Bristol City (A, Cup) - 29 Jan 15

[Rimshot]

We all know you are Scally's biggest apologist but that's categorically not what they said - he is bankrolling the club but sensibly. Just a look at the ground developments going on might have given you a clue. He and Scally are miles apart in terms of ambition , commitment and personal wealth.
He puts money in, Scally takes it out.
I'm sorry that your comfy seat in the press box is worth more to you than the truth.

[lidbid46]

Unfair rimshot; I think Gary has a balanced view and criticises when necessary; not just blanket criticism of whatever Scally does. He; Scally has admitted in the past that he doesn't have the sort of money that many other chairmen have. That is hardly his fault; I'm sure he would love a few more million pounds! If someone came along with a lot more money he would sell but I'm not sure there are many such people around nor would they look at Gills; much more likely to approach a small London club. Yes, he does draw a salary and I would prefer it if he was around more often, but I'm not sure what more we can expect from him in terms of finance.

[fan_of_mulligan]

I have got to say that I was a proud Gillingham Supporter on Thursday Night because a 1 - 1 draw away to Bristol City is a decent result and although we lost to Bristol City 5 - 3 on aggregate and we didn't progress through to The Football League Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium, I thought the effort and commitment was there from the players but we also looked liked a side full of confidence and capable of playing decent football against the best side in League One.

Although there were two contributing factors for why Bristol City didn't look at there best 1. They had a two goal cushion which became a three goal cushion when Matt Smith opened the scoring so Bristol City didn't have to be at there best and 2. Had either Jermaine McGlashan or Doug Loft scored to make the match very interesting then Bristol City could of gone up a level if they needed to, but neither of these factors takes away the pride I had on Thursday Night and there won't be many teams who go to Bristol City and get a 1 - 1 draw at Ashton Gate, so although we have been eliminated from The Football League Trophy, I think we can take a lot of positives out of the game and if any potential manager was watching the game on Thursday Night, they will know that they have got a good group of players to work with.

Had Luke Freeman been sent off for his challenge on Gavin Hoyte then the game would of defiantly swung in our favour, on initial viewing it just looked a 50 / 50 challenge and Luke Freeman was second to the ball, but on the slow motion replay Luke Freeman's studs were high and the challenge looked more malicious then it did first time round, because Luke Freeman and Gavin Hoyte went for the ball and slid in, Referee Graham Scott understandably only showed a yellow card for Luke Freeman's challenge.

If a potential manager was watching the game on SKY Sports One on Thursday Night, they will have a lot of young players to work with as John Egan, Max Ehmer, Jake Hessenthaler, Josh Pritchard, Bradley Dack, Bradley Garmston, Luke Norris and Brennan Dickenson either started or appeared as substitutes during the game, we have got nucleus of young talented players for the next manager to work with and we just need to find a system that gets the best out of these players because 5.3.2 was only ever going to be a temporary solution, because Leon Legge, John Egan and Max Ehmer were all putting in exceptional performances at the time.

Just a shame we started the game slowly and grew into the match at 1 - 0 down, it seems to tae something to get us playing / starting well and had Jermaine McGlashan scored first then it would of made the match very interesting, I thought our combination play was very good, especially Cody McDonald's back-heal to Bradley Dack and Bradley Dack's perfectly weighted pass to Jermaine McGlashan to make the game 1 - 1 on the night, and although Bristol City had there chances to win the game late on, I am glad the score-line remained at 1 - 1 because Gillingham deserved a draw away at Bristol City, and we can take the positives, encouraging performances and a decent display on national TV into The Walsall Game Tomorrow - because if we can held the best team in the division to a 1 - 1 draw on there own patch then we can play any team and put in a decent performance and get a positive result.

I thought Jermaine McGlashan took his goal really well and it was a brave finish from a player who hasn't scored enough goals for Gillingham this season, although two goals in his last three appearances is a decent goal return and hopefully we can see McGlashan go on a goal-scoring run because the midfielders need to take the goal-scoring burden off Cody McDonald and John Marquis's shoulders, I think that is why Peter Taylor invested the bulk of our wages into midfield with Jermaine McGlashan, Doug Loft, Aaron Morris, Brennan Dickenson and Josh Pritchard signing in the summer and with the loan signing of Michael Doughty as well, the goal return from our midfielders hasn't been as high as expected.

Although Doug Loft and Jermaine McGlashan were both unlucky to see decent efforts on goal saved by Frank Fielding and Doug Loft would of scored if Frank Fielding didn't get a all important touch on the ball and had that goal gone in at half time then it would of been a good time to score because Gillingham had the better chances in the latter stages of the first half and we had Bristol City on the ropes and the half time whistle came at the wrong time for us, McGlashan also saw his shot saved by Frank Fielding in The Second Half and had McGlashan gone for the top right corner (which is what I think McGlashan was trying to do) then Gillingham would of been 2 - 1 up and we would of had the momentum and Bristol City would of been very nervous as we would be only one goal in it.

But that goal never came and we never set up a grand-stand finish, but at least we finally prevented Bristol City from beating us, but then this was a match Bristol City didn't have to win as the damage had been done in The First Leg, But Gillingham defiantly deserved to draw on Thursday Night and even though we lost 5 - 3 on aggregate, we can take a lot of positives out of the game.

But there were negatives to, like Stuart Nelson's performance in goal as Matt Smith almost scored from a cross in The Second Half as Stuart Nelson came for the ball, I thought Stuart Nelson could of done a lot better for the goal and we have now got to the stage where someone needs to have a few words with Stuart Nelson and just remind him that his place in the starting eleven isn't guaranteed, I wouldn't drop Stuart Nelson completely but just a reminder that Stuart Nelson's place in The Starting Eleven isn't assured might be the kick up the back-side Stuart Nelson needs.

Joe Martin starting back-fired as he had to be substituted late on and considering I saw Joe Martin play against Tonbridge Angels on Monday Night and he looked short of match fitness / match sharpness, why did we start Joe Martin against Bristol City ??? - Doug Loft isn't a left winger and he seems to be the player we're moving around to accommodate into the starting eleven and I would like to see Doug Loft play in The Number Ten Role behind Cody McDonald because that appears to be his best position on the pitch, there was also a lot mentioned about Doug Loft's reaction to being substituted on Thursday Night as well.

I thought John Egan was suspended because he picked up his fifth yellow card of the season on Thursday Night, but there is a earlier cut off point in The Football League for yellow cards and thankfully that means that John Egan is available for selection for The Walsall game on Sunday.

Fair play to The 169 Gillingham Supporters who were at Ashton Gate on Thursday Night, it's not often I miss Gillingham Matches, but with Gillingham 4 - 2 down from the first leg meaning that we had to win 2 - 0 just to take the match to penalties, with Bristol City beating us three times this season and add ticket, travel, food, drink, programme costs and this match being televised, I just felt that this was the match to miss and I watched Bristol City V Gillingham in the pub instead.

Finally, I think Matt Smith has probably got the best goals to games ratio against Gillingham as Matt Smith has scored seven goals in four appearances against Gillingham this season, it does make me wonder if Matt Smith is the most prolific striker for the opposition who has scored goals against Gillingham ??? - Phil Jevons, Neil Harris and Jack Lester all came to mind and I am sure there are several others as well.

[Garawa]

Rimshot, it's a shame that because I don't despise Scally I have no opinion worthy of a listen. Scally has no idea what I do and what I do is as a MASSIVE supporter. I criticise the chairman when needed (a few days ago the latest) and I feel he is his own worst enemy but I don't think he is the worst chairman out there either. I consider myself to have a balanced view NOT a strong pro-Scally one.

We will have to disagree on this one. Their chairman will not be financing the stand out of his own pocket and they clearly stated he has billions he spends wisely when needed and he refuses to bank-roll the club. Be anti-Scally that's fine but don't disregard opposing views because they don't match the same philosophy. I respect your opinions because you do listen to various aspects and have strong informative arguments except when the view is mine it appears!! I am perfectly happy for you to disagree with me but for the right reasons, not because of where I sit or because (weirdly) I attend every home game!

Just for the record, what I do was from a favour for the old media manager. I love what I do but I am not connected to the club in any way. He is no longer there and is one of the reasons why this board has not migrated back onto the new club website....that and the fact Scally hates message boards!!

[Rimshot]

Bristol City Firstly, they said quite specifically that their Chairman does fund the club, albeit with discretion. That IS bank-rolling but within sensible limits.

On to Scally....not the worst ?
Which of these statements is incorrect ?
Has only put £1 into the club.
Has consistently taken salary packages well in excess of £300,000 pa even when the club is losing money.
Has placed members of his family into well paid jobs /'consultancies' at GFC for which they are unqualified.
Has involved GFC in a series of costly legal battles all of which he has lost.
Has consistently misrepresented his activities and expenses in Dubai as a quest for investment.
Has consistently lied to the supporters about investment and ground development.
Created a company of which he was the majority shareholder and then sold the ground 'to himself'.
Heads a family which is riven with criminal behaviour and convictions.
Has publicly fallen out with former Directors, the FA , the local authority , other clubs, former managers.
If you can find me a worse example I will gladly recant...

[Garawa]

Yes, mentioned before...Mandric. Loaned several million to Portsmouth and refused to wipe the debt placing the club into administration. His "investments" were short term loans and he moved from club to club to club without adding much at all. I reckon the various chairmen of Rangers could be classed as worse as well. They took a club with a massive income and somehow put it into an obscene amount of debt causing it's collapse and possibly one of the most incredulous situations in world sport! It's a bit too early yet but the Hull chairman looks a bit bonkers and will probably leave if he can't change their name. Their only saving grace is the Cardiff chairman who finally reversed his decision to playing in red after fan power, another bonkers power mad boss.

This isn't about Scally at the end of the day, I just went on what Sky said. They said the Bristol City chairman spends his money wisely and hopes to build the club into a Premier League side without throwing all his money at it. A billionaire at our level could spend his investments without touching any of their own capitol and have players Championship clubs could only dream of so no, I don't believe he is bankrolling the club based on what has been said.