Bristol City
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As a fresh faced striker from Jersey, tied his boot laces for the first time at the gate, many in the crowd thought, ‘This guy cost us a million, please God may he be worth it. Well after a slow start, Brett Pitman is fast becoming one of the most exciting players in the Championship.
As the ice and mist dispelled from Ashton Gate, Clough Jnr and his Derby boys were caught by a Bristol City side who off the back of Manager and Player of the month awards for Keith Millen and Steven Caulker respectively, put to bed the jinx with a convincing win. After a difficult start to our season, fans really have something to cheer about again. The signing of David James, under the managership of Steve Coppell we assumed the 10/1 odds at the start of the season was a good shout for a flutter. How quickly things change?
Keith Millen was appointed, who after his performances near the end of last season, many feel should have been a shoe in for manager once the season started. This was not to be, and by default he is now in the hot seat. It hasn’t been an easy ride . Poor showings in the cup once again have caught us, the need for a good run is essential. Hopefully the FA Cup will give us our tradition back? It frustrates me when managers claim not to be bothered by cup runs. As we proved 3 years ago on our promotion from the Championship, it was coupled with a convincing and exciting game with a then Premiership side Middlesborough. We matched them over two legs and despite losing in the second leg on penalties, the games gave us pride and revenue which was essential in keeping the club strong.
Our first year in the Championship was one to remember. 2nd place in the league, with games to spare gave us hope. Thrilling games against Crystal Palace got us to the final. But unfortunately, as had happened 3 years before in Cardiff, we lost a play off final to Hull, and lost our place in the Premiership.
We meet that Hull side tomorrow. With only two players remaining from that fateful Summer day they may have something to prove against a much changed Hull side. I hold no grudges. On the day, they were the better side. Dean Windass came back to haunt us on the day, but most City fans admire the effort which Hull City put in, during the first year of their time in the top tier. We are missing influential players such as Carey, but Christian Riberio is a star for the future, and as such will make the right back position his own. With Jon Stead, an absolute steal, and Brett Pitman on fire, we have an enviable forward line. This with Nicky Maynard, biased I know, but the best striker in the Championship and Danny Haynes on the bench; our attacking prowess is strong. With Steven Caulker and Danny Rose, we have future England internationals on our books till the end of the season.
Are things looking up? Damn right they are. Christmas may have come early for the boys in Red. Don’t underestimate us, we have are sights on the top half of the table, and with Maynard back in January we could well be looking at another date this summer. We have been in the play offs every 3 years, why not again?
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Big tings gwan for the Robins ladies and gents. City have begun to release details about their proposed new stadium at Ashton Vale, not far from the current Ashton Gate stadium. with constructed hoped to begin 2010 and hopes to have it completed by 2012.
lots of grand rhetoric floating around as you’d expect when trying to gain support for a new stadium. Talk of a £30 million cost for a stadium capacity of 30,000 that could be increased to 40,000+ if needed. This increase could be if when City reach the premiership or also if England win the right to host the world cup in 2018 (or 2022). Apparently it will be funded by the selling of Ashton Gate (probably to create housing), funds of the club and the good Mr.Lansdown himself, corporate boxes and (the inevitable sore point) selling of the stadium naming rights.
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Due to cant-be-assed-ness very important other commitments i’m a little behind on the City news and matches so today i will cover (well briefly mention) both the midweek loss to Donnie and the victory at Reading on saturday. two very different games, two very different performances, two very different result, one more good week overall for the robins.
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Maybe this whole football thing isn’t as hard as some people like to make out, because City are currently making it look very easy. I hope I will be excused any tinges of smugness or arrogance that will undoubtedly litter this post but it really is great times right now. In fact the facts can speak for themselves-
-5 wins in a row
-7 wins in 8
-now just 1 point off the play-offs (although played a game more than most of the teams around us)
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we may now have to face the facts- Bristol City are literally unstoppable. they will climb the championship table, past the play off places, and wave at the current front runners, whose own form continues to slide, as they pass them to the top of table.
hell why end there if this form continues Villa may not be the only team troubling the big 4 next year. with big del upfront and our own holy goalie then the premiership will soon be ours. you heard it hear first folks.
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The snow and cold has taken its toll on many games arounds the leagues but it appears the game with Norwich is still going ahead, Norwich’s carrow road has under soil heating so hopefully pitch should be in fine condition.
Nicky Maynard and Sproule are both back and in the squad, and according to Gary Johnson will probably play some role in todays game, but doubt either will be starting. also boom boom McCombe and Elliot are both out, while McAllister serves a ban
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thought it best to start with a grand entrance to get your attention.
Welcome to the glorious rebirth of the Bristol City FC offside. A team of Bristol City’s quality and heritage really needed a voice on the offside and i will try to be that voice for you. I wont bore you with too much talk of myself, but your key info is Im David, aged 21, a student/barman/alcoholic and have been in bristol 3ish years now and following City since then, and a lover of football since time immemorial.
and luckily we are able to start this new blogging life together in happy moods, as City beat Charlton 2-1 at Ashton gate on tueaday evening.
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Thoughts on the Palace tie:
Where did City’s form go for most of the run-in? Over the two matches Bristol played some great football and fully deserved their two wins. It’s great to be heading to Wembley but I can’t help feel if City had found their form earlier we’d be going up automatically in place of Stoke. But let’s not dwell on the negatives, City are in the final!
The team need to listen to me more! Was anyone else shouting at the TV, urging McIndoe and co to take a few shots from around the penalty area rather than try and play their way through the defence? When they finally did, Trundle grabbed a lead from which their was no way back for the Eagles.
Hull are going to be tough in the final. They’re in form and have the necessary experience from the likes of Barmby. Any team that beats Watford 6 v 1 over two legs are going to be a challenge but if the lads play the way they did against Palace then there’s no reason we can’t go up.
Why have I not appreciated McAllister more? I thought the defender was possibly our best player over the two legs. He slips under the radar but he was at the heart of much of the excellent defensive work upon which our victory was built.
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Bristol City 2 v 1 Crystal Palace
City triumphed against a poor Palace side in the first leg of the play-off semi final. Bristol travelled to Selhurst Park and took the lead after a lovely worked free-kick leading to a gorgeous strike form Carey. Despite at times playing against what seemed like 12 men with the referee seemingly oblivious to the dirty tricks that are a hallmark of the Eagle’s game (seriously are referees kept in a dark room between matches, how could he not know and be alert to this?), Bristol showed immense strength to come back after losing the lead through a wrongly awarded penalty given probably because the ball went into the City area. Noble hitting a sweet strike in the Palace net to give Bristol a strong advantage into the second leg at Ashton Gate.
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