Saint_lambden

But they may not have been aware they had been spied on at the time, and it’s only in the last few days that they would have gone back at looked at CCTV from the 2/3 days before we would have played them to see if they could spot anyone out of place (made even easier now they know his name/what he looks like etc.).

Don’t have any ITK on this. Club are keeping very tight lipped. I’m guessing we’re trying to go with the complete opposite approach of Boro in that sense and look to use that as a legal tactic of ‘they’ve been leaking to the media whilst we’ve tried to follow the proper process of disclosure’.

One of Boro's reporters checked with the EFL yesterday morning and that's what he was told.

As of yesterday, a date still hadn’t been set for any independent commission hearing.

Stefan Borson on TalkSport yesterday said he doesn't think the judgement/sanction will come until next week, which would surely be too late for play-off expulsion from a logistcal point of view (tickets, police, Wembley, EFL plans) as we would have the right of appeal to any sanction imposed, which you'd assume would add another couple of days on at least.

We're in the home kit with black shorts. Hull in home kit too.

🙃

Unless of course he knew about it happening/agreed to it, in which case he’d have to be suspended too.

The book is going to be thrown at us sadly when it’s proven we have done this more than once.

Prediction is it’ll be 3 points deducted next season (equivalent of one game) and a huge fine (£1m plus). No doubt it’s not the first time we’ve done it but if other clubs had evidence of it, they’d have made a complaint themselves by now.

Defences win play-offs. It's tournament football effectively and as poor as we were at the top end of the pitch, we did enough to come away with the clean sheet. They will know that was a big opportunity missed. Stewart and Matsuki in on Tuesday.

Sigh.

Fun fact 1. Referee is Elliot Bell tomorrow night. In his last 30 games, there's only been 1 away win. Fun fact 2. 2023/24 was not the only time Bristol City ended a long unbeaten run of ours (25 games). Back in 2011/12, we were one game away from going an entire calendar year unbeaten at home and, of course, we lost 1-0 to City 2 days before the end of 2011. How many games was that? 25, of course.

James Bell refereeing. We've won all 6 games he's taken charge of us in his career.

Mind the stampede!

Realistically yes. If you assume we'd need 90 ish points for 2nd, that's 72 more points from 31 games so well over 2 points per match. Low 70s would get play-offs which is still very possible.

Rodgers still has a house on outskirts of Reading.

Both GKs (can extend to all 3 if you include Long) are shite. Eckert is more keen to build from the back though which Bazunu is better at so I suspect he'll stick with him. Either way, it has to be addressed in January as well as getting in a striker.

Good omen perhaps is that we’ve won all 5 games that tonight’s ref has taken charge of us before.

He wouldn't be my first choice but the more I think about it, the more I think Carrick makes sense (do probably no chance of SR appointing him). 1. Worked with Archer/Azaz before and got a tune out of them 2. Possession-based (but not to the extreme of Martin) which is more suited to this squad than Still who was a counter-attacking coach (no coincidence that our worst performances came against sides that sat deep and we had to try and break down) 3. Decent player himself back in the day so would hopefully command a bit of respect that our last few managers haven't had given their lack of profile during their playing career 4. Actual experience of managing in the Championship which we've been desperately lacking Cons of course are that it all went stale in his last couple of years at Boro where they looked one-dimensional and lacking pace/purpose.

It’ll be Ralph.

He would. Not sure we’d be able to tempt him away from Bristol City so early in his reign though.

The attendances have been dwindling as the season’s gone on. The top of block 19 in the last two at home has been very empty. Last season sucked the life out of so many and then the Pompey game was the only thing for those that were left to look forward to. That being a bore fest, people are voting with their feet now. We’re going to be here for a long time unless they’re a fundamental shift in mentality, quality of recruitment and culture at the club.

Says a lot about how far we’ve fallen that Carrick is considered a good appointment. Bored everyone to tears at Middlesbrough who are now playing much more to their level now he’s gone. Better than Still and more experienced at this level sure, but perhaps says a lot about the lack of quality candidates available that he’s high up the list. Don’t think anyone would have touched him with a barge pole in the summer.

Those which he employs. Wankerson may have fucked off to Turkey but his legacy still lingers. If it ain't broke consider breaking it, after all