Who wouldn't want to see us on telly?
The Man In The Stands
Published: 6:31 PM October 29, 2009 Updated: 10:54 PM October 10, 2020
The Man In The Stands I can imagine the conversation between ITV's programme schedulers.With our canny knack of imploding - not always, but mostly in front of the television cameras - it's a given Sky and channel number three scrapped over broadcasting our FA Cup giant killing in waiting at Winterfield Road.
I can imagine the conversation between ITV's programme schedulers.
With our canny knack of imploding - not always, but mostly in front of the television cameras - it's a given Sky and channel number three scrapped over broadcasting our FA Cup giant killing in waiting at Winterfield Road.
In fact, for the most part The Man is sure the misnomer of football's 'neutral' would've loved watching us on the big occasions in recent seasons.
The trip to Paulton Rovers immediately revives thoughts of the only competent TV job we've produced in recent years, at Tamworth in the third round two years ago.
Is expecting City to beat non-league opposition twice in three seasons pushing it? Probably.
But in all honestly, The Man has felt enough humiliation - Ewe-gate, Forster's own-goal-kick - that life's too short.
If Rovers have their day and we have to suffer a few more hours of embarrassment* - before doing the honours against the woeful sides in Division Three with our spare weeks, The Man would take that.
* Of course, this relies on us beating Stockport on Saturday - otherwise, it's hammer the amateur upstarts into the floor time.
While he isn't responsible for all the changes in the corridors of power at Carra Rud, it doesn't take a genius to see David McGnarly is a man on a mission.
No, as a few slithers of fan power fall by the wayside, we're going to get what we're given from now on.
The biggest test will be next year's season ticket prices - when hopefully we'll also avoid the need of any populist managerial appointments.
Some at Carra Rud find it ridiculous supporters get to affect the prices of season tickets and one-off games.
Arguably, it's a policy which has seen us with envious gates… and third tier football.
However this season shapes up, I'm sure we'd all pay a little more, or see a little less, to be a little better.
So it begins - our ambitious Lambo wants money.
No, not more of it. Just something to start with.
Considering when he took the job he repeatedly went on about getting in a few new players 'to help the current group out', you assume he's only recently been told that, actually, there's no money to do that with.
Given the board let Gunny have the entire summer budget to prepare for one game - and the host of English clubs still feasting on our loan bonuses - it's no wonder the cupboard is bare.
Let's just hope Lambo sees enough in what he has - because he isn't getting anyone else any time soon.
The problem with referees - always a tricky one.
Maybe they're just like Malky Mackay, who always took until October to look like he could actually defend.
Maybe the men in black/lurid green/salmon pink need the first few months of the season to remember all the rules and make sure their eyes have warmed up.
MK Dons, Walsall, even against Wycombe, the refereeing was painfully inconsistent.
And now? Well, it feels like they remember what to do.
And The Man is almost certain it's because the same thing has happened to City.