‘Our great start to the season has continued’

So, what a week it has been for the greatest team of all time. For those who haven’t read this blog before that team, in my humble opinion, is, of course, Bristol City. Last week I spoke of my hope to see Luke Ayling blossom and hoped the speculation surrounding him was just that, speculation. Sadly, that interest turned into a bid and his departure, to Leeds United no less.

It is disappointing for several reasons, which I will come to later. But in the cold light of day the combined total of something between one and two million that we received for him and Keiron Agard has to be seen as decent business. Neither seemed to feature in Lee Johnson’s long term plans and although they were certainly good back-up, or reserve players, I guess we are not quite at the level where we can expect to keep players of that quality at the club without them playing many games.

Our great start to the season continued at newly promoted Burton in a match that appears to have seen us dominate initially but fade away as time went on, something that will ring all too familiar alarm bells from last season. We have so far been scoring late goals as opposed to conceding them. I hope that statement does not come back to bite me.

The Norwich result, however, was to be expected although it sounds like we played well. Johnson’s post-match comments are worth a comment. He pretty much said he would fancy his chances with the same set of players in a couple of years time. It’s nice to see the foresight and planning that he and the board appear to have put into the assembling of the squad and his hope for the future and remaining in the job that long!

We also appear to have had something of a windfall from the transfer of Yannick Boliase from Crystal Palace to Everton. I was living abroad for the majority of his time at our club but whichever way you look at it he has had an impressive rise when you compare his form with us to where you he is now.

It occurred to me that Ayling and Agard’s departure’s signified something else this week. The break up of our double winning side from the 2014/15 season. Firstly it was Cotteril to depart, now Agard and Ayling are gone. Derek Williams and Frank Fielding have found themselves occupying the substitutes bench more than the field of play over the past six months or so. Wilbraham still featured regularly last season but you would expect him to be more of a bit-part-player this time round.

The only three who are still holding down a regular place are Flint, who seems unstoppable and could most likely cut it in the Premier League. Pack, who has come on leaps and bounds and seems to be a favourite of Johnson. The last one is Joe Bryan, his progress seemed to stall a little last season but who has started brightly this time round and is currently keeping Scott Goldburne out of the side.

Anyway, back to this weekend and what should be a thrilling encounter against Rafa Benitez’s side Newcastle United. At the time of writing we have sold over 22,000 tickets and it looks set to be our biggest attendance for some 25 years. If you are heading down please support the team in as vocal a way as possible. Let’s try and make the numbers count!