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Dear Incider,
It was with great interest that I read RedTop’s magnum opus
on the alleged “failings” of Bristol City Council regarding
the stadium development. Of course we could analyse his crass generalisations
and pompous meanderings and implied corruption within the Council,
but let’s look at the factual accuracy of some of his statements
first:
“Bristol is festering and becoming a backwater overtaken
by more daring, forward looking neighbours...the city is moving
backwards””
Er, no. Bristol has the highest GDP of any city in the UK outside
London and ahead of Milan, Berlin and Rome (Barclays Bank 2000).
It is the “Coolest City in Britain” (Lonely Planet Guide).
Over 100 companies have relocated to Bristol in recent times, 36,000
students choose to go to university in Bristol, Bristol has the
highest qualified workforce in the UK outside London, nine million
tourist visitors a year, it is the UK’s best city in the 2002
Group Leisure Awards and Britain’s greenest city with 4,500
acres of parklands and woodlands.
Have you come to Bristol recently, RedTop?
I know you don’t live here but there really is no excuse
for not knowing the truth about (Saint) Giuliani and New York, where
you’re a resident, is there? You state: “…mayor[sic]
Giuliani was living proof that politicians with a big idea and a
will to carry it through can transform a city…” Leaving
aside the fact that most of the measures on crime were instigated
by his predecessor David Dinkins, Giuliani is far more “self-serving”
than any politician Bristol could boast. Remember, he was forced
to move out of the mayoral mansion due to his adultery. There’s
also the fact that in New York nearly 70,000 people are suing the
police over being strip-searched for minor offences like fare-dodging.
Of course all of this has been politely forgotten since September
11 by most of the media, although I do like this quote from USA
Today: “For what he did in the first nine months of 2001,
Rudy Giuliani deserves our disdain. For his actions in the final
three months of this year he should be honored as the ‘Person
of the Quarter’”.
You go on to state quite correctly that “All around the
country clubs are moving to stunning new stadia…” However
does your implication that the lack of such here is really the Council’s/Councillors’
fault stand up? As far as I am aware only one council has or is
building a new ground. Step forward Hull, a municipal disaster area
of epic proportions. As for the other new grounds that City might
want to emulate, shall we list them; Southampton, Sunderland, Middlesbrough,
Bolton, Man City, Derby, Leicester. Notice anything abut them? All
are or have recently been in the Premiership, where the MONEY is.
The lack of a new ground has far more to do with the lack of success
on the pitch than anything else.
Your criticism of “political correctness” is as tired
as it is inevitable. Isn’t it about time that we “moved
on” from such idiotic comments as “under-privileged
one-legged lesbians”? Cheap Daily Mail-esque shots as this
an argument do not make. Perhaps you’d like to make a public
apology to those in the City Ability team or to the City fans who
happen to be gay, or to those fans ho don’t have the cash
to make trans-Atlantic trips to watch their team but struggle to
find the money to go at all? I notice than even you didn’t
stoop to adding a racial stereotype, so perhaps there’s hope
yet.
Unfortunately there’s more. The council is “known
to be hostile to sport”. Now just because you say something
often it doesn’t make it true. One could point to the new
swimming pools being built in Horfield and Hengrove, but perhaps
that’s not competitive enough. Look elsewhere. Do the footballers
who play on any of the 30 pitches on the Downs think it’s
hostile? Or the thousands who play bowls in the city’s parks?
Or those who play on the council-owned rugby or cricket pitches
– all competitive sports unless I’m very much mistaken
(Ashes excluded). If you want to identify hostility to sport in
the Bristol area, how about Imperial Tobacco, Bristol and West and
DRG, all large employers in the city who’ve closed and sold
off all or part of their sports grounds. But of course that wouldn’t
fit into your simplistic political posturing would it?
Finally, you accuse the council of lacking “vision, planning
and energy”. Now just perhaps they’re focusing their
efforts on the things that matter to ALL the people of Bristol.
The shambles of education in Bristol left by Avon County Council
is being tackled by the Secondary and now Primary Reviews, social
services are steadily improving and the housing department is acknowledged
as one of the best in the country. As a resident of Bristol I’m
delighted that these are the priorities. Bristol City FC are important
to me, but it doesn’t come into the same league as the education
of my child!
As I’ve said on the forum a number of times, I love living
in Bristol. It’s a wonderful place that could and should be
better. There’s no question that in the past the people of
Bristol have been let down by their civic leaders, however the constant
carping and moaning about the council really, really pisses me off.
Bristol has just been voted one of Britain’s cleanest cities
and yet all some people can do is whinge that it’s not spotless!
We live in a CITY for chrissakes, not some Cotswold village!
So, there we have it, my rant against yours. Any light shed by
either? Doubtful. Any opinions changed? Even more doubtful.
The final words have to be about the team. As I write, two impressive
fightbacks in a week give huge optimism, but I think Cardiff and
Wigan will be the automatic pair. I’m looking forward to a
sun drenched day in Cardiff in May followed by a trail-blazing season
in Division One, then on to the sunlit uplands of the Premiership
in 2004/5.
Joe Salter
P.S. Love the website, keep up the good work! Isn’t
it wonderful that we can fundamentally disagree about practically
everything except the fact that City are “by far the greatest
team the world has ever seen!”
Dear Incider,
Right on the nose, Red Top. The best Christmas present this year
was the news that Bristol City FC will remain at The Gate. Any scheme
involving Bristol City Council (notwithstanding the Desperate Dunford
Duo) was always doomed to fail. The College Green HQ is so concerned
with political in-fighting and correctness that they lost the plot
years ago and the lack of quality amenities for concerts, sport,
transport etc. in what is the major City of the South West is truly
appalling.
Was the final announcement that much of a surprise when you look
at the mess that has been made of the Millennium makeover of the
City Centre (one of my pet hobby horses of the last year or so)?
As for City of Culture status 2008, that is not only a joke but
a real embarrassment when you compare Bristol with the other contenders.
Yes, it may be a pleasant place to live, but much of what it has
to offer has come about despite the council's intentions and plans
down the years.
So let's look at the positives. Against all the pre-season doom
and gloom (me included) the Reds are playing their best football
for years and Ashton is an exciting place to be on matchdays once
again. Many lessons were learnt when the promotion challenge fell
away last season due to injuries to key players and I believe that
the Board and Management (now in harmony) will tackle it head on
if problems seem to be cropping up again. Player of the Year so
far ? My vote would go to Tony Butler, who has provided that sound
old head to help the budding youngsters around him, the key player
we have lacked since Shaun Taylor in recent seasons.
Keep up the good work with The Incider. It’s the best read
of the month.
Richard James (Senior Red)
Dear Incider,
Firstly, whilst I would agree that the council have a complete
lack of imagination and vision, the bottom line is that if you vote
for rubbish, you get rubbish. What was the turnout for the last
elections? I haven't checked but I would think around 35 per cent.
So those who didn't vote have absolutely no say in how the council
is run, and they have no grounds for complaint.
Secondly, the make-up of the council is such that it stifles any
sniff of vision or innovative, creative thought. It is not like
New York, which is run on a mayoral system whereby the Mayor has
power of veto - he can individually influence the way in which a
city develops. The council is run on a politically balanced committee
system which means local petty politicians band together to push
through whatever is politically expedient at the time. Back to point
one - you get what you vote for.
The answer? Change the voting system. Bring the ballots to places
of work, leisure areas, etc etc. And the structure must be changed
to a Mayoral system (although voters apathetically voted in the
current system) to attract entrepreneurial types with a vision for
change.
I'm afraid the blame ultimately lies with those who didn't bother
to vote at the last elections - maybe next time they'll be motivated
to do so.
David (Cynic)
Dear Incider,
Hello guys, just wanted to say what a excellent column from Edson
in the last issue. I totally agree with everything he said about
Tony Thorpe. Quality website lads keep it up!
Anyway, I am gonna share a story with you - watching my beloved
Bristol City away
from home at Mansfield Town, with us unbeaten for ten-odd games
and Mansfield bottom of the league, struggling big time. The game
kicks off, Mansfield lead after quite a long period of the first
half gone, but 30 seconds later Scott Murray, our quality right
winger scores, and we go mental in the away end, YES!
Half time: Mansfield Town 1- 1 Bristol City
Teams come out for the second half and after about 10 minutes,
our striker lobs the Mansfield keeper and again we go mental and
leading 2-1, YES!!
Then they score to the absolute delight of the home fans, 2-2.
Then not long later Mansfield get a penalty. We go mad at the player,
who made a meal of it big time, but one of their players get sent
off, so one of their players steps up, we're putting him off, he
runs up and it’s SAVED! But he scorers the rebound and we're
3-2 down.
We're in trouble and then not long later again, their forward Malcolm
Christie curls a peach of a goal into the back of the net to send
their fans mad! And a lot of Bristol City fans now start leaving
with only about ten minutes left and us 4-2 down.
We are devastated and being taunted by the home fans, including
chants of "can
we play you every week" etc.
There’s 87 minutes on the clock and we get a penalty, Tinnion
slots it in the corner, and slight cheer comes from our stand, but
surely its all over!
Ninety minutes on the clock and we are flying forward, Mansfield
calling for the
final whistle, we got a corner!!
We all roar with hope, but don’t actually think we'll score,
the corner is whipped in and struck into the net by Lita. YES!!!!!!!!!
We go mental - and when I say mental, it’s a
understatement. Mansfield kick off and we're happy with a draw,
dancing around, chanting back at the Mansfield fans who have quietened
down now!
I'm going mad but try to keep a eye on the game as well as not
falling over, as City attack and I realise the fourth official has
added on five minutes, although he added them on before Lita's goal
– I just hadn’t noticed. City attack with Scott Murray,
and with half the City end still dancing not watching, Christian
Roberts hammers it in the top corner from 25 yards.
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!! I can’t control
myself. I’m jumping around, getting clattered and just going
generally MAD. We are 5-4 up and the Mansfield fans have SHUT UP,
and we are just stunned and delighted as the ref blows up for full
time, YES!!!!!!!!!!!
What a game, what a day, never to be forgotten. EVER!
Geoff Moore (Red Boy)
Dear Incider,
Funny as f*** – and I'm a Gashead!
Keep it up!
ScotGas
Dear Incider,
City are amazing and are going to be promoted this season. Rovers
are total rubbish and are going to be relegated this season.
City have got the best team they have had in ages and have got
some real stars. Scott Murray is really in form this season. So
is Christian Roberts. Well done to City and ha ha ha to Rovers.
They are sooooo gonna be in the Conference next season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alice M
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