictment of our position maybe?

[Neil Ravenscroft]

Dangerous? When??????? One chance and he looked like he needed brown underwear he was so terrified, then hesitated so long it went. Personally, I'd sedn him back to Chippenham.

[m&m]

A little harsh Neil --I'd take Constable any day over Paul (couldn't give a flyingf@uck) Devlin.

[Duke]

Constable needs a lot more time to adjust of that there's no doubt
i certainly give him a chance in division 2
we have the seen the best of Gerrard and Fox we know they are better than yesterdays performance showed for me all season our problem has been the midfield where the deffence dont get the cover and the front men are lacking the service far to often as yesterday one ball form the oposition are we are carved open the midfield goes awol we have no real play maker

[Jolly Johnny]

I have to agree with Neil here to a certain extent. As I've said on another thread, there weren't many options to take off. Out of the two strikers, Claridge was more effective from an all round game point of view as he held the ball up when played into him and brought others into the game. Constable did have 2 shots, one that was weak and the other he should have played Claridge back in with a return ball into the box but panicked and shot instead. He has something about him which could develop but it is still raw at the moment. Yes, he scored 2 in the resrves but that is a lot different to the pressure of a big game for the first team in front of lots (sic) of people.

I'm surprised Timm didn't play a part and it might ave been more creaative to have him off Claridge. He is certainly more of a home player (every away report I've read says he has been poops) even if it's not the whole game. Yesterday we were creating NOTHING and a lot of the game resorted to pumping the ball long.

Needed at least 6 points from the three home games this week but cannot see how we are going to score aswell as keep clean sheets. As a little scottish man used to say..."we're all doomed!"

[Bristol Fan]

I couldn't understand the booing when Constable was taken off, other than people might have thought we were taking a striker off and bringing on a midfielder so going to a more defensive formation.

I supported the decision to play him on the basis that he couldn't have been any worse, and he wasn't, but he wasn't any better either. He was no better yesterday than Barrowman was in his joke appearances.

[amazing red]

I couldn't understand the booing when Constable was taken off, other than people might have thought we were taking a striker off and bringing on a midfielder so going to a more defensive formation.

I supported the decision to play him on the basis that he couldn't have been any worse, and he wasn't, but he wasn't any better either. He was no better yesterday than Barrowman was in his joke appearances.

think barrowman should have taken off in games when he wasnt doing to well aka nothing at all,cant see how kb kept him on??

[geoffwhiting]

Geoff, you said something along the lines of....."by sarcastic remarks about the poor bloke who's had to inherit the cr@p that Merson has left behind. "

Am I correct in stating that Broadhurst VOLUNTEERED to do the job, APPLIED to take the role on, and allowing for the time he spent at the club PRIOR to his appointment knew full well what he was taking on?

This 'cheap option' manager is no more defendable than the previous holder of the position, and will be derided no more than the next cheap skate option who comes along fitting Bonsers ridgid pre appointment criteria (ie, out of work and cheap) and whose willing to work within ridiculous constraints.

Salop I don't quite see your point in the context of what I had posted.

My point was directed at futuresobright, not at Merson, Broadhurst or for that matter Jeff Bonser. Futuresobright was sarcastically suggesting that we had been wrong to want PM out, trying to support that by having a go at Geordie and Broadhurst.

As part of my point to FsoB, I stated that Broadhurst has had, due to the timing of PM's departure, NO option other than to cope with the situation with PM's players, but that in no way suggests that KB didn't know what he was willingly getting himself involved in.

As far as I'm concerned, the simple facts leading to our demise are, in order as best as I can recall them, starting Xmas 2003 :-

Failing to support Colin Lee financially when we were high up the (then) Division One table.

Sacking Lee.

Appointing Merson as Lee's replacement (though I supported the PM appointment at the time).

Allowing PM to continue as manager at least a full year longer than he should have.

Declining Merson's offers of resignation after Slough/Colchester.

Allowing Fryatt to leave, compounded by retaining the funds so that Matty could not be adequately replaced.

Allowing Jorge to leave around the same time as Fryatt.

Further delaying PM's long-overdue sacking until after the 2006 transfer window had closed.

Taking the cheap option in appointing a relative unknown in Broadhurst. My own choice until the end of this season was unquestionably Chris Nicholl, followed by a searching post-mortem in the close season.

I don't think any of my comments will be contrary to your own thoughts, why pick up on my posts out of context ?

[sj]

Salop--- I'm with you. You seem to know what you are talking about. If we aked the Council to help would they could they?

[sid swifty]

just been past the training ground and saw dean keates getting in his car...extra training...lets hope it works...

[philthesaddler]

Utter dross...

For someone who normally writes quite a lot after a game, thats all I need to say.

I was speaking to Roy Whalley on the way to take a leak just before the final whistle, he was as seething as everyone else. He asked me how I thought the funeral went yesterday, and he summed up everyone's thoughts on UTS..."Its a shame that that lot on the pitch couldn't show the passion of your friend (Oli)".
A direct quote, and yet again, it shows that Roy Whalley is the only person with any real power within the football club that can see the sh!te that is being served up.

Broadhurst has used up the sympathy that I had when he first came in. The last three games have been the worst in my 10+ seasons of being a Saddler...they make some of Merson's weaker performances look like Brazil in the 1970 World Cup.

Utter sh!te...the obvlivion of the Fourth Division awaits...and the first sub-4000 league crowd in a decade awaits on Tuesday night.

Whalley has gone up in my estimation lately. I let him know about the funeral, but I didn't get an email back, so to see 3 of them at the funeral was superb, Oli would have been touched. Add to that the stories about him standing up to Bonser over Merson. Whalley's had a lot of bad press over the years, but it's pretty obvious he cares deeply about the club, and the fans.

[jimmy]

claridge and leary non league do me favour mate there better than that

[Salop Saddler]

Wouldn't dream of 'picking up' on your posts Geoff. And if I misunderstood the point your were trying to make, I apologise, however reading something along the lines of ....."the poor bloke (Broadhurst?)who's had to inherit the cr@p that Merson has left behind. " would make it appear to the reader that the position was 'dropped' on Broadhurst, when quiet the opposite was in fact true. As for the rest of your reply, who could possibly argue with you? It's a liturney of disaster.

Sj, we could petition the council to turn the place over to the local youth, or close it down and reopen it as alotments. At least that'd bring smiles to a few faces, which, afterall, life is all about.

[YGA Saddler]

I am getting tired and really frustrated with this club, and dont think I can stand much more. We are paying good money week in, week out to watch "professional footballers" serve up that dross. I for one shall go on Tuesday and if there is no improvement I will be the one walking around to the dug-out to hurl abuse at these useless to$$ers. There are only two relegation spaces left now. Us and MK are down and I think the other two will go to Hartlepool and Swindon. As for Mr Broadhurst, well.... Id like to hear his decision to take constable off and his constant switching of right backs when Pead is the only player that can play their "comfortably" :? If it wasnt for Oakesy it could have been 5 or 6 yesterday, I left way before the 3rd goal.
Great to see the new scoreboard and new stand sponsors, shame its still the same shite on the pitch.

What a dreadful 3 years it has been. Thank you Jeff Bonsor and Paul Merson we are now in the bottom division of English football and wont be coming back for a long time yet,

I am seething. Even a day after the game. Relegation this time around wont be the subdued atmosphere witnessed two years ago, there will be violence. And that will be directed at the players and the chairman. I just hope that Merson is there the Saturday we go down because he deserves a good smack.

Bring on Accrington......

[Magic Man Fan]

Agree , Leamore - a director of football is a much better idea than an agent of footballers.

Don't worry, I know all about what went (still goes) on.

We do need someone to take care of that side of things though, I was just using STM as a reference point.

[Cannock]

You have summed up the decline of this club perfectly Geoff W.

[Phil_G]

just been past the training ground and saw dean keates getting in his car...extra training...lets hope it works...

why, has Keates been having problems getting into his car? Probably the high sill. Poor lad needs a box or something.

[Phil_G]

As far as I'm concerned, the simple facts leading to our demise are, in order as best as I can recall them, starting Xmas 2003 :-

Geoff,

I think you missed one of the most important factors, signing Merson from Pompey.
I, like the rest of us, was thrilled when we signed Merson. But, in hindsight, & post the West Brom game, he was the biggest contributor to our downfall.
Lee having to play people out of position to accommodate our 'man in the hole', Arizona, 5-0 at Norwich, plus many if not all of the other factors you mention come back to Merson.

And the problems Broadhurst seems to have now with players seemingly not willing to respond to criticism and not prepared for the hard work necessary to get us out of the trouble we are in are a result of the 'jolly boys' attitude that has infected our club.
It's like a cancer that needs cutting out, and it will take a see-change from the people at the top, a hard no-nonsense manager and a bloody long time to recover from.

[Neil Ravenscroft]

As far as I'm concerned, the simple facts leading to our demise are, in order as best as I can recall them, starting Xmas 2003 :-

Geoff,

I think you missed one of the most important factors, signing Merson from Pompey.
I, like the rest of us, was thrilled when we signed Merson. But, in hindsight, & post the West Brom game, he was the biggest contributor to our downfall.
Lee having to play people out of position to accommodate our 'man in the hole', Arizona, 5-0 at Norwich, plus many if not all of the other factors you mention come back to Merson.

And the problems Broadhurst seems to have now with players seemingly not willing to respond to criticism and not prepared for the hard work necessary to get us out of the trouble we are in are a result of the 'jolly boys' attitude that has infected our club.
It's like a cancer that needs cutting out, and it will take a see-change from the people at the top, a hard no-nonsense manager and a bloody long time to recover from.

The voice os reason, common sense and the truth at last!

[geoffwhiting]

As far as I'm concerned, the simple facts leading to our demise are, in order as best as I can recall them, starting Xmas 2003 :-

Geoff,

I think you missed one of the most important factors, signing Merson from Pompey.
I, like the rest of us, was thrilled when we signed Merson. But, in hindsight, & post the West Brom game, he was the biggest contributor to our downfall.
Lee having to play people out of position to accommodate our 'man in the hole', Arizona, 5-0 at Norwich, plus many if not all of the other factors you mention come back to Merson.

And the problems Broadhurst seems to have now with players seemingly not willing to respond to criticism and not prepared for the hard work necessary to get us out of the trouble we are in are a result of the 'jolly boys' attitude that has infected our club.
It's like a cancer that needs cutting out, and it will take a see-change from the people at the top, a hard no-nonsense manager and a bloody long time to recover from.

With the great benefit of hindsight I'm inclined to agree Phil, but I didn't go back beyond Xmas 2003 for one very good reason. That reason is that we were knocking on the door of the play-off places in Division One at that time, hardly signifying that there were problems up to that point. If we are to criticise his eventual bad influence on the team/club, then I think we must acknowledge that for a while - and certainly not just the West Brom game even though that was THE highlight - he was a positive influence. If you don't accept that, then please tell me how Walsall FC managed to knock on the door of the DIVISION ONE play offs nearly 5 months into the 2003/04 season. Are you seriously saying he did not contribute to that ?

I still firmly believe that money released then to CL would have seen us cement a decent upper-mid-table position, so how could I go back and criticise beyond that point in time.

With hindsight, none of us would have supported the signing of Merson, but I didn't hear many dissenting voices opposing it at the time, in fact far from it.

We were OK at Xmas 2003, and we would have been OK after that if JB had done the right thing. IMHO, the fact that JB did NOT do the right thing is probably the only reason that anything pre-Xmas 2003 comes into the frame.

[We-ARE-Walsall]

I doubt there was any single Walsall fan complaining when we signed Merse, i mean he was a class act for Pompey the season before.

I don't think people realise just how much of a difference Gary O'Neil made to the team, he was a player of a much higher standard, different gravy. He gave us something we hadn't had before. With our Ageing Midfield, he gave us power, energy , the legs needed to carry the likes of Sideways, and Osborn, who could play football, but obviously couldn't cover the ground.

From the moment he went back, we where never the same, We would probably have got him for the season if it wasn't for Pompey's ridiculous injury list.

Add to that, Merson disappearing, (not complaining he had his problems) Sideways dumping on us, Wacka getting sent off and missing 3 games, it all added up.

I don't know enough about background goings on, if Bonser didn't back colin lee with extra money, we still where in a solid enough position to stay up that season. Even if it was just for that season.

[Phil_G]

Geoff,

as I said in my original mail, it's all hindsight which we all know is 20/20.
Of course Merson contributed, but not nearly as much as we all expected, and hoped for after the West Brom game. I think that game was by far his zenith for us, and the problems that forced him to go to Arizona early in 2004 obviously began sometime in mid to late 2003.

In my eyes, as Blazing Saddler said, O'Neil, along with Baird, Ritchie, Walker, Leitao, Emblen and Samways made more of a 'solid' contribution to our xmas position.