Championship - View from the Terraces: Bristol City

Eurosport - Thu, 20 Nov 10:32:00 2008

Our man in the know at Ashton Gate offers his thoughts on Bristol City - and he seems fairly content with what he's seeing this season.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Championship - Gary Johnson, Bristol City manager - 0

What do you think of the manager? Is there anyone (realistic) out there who would do a better job?

There is no doubting that he has made an improvement in the three years that he has been at the club. Most clubs' fans are totally happy - what they say is usually based upon a feeling of how to progress to the next level. A salient comment I heard today is that Gary Johnson is in transition, having jumped two divisions to the Championship. He has a weakness with star players and there are question marks over his continuing loyalty to the team that got us where we are. Lee Trundle: a failure. Nicky Maynard: a failure. Our last 12 goals have been scored by 12 different players, and only one of them was a striker.

Who is the best player you've seen playing for another team this season - and who do you fear losing in January?

Kevin Doyle for his lethal finishing, which is something we need. Only two players are nailed on as ones other clubs would be interested in: Adriano Basso, although we have a more than able deputy in Chris Weale, and Marvin Elliott.

What was your first match or oldest memory of the club?

It was March 25, 1967: Bristol City 3, Birmingham City 1 at Ashton Gate on a Saturday afternoon. It was an 11th birthday treat and I was hooked straight away. Since then I've attended about 95 per cent of the home games.

Are you happy with the present hierarchy at the club? What do you prefer: a foreign owner or someone from closer to home?

Steve Lansdown is as good a chairman as you could get without it being a foreign owner. He is a top bloke and has the interests of the club at heart. Some say he is a bit cautious and the pace of progress has been slow, but we almost made it to the promised land last season without big bucks: we know where we are and what we've got, and there is a lot to be said for that.

What is the relationship like between the club and the fans? Are ticket prices fair?

It's been improving. You can never please all of the people all of the time. Ticket prices have gone up, but they are not too bad.

Head Hunter, Bristol / Eurosport

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  1. He said we have a great chairman and a brilliant­ manager.
    He gave an honest view of BCFC.
    So far this­ season BCFC gets a B+. Room for further improvement.

    From Oliver Tunnah, on Sun 23 Nov 1:35PM

  2. Who are you critisizing the club we have a great­ chairman, a brilliant manager. As for lee Trundle in­ his defence he hasent had a long spell in action using­ him as an impact player he needs full games as he­ showed at the end of last season starting to bang the­ goals in he,s a great player. Although i do share your­ doubts on maynard but with a big transfer tag comes a­ lot of expectation i think we just have to give him­ time to settle. On the other hand its great to have­ other people in the team who can score goals pther­ teams will be worried about this which in time will­ free our strickers to do there stuff so stop being­ negative get behind the club. I shall be at chrystal­ palace on saterday will you. Come on the reds do your­ stuff give us a great day out .

    From Chris C, on Thu 20 Nov 11:29PM
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