Back from the game - Bristol

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

Bristol City manager Gary Johnson:

"We didn't do enough to win the game. We didn't do enough to be unlucky.

"I think if Reading keep that going there's every chance of them putting enough points together to make a run for third place.

Comedy Gold. Johnson is wasted as a manager.

I was just about to post this here.

WHAT THE oxf*rd? 3rd?

Have you seen some of the strikers he has signed?!

[Bath Hoops]

Personally I wouldnt think about the play offs but just enjoy watching good football again, like so many I'd given up hope that we would even be in the championship next season and its been so refreshing to enjoy going to games again. This feels like the old Reading where the fans got behind the team and generally you loved the football, so for Brian and the team I thank them for bringing back some pride to this club. As for today it was another good performance where I think we made them look bad, and we don't give enough credit to the players for the manner in which they took the game to them. Tabb was MOTM for me, all over the place and you are beginning to see why we took him on from Coventry. Long played his socks off in that lone striker role which isnt easy at all, but I think all the team played well. My only worry is that Kebe looked out of sorts on the left and I think he prefers playing on the right, although Jobi setup the first. I guess its a good problem to have.

[T.R.O.L.I.]

One thing to add about today - the pitch was absolutely atrocious and it concerns me that we've got yet another game on Tuesday. At least there's no rugby on it until after the WBA game though.

[AthleticoSpizz]

One thing to add about today - the pitch was absolutely atrocious and it concerns me that we've got yet another game on Tuesday. At least there's no rugby on it until after the WBA game though.

Due to Global warming/climate change (and whatever other tax justification that they can try and throw at us), it is probably due to the late winter. Virtually all pitches are in the same state right now......so thankfully, it shouldn't be too much of an issue accross the division


....and besides......we seem to be adapting to it better than our opponents right now....yeehaaaa!

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

TBH the ball bubbling all over the place make Kebe even more dangerous.

You could see the panic in the City players eyes.

[FiNeRaIn]

One thing to add about today - the pitch was absolutely atrocious and it concerns me that we've got yet another game on Tuesday. At least there's no rugby on it until after the WBA game though.

+1, said as much at the game. Think it was within the first minute long tried to take a touch and it bobbled and we lost possession and I had a rant at the state of it.

It happens every season now so whatever the groundsman is doing isn't working, far too much stress from the rugby nothing aimed at hime. Maybe we are going to have to keep relaying it after every winter or something, its disgraceful.

[Jack Celliers]

I don't know why people are getting excited about the Play Offs though, if we did the unexpected and actually won, who the hell would we have for our team next season - it's going to be difficult enough for us next year in the Championship - we're losing the backbone of our team, due to loans, I suspect Gunnar, Ingi, Matejovsky - at least - will be off and we have little to no money to spend on replacing the outgoing players. Don't mean to p!ss on your bonfire, but we've got to be a bit realistic!!

Worst post I have ever seen in the history of the Team Board

[PEARCEY]

One thing to add about today - the pitch was absolutely atrocious and it concerns me that we've got yet another game on Tuesday. At least there's no rugby on it until after the WBA game though.

+1, said as much at the game. Think it was within the first minute long tried to take a touch and it bobbled and we lost possession and I had a rant at the state of it.

It happens every season now so whatever the groundsman is doing isn't working, far too much stress from the rugby nothing aimed at hime. Maybe we are going to have to keep relaying it after every winter or something, its disgraceful.

Swansea have the same problem but it doesn't stop them from being the best passing side in the division.

[FiNeRaIn]

I don't know why people are getting excited about the Play Offs though, if we did the unexpected and actually won, who the hell would we have for our team next season - it's going to be difficult enough for us next year in the Championship - we're losing the backbone of our team, due to loans, I suspect Gunnar, Ingi, Matejovsky - at least - will be off and we have little to no money to spend on replacing the outgoing players. Don't mean to p!ss on your bonfire, but we've got to be a bit realistic!!

Worst post I have ever seen in the history of the Team Board

Actually i'd give that acclaim to you Jack. W@nk reply to some fairly raised points other people had also considered. Can't disagree with anything RL said there. We aren't getting to the playoffs so no one needs to think like that. Miles away from them.

[Royal With Cheese]

I can't understand how Bristol are above us.

The league started in August, not the end of January.

The league started in August, we were still on holiday until November.

[weybridgewanderer]

The league started in August, we were still on holiday until November.

was November not the end of the pre season after the preseason preseason?

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

I don't know why people are getting excited about the Play Offs though, if we did the unexpected and actually won, who the hell would we have for our team next season - it's going to be difficult enough for us next year in the Championship - we're losing the backbone of our team, due to loans, I suspect Gunnar, Ingi, Matejovsky - at least - will be off and we have little to no money to spend on replacing the outgoing players. Don't mean to p!ss on your bonfire, but we've got to be a bit realistic!!

Worst post I have ever seen in the history of the Team Board

Actually i'd give that acclaim to you Jack. W@nk reply to some fairly raised points other people had also considered. Can't disagree with anything RL said there. We aren't getting to the playoffs so no one needs to think like that. Miles away from them.

I think there's no real chance of it either, but the facts are that if we were able to win our two games in hand, we'd only be behind 7th place Blackpool on goal difference.

Even the bookies seen to have taken notice. Coral have us as 8th favourites for promotion ar 11/1 (above sheff utd, coventry and Blackpool, for example) and 13th favourites for the drop.

Can't see it myself, and to be honest, I would want it either, but he fact is that we are in playing terms, much nearer a play-off team than a relegation candidate now.

[loyalroyal4life]

only thing i think that should of been done differently from todays game was to bring off sig and kebe after about 70 mins to rest them up for tuesday

[Murts-is-Lej]

Just have to say I liked the "Bring on the Scousers" chant from Y25/26 - did make me chuckle, especially as the Brizzle fans had all but given up on their team by then.

[Rex]

'There must be a fire drill' as they started to leave early. Oh and a hearty lol at the Police spotters hoying a number of their support out of the crowd.

[Royal Lady]

I don't know why people are getting excited about the Play Offs though, if we did the unexpected and actually won, who the hell would we have for our team next season - it's going to be difficult enough for us next year in the Championship - we're losing the backbone of our team, due to loans, I suspect Gunnar, Ingi, Matejovsky - at least - will be off and we have little to no money to spend on replacing the outgoing players. Don't mean to p!ss on your bonfire, but we've got to be a bit realistic!!

Worst post I have ever seen in the history of the Team Board

I didn't say we wouldn't get in the play offs - I was talking about if we WON them and went up. Anyone who thinks if that scenario occurred and we didn't struggle from day one, having lost the spine of our team and SJM not wishing to invest in any better players and pay the wages that goes with them is completely deluded. THAT is my point. I'd far rather we were top 8, and pushing for play offs for the next couple of years until we could find a buyer for the club and THEN go up, with at least some expectation of being able to compete.

[Royal With Cheese]

I don't know why people are getting excited about the Play Offs though, if we did the unexpected and actually won, who the hell would we have for our team next season - it's going to be difficult enough for us next year in the Championship - we're losing the backbone of our team, due to loans, I suspect Gunnar, Ingi, Matejovsky - at least - will be off and we have little to no money to spend on replacing the outgoing players. Don't mean to p!ss on your bonfire, but we've got to be a bit realistic!!

Worst post I have ever seen in the history of the Team Board

I didn't say we wouldn't get in the play offs - I was talking about if we WON them and went up. Anyone who thinks if that scenario occurred and we didn't struggle from day one, having lost the spine of our team and SJM not wishing to invest in any better players and pay the wages that goes with them is completely deluded. THAT is my point. I'd far rather we were top 8, and pushing for play offs for the next couple of years until we could find a buyer for the club and THEN go up, with at least some expectation of being able to compete.

Sorry RL - I just don't understand where you're coming from.
Are you saying that SJM will essentially sell the likes of Church, Sig, McEnuff, take the 40 million in TV money and replace them with, say, acadamy players?

I'm not sure even he'd be stupid enough to do that.

[Schards#2]

I think SJM will invest as much as is necessary to retain the existing squad but no more than that, he will also be a bit meaner on wages and contracts than last time round as he'll feel we overextended last time.

So, at best, we'll have this squad plus a couple and that would be nowhere near good enough. So, yes, essentially, we'll take the money and take our chances with the squad we have and, in all probability go down - a richer side.

[Schards#2]

I don't know why people are getting excited about the Play Offs though, if we did the unexpected and actually won, who the hell would we have for our team next season - it's going to be difficult enough for us next year in the Championship - we're losing the backbone of our team, due to loans, I suspect Gunnar, Ingi, Matejovsky - at least - will be off and we have little to no money to spend on replacing the outgoing players. Don't mean to p!ss on your bonfire, but we've got to be a bit realistic!!

Worst post I have ever seen in the history of the Team Board

Get real.

I nominate Flash's "come on Barnsley, i'm going to boo Mcdermott until he's gone" post.

Most egg on face in the history of HNA

[Royal With Cheese]

I think SJM will invest as much as is necessary to retain the existing squad but no more than that, he will also be a bit meaner on wages and contracts than last time round as he'll feel we overextended last time.

So, at best, we'll have this squad plus a couple and that would be nowhere near good enough. So, yes, essentially, we'll take the money and take our chances with the squad we have and, in all probability go down - a richer side.

Interesting. I suspect we would buy but would be in a similar vein to the Bikey/Cisse/Kebe type players.

I think as a provincial side we need to make sure the acadamy is able to attract the best young players from around the surrounding area. If we go up and back down a richer club then hopefully we'll be in a better position to return to the top flight in the future. I'm not sure we can hope for anything better fo the forseeable future.