Young At Heart

So, after six games we have a perfect home record and perfectly appalling away record. But what clues have the matches so far given us about what lies ahead for the rest of the season?

Well, having seen what is starting to happen down at Ashton Gate I am genuinely excited about our prospects this season. We are beginning to see the club’s shrewd philosophy of investing in youth pay off. It is a pleasure to watch youngsters – many of them Bristol boys - who actually show us that wearing the red shirt is more important to them than driving flashy motors into the stadium before kick-off or making token visits to the gym while they see out their time in the reserves. It is already proving an exciting season witnessing our raw talent develop. But more importantly, I believe there are early signs that the Bristol Babes will prove the backbone for success this season. I sense a team spirit and togetherness amongst them that is a vital element of all successful sides. This has undoubtedly been helped by moving on players like Steve Jones and Tony Thorpe, who hardly contributed to a sense of “all for one and one for all.”

On the face of it, three wins in six games is hardly table-topping stuff. But behind the points total, there are more encouraging signs that we can expect a better return for our effort over the coming months. Our results have to be viewed in the context of the appalling luck that has dogged us since before the season started. Danny’s plans were thrown out of kilter on the eve of the new campaign by the loss of Tinman through injury. Keith Millen also succumbed, which was less surprising but also crucial after looking comfortable early on and providing experience at the back. Tommy Doc – the player I believe can make the difference between success and failure this season, particularly away from home – was then ruled out against Tranmere with an ankle injury. We have lost two players through red cards and been the victims of several distinctly dodgy match-altering refereeing decisions. Oh yeah, and the woodwork kept us out three times at Brentford while the score was still 0-0.

Sure, such things affect every club and sure, they happen each year. But at the risk of sounding like a whinging Alex Ferguson, I have to say that the sheer volume of bad luck to strike us in one onslaught so early in the season was amazing. Despite having to cope with so many unforeseen circumstances, the only match where we deserved to lose was at Plymouth. After six games, we had nine points out of 18 and were ninth, two points behind Cardiff and three behind Wigan. Given the bad luck we have had and the youth we are relying on, one could have expected the total to be much worse. Yet our performances are such that we were unlucky not to have 15 out of 18 – which would be enough to put us top of the table.

The thing that impresses me most about our youngsters is that they play with a degree of assurance and self-belief beyond their years. The average age of the players who tore apart Wycombe was 22 years 6 months. The only ones over 25 were Murray and Bell. Clearly the academy – and the fact that the youngsters see others the same age alongside them in the team - has given them to confidence to go out and feel relaxed and comfortable. Already a second wave of youngsters have joined the likes of Matty Hill, Joe Burnell et al in the squad and are making an impact. Craig Woodman was one of our best players against Tranmere. Liam Rosenior appears classy and accomplished beyond his tender 18 years whenever he comes on. Clayton Fortune, Darren Jones and Danny Coles are also showing themselves to be exciting prospects, while Leroy Lita looks like a genuine natural goalscorer poised to explode into league football.

We have to be patient and expect mistakes because none of them are the finished article. But at least they play with a passion and honesty refreshing after years of watching overpaid journeymen see out their time at the Gate. And that is why they will come good. This is a City team going forward and improving week on week, not full of players looking for a comfortable final berth and inflated wage packet as they head down and out.

I never harangue a player for making honest mistakes provided they try hard. If the lads who walked out onto the pitch each week were above errors, they would be playing in the Premiership. But the least I expect is to see every one of them go out and play with the same level of effort that each one of us would put in if we were ever privileged to pull on a red shirt. That is what was so infuriating about Thorpe, the early Steve Jones and so many others in recent years. Finally, I think we are reaching a stage where we are actually getting that commitment and work ethos we deserve. No, we are not immersed in 90 minutes of beautiful football every time we go down to the Gate. And yes, there are still infuriating enigmas like Aaron Brown, who you always feel could achieve so much more than he actually does. But watching Christian Roberts run for every ball, Matty Hill jump higher through sheer determination and Steve Phillips visibly improve month by month through dedication on the training field gives me heart. Roberts is the sort of tough character who will prove invaluable in the hard winter months when there is a risk of young heads going down after a few bad results. Tinman and Murray need to ensure they too guide the youngsters when the going gets tough, as it inevitably will at times. But for the first time in a few years I sense people all pulling in the same direction – and there are now so many youngsters in the side that they can’t hide away on the pitch and let the older guys shoulder most of the burden.

The most important point is that our young guns have not been outclassed by any of the teams we played, including title favourites Wigan. The City lads have nothing to fear from anyone in this division. They are a match for anyone. After some disappointing home performances last season, early results suggest we are turning Ashton Gate into a fortress once more, just like during our last promotion campaign. In Brian Tinnion and Scott Murray, we have experienced players who can alter games with one touch. And with Tinman back, the experienced Tony Butler now leading the defence and the youngsters learning every game, I believe we can start picking up the crucial away points which will take us up the table.

We still need to strengthen the squad, and Danny’s inability to find the right person at the right price bothers me. But at least Butler looks like the ball-winning defender we have needed for so long. If Danny can manage to keep him and bring in that elusive experienced creative midfielder then I think we will have a squad more than capable of going one better than last year. Lee Peacock’s bad form is worrying given that we were relying on him to lead the line. But with the teenagers showing their mettle and young squad players like Robin Hulbert stepping confidently into the breach and staking a claim to a place in the starting line-up, there is no reason why we can’t be up their in the mix come May.

And if the old adage that luck evens itself out over the course of the season is true, then we’ve got a few credits to cash in at some stage in the season.

Trust me, I have a good feeling about this. Things can only get better

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