As it's quite a quiet time on here due to internationals I just wanted to think about something on which most of us agree we might like to see, and that is promotion to the Premier League. The dream is always alive and I wonder how each of us would like the club to address any promotion, as far as how the club go about handling the clear and obvious perils of wishing for something you aren't fully prepared to handle. Given the history of Bristol City I would not expect us to go on an unbridled spending spree in an attempt to stay up and I think we have seen the various ways others have tried the same route, many without success. Looking back at the players that have learned their trade through our portals we are obviously more than capable of producing top class talent but the biggest problem is holding on to them before the big guys come calling. Over spending could be a death knell, as we saw back in the really bad days when the club nearly folded for good, and that probably would not be our way under Lansdown due to his reticence to open up the purse strings. I would be tempted to say to the players that got us there to stick around and enjoy the ride and then add a couple of inexpensive off the radar players to boost the midfield in particular and see where it takes us. Knowing our luck the season when we achieve the seemingly impossible the league would do away with the parachute payments leaving us stranded without the lifeline offered to the many yo-yo clubs who could almost be accused of using the said monies handed out for failure to balance their books. Any thoughts of how we, or you, may handle the situation because you never know we may have to address said issue next season.
A great idea; however, with this squad, built by Pearson, I don't think I have a big enough imagination to take on this task....
Problem is city have had to sell because theyve spent so badly. regularly losing 20 - 30m a season aint no accident.
A great idea; however, with this squad, built massively reduced by Pearson, I don't think I have a big enough imagination to take on this task....
We have to work much harder than the established Prem sides to recruit because we don’t have the ‘pedigree’. This means that we have to scratch around for diamonds in the lower leagues - or pay over the top wages to seduce them with money. That’s how it is - not just for us but for many teams - and it’s replicated at scale down through the football pyramid.
Stoke have just announced that they need to build sustainability in this division before anything else because failure at this level is not an option for many clubs. Drifting around in the middle of the table has been our lot during most, if not all, of our time in the second tier with a strong possibility of dropping to League One on a couple of occasions. Given the size of the Bristol area we should at least be a contender for the top 10 every season but our history proves otherwise and when you consider our brilliant infrastucture I wonder why we have failed under the ownership of Steve Lansdown who is solely responsible for that area of the improvement. Surely if you built the fine stadium that is Ashton Gate you would want to attract only the best to be your guests and for some strange reason that belief hasn't filtered down to pitch side yet. I am looking forward to seeing what Liam is talking about when he says he sees potential with our lot, but if we continue to play the one step forward and three steps back football we have been playing (unsuccessfully) for years then I might go back to sleep. The old adage of the best defence is to attack might be the way of the future but first we need an attack that can punch their way out of a wet paper bag. Come on Liam we've got your back and so it's good luck from me.
I'd like to know what this "Glass Ceiling" that Alex Neil referenced? Stoke have been in the PL, and fairly recently at that, so surely he doesn't mean that? I could understand it if it was a club like us, PNE, Milwall, Plymouth etc., who have never been there. Alex Neil: Stoke City boss says club must aim to become top-half regulars in Championship - BBC Sport
