Chip 0 City 0

[Luton Roman]

Welcome point and clean sheet, but what about the performance?

[SteveS]

My first Bath City game for a very long time.
Generally poor with neither side really looking like scoring. We had one opportunity second half going down the slope with a goal mouth scramble following a corner but that was about it. Chippenham looked equally toothless, they got the ball wide into some promising positions but poor final ball / no goal presence. Not helped that they lost Young who I think caused problems on Boxing Day during the first half through injury.
Ebanks looks woeful, there is a guy playing at Bishop Sutton called Craig Wilson (bit of any Adie Mings type I know it is 4 levels below) who is big, strong, shoots on sight and rattles defenders wo would do a better job than Ebanks. At least he would let defenders know he was about. Defence looked reasonably sound but then as I said Chippenham poor up front so they did not have much to deal with. Midfield still looks a problem area as it has virtually ever since Gill has been here. Dispute all his tinkering still lacks a midfield general and he changes things virtually every game. If only for a Adie Harris / Jono but then they would not fit into Mr Gill's spec.
Obviously things have not been helped by the loss of Cooke and but that highlights the overall lack of depth in the squad.
My concerns regarding the overall situation at the club continue. I have no time for Jerry Gill, right from the start it was obvious he did not appreciate what was needed in this league and his attitude (I know what I am doing, you don't know what you are talking about) was a turn off. He likes players he terms as technically good and with a sound football education but at the level we play at you need a balance of street wise battlers prepared to just roll their sleeves and get stuck in.
I think his contract is up the end of this season and you have to ask the question can we afford to pay a full time manager and all his back room staff. There is no way this club can cope with National league football even if by some chance we did get promoted. JG has been here for 5 years now and I think the club can employ someone to achieve the mid table position he has achieved for a lot less money.
I was involved with the Supporters Society for a long time but left mainly due to frustration, the Gill factor and some personal reasons. Some people seemed to think calling it a community club resolved all the problems.
The marketing at the club has improved greatly and that is good but there is still no resolution to the debt problems. The redevelopment if virtually died a death as far as I can see. The club has relied greatly on Paul Williams and Bob Chester over the years and they both have done fantastic jobs. Paul cannot carry on for ever, National League clubs have 2 or 3 full time people carrying out the duties that Paul does. Bob has left, total respect for him, the impact of his departure will not be fully felt until next season. Many people just entered the sponsors draw, renewed their hording etc because of Bob. The club put out some figures saying what a great job the new commercial team were doing but I would like to see how this was made up, looks like a PR stunt.
Basically the club is not geared up for National League football on or off the pitch. I am not really sure where we go from here.
There is a Supporters Society IGM in February, I went to the last AGM and was the only one who asked any questions. People need to ask questions and not just sit there and be talked at. I hope to go along. I am not sure why the last Chairman was in post (sorry forgot his name) he did not seem to have any connection with the club and I felt he was just doing it as it looked good on his CV. Clearly he was uncomfortable when questioned. Pete McCormack is now Chairman and I know Pete only has the best interests of the club at heart and is not a 'yes' man.
I don't know if anyone else has thoughts about the future. I do care about the club and consider I have done more than my share over the years, but over the past few seasons frustrations, concerns and the feeling that no one was taking any notice of me anyway have got the better of me.

[City 'til we're relegated]

A lot of your concerns are my concerns too. I fear that the club has become like Putler's Russia, where dissagreement with the regime is not tolerated.

[comrade powell]

Can only agree with most of Steve’s comments on yesterday’s match and the apparent situation at the Club.

While I was impressed with Chippenham on Boxing Day there were few signs yesterday that they will avoid the drop. Without Jordan Young they looked as toothless as we were. The weather and awful view lines at that inadequate little ground didn’t help, but it felt to me like a Southern League match in a Southern League stadium. And why oh why was it not possible to purchase tickets in advance? A queue of over one hundred meters fifteen minutes before ko with just a few turnstiles. Well done to the volunteers who managed to keep things moving.

Hopefully Cody’s treatment this week will see him return to fitness sooner rather than later. However, the young loanee impressed with his pace and I hope will play against Bracknell which is looking like a season defining match.

[Peter Newman]

Must admit spending New Year's Day at Chippenham had little to get excited about. To be fair the queue did move ok but everyone has to funnel through a narrow pathway to start with.

Perhaps the lack of pre-purchased tickets is due to Kermit's discussion with Chippenham management last season!!  Not sure an advanced ticket would have prevented having to join the queue anyway.

At least the post-match entertainment  was worthwhile. Watching an off-road vehicle driver attempting to manoeuver  it through a gap less than its width provided some amusement.

What is somewhat worrying is how this thread has revealed the less than positive view of two stalwart City supporters.

[LB]

In Jerry's post match interview he said we played well - that would seem to explain a lot of our problems. Yesterday again we gave away the ball much too often - as usual Morton was the main culprit - but fortunately Chippenham weren't good enough to take advantage like they did on Boxing Day. Ironically despite making so few chances we almost nicked it towards the end.

Steve's point about the midfield is spot on - we have never replaced Frankie with someone who can break up play, and there were numerous occasions yesterday when Chippenham were able to run through us.

I also don't understand our use (or not) of substitutes - Jerry has often bemoaned not having a full bench but yesterday when he did he didn't use it. It was clear for most of the second half that Ebanks and to some extent Cox as well weren't making any real impression on the Chippenham defence but Mannings and Smith although warming up for most of the half didn't appear. In his interview I think Jerry said something like the players on the pitch deserved to be there at the end of the game.

Will be interesting to see what happens with his contract renewal, as you have to ask what has he actually achieved in his time here (apart from alienating quite a lot of people!)? I agree with Martin about the game at Bracknell - we really can't go out of another cup competition to a team from a lower league.

[Luton Roman]

Good to have an open debate and I respect all the points made here and agree with some. Midfield has been a perennial problem, lack of progress in cups has been frustrating   and I prefer managers more remote outside match days and certainly away from social media. Nevertheless 2 play off campaigns,  transformational marketing, social media profile and rise in crowds also happened under JGs reign  and his work in the community has been tireless.
Certainly welcome open and balanced debate from all.

[Steve Whites Missus]

Must admit while watching the post match interviews I play a game of spot the dig about social media comments. Currently quite high scoring on plan a/b. Gonna need to add bonus bingo points for no substitutions if I can find them.

[Rodney]

A lot of your concerns are my concerns too. I fear that the club has become like Putler's Russia, where dissagreement with the regime is not tolerated.

It's called the Socialist Republic of Bath City

[Steve Whites Missus]

A lot of your concerns are my concerns too. I fear that the club has become like Putler's Russia, where dissagreement with the regime is not tolerated.

It's called the Socialist Republic of Bath City

All media responses will be Newspeak before you know it

[BenE]

I always think that managers will usually have some detractors in a club, but by and large the majority will support them through thick and thin. Sometimes a groundswell does build up against them but I don't believe that is the case at Bath City. Support is pretty solid despite some indifferent performances and I think people recognise the loss of both our main strikers is a massive blow especially when goals weren't coming from elsewhere in the team.
And they still aren't. We are making chances, there is just no one on the end of them who will slot them away on a regular basis.
I agree with Steve about Ebanks and really Cox is a midfielder not a target man and so we aren't holding the ball up front. Everything has to come through midfield which gives the opposition time to get set. As Luton has alluded, decent strikers just aren't available to us even as loans and I doubt one from four leagues down will do a job at our level. So we are a bit toothless.
If only Smith hadn't lost his confidence. And the way he is being used won't change that.
The reality is we got 2 points from 9 over Christmas with two home games. We have to get the defence rock solid to give us a base to work from.

[Kevin Anderson]

Can only agree with most of Steve’s comments on yesterday’s match and the apparent situation at the Club.

While I was impressed with Chippenham on Boxing Day there were few signs yesterday that they will avoid the drop. Without Jordan Young they looked as toothless as we were. The weather and awful view lines at that inadequate little ground didn’t help, but it felt to me like a Southern League match in a Southern League stadium. And why oh why was it not possible to purchase tickets in advance? A queue of over one hundred meters fifteen minutes before ko with just a few turnstiles. Well done to the volunteers who managed to keep things moving.

Hopefully Cody’s treatment this week will see him return to fitness sooner rather than later. However, the young loanee impressed with his pace and I hope will play against Bracknell which is looking like a season defining match.

Your management will have done their own homework, of course, but brace yourselves for a hard game at Bracknell. Very much a National South club in waiting; certainly as good as, say, Cheshunt. They knocked out Eastbourne, deservedly on the day, and they are physical, quick and streetwise. They've signed Guy Hollis from Slough and his long throws rain down like doodlebugs. And they have an excellent striker, quick and canny. I'd say get them back for a replay, but....

Good wishes, Happy New Year, and we'll try not to ruin it for you on Saturday.

[comrade powell]

Bracknell’s Cup and Trophy exploits this season suggest we’re going to have to be at our very best. Frankly I’m pleased we’re away rather than at home as our best performances have been away from Twerton.

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