‘Urinating in spacious luxury this season’

So, I have repeatedly told myself this bit of writing is going to be boldly optimistic (in the face of considerable adversity given our two abject results thus far). I have not been to either game but am looking forward to Saturday’s visit from Brentford to see what on earth is going on with my adored football team that had gotten out of the habit of loosing.

Sadly though, as City fans, we are all too familiar with that feeling of dread when checking our phones for the score, or wincing and having to turn off the radio. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We are only two matches in (five goals conceded, one scored, two losses, six substitutions, three yellow cards and nine shots on target) so there are many, many minutes left to be played.

Recruitment wise: we appear to have made what seem to have been some sensible additions. The signing of goalkeeper Ben Hamer will give Fielding welcome competition and the two young recruits, Ryan Fredericks and Callum Robinson, come with good pedigree.

I am slightly concerned that we could be getting ourselves in to a soap opera-style storyline over the potential signing of Dwight Gayle. Obviously he is a player of real quality and, if reports of a £6 million bid are true, this shows great ambition from the club. There is a big question mark, however, whether the player would agree to dropping down a division. Also (we need to be realistic) we are not the biggest side in this league and if he was to come and play in the Championship surely there would be more attractive suitors than ourselves?

One way to try and persuade the likes of Dwight and co would be to show them round the new South Stand and Dolman refurbishment. I visited the contemporary-architectural-modern-day-wonder on Wednesday night for the first time, for the under 18s game against Sheffield Wednesday, and… It. Was. Amazing!

Aesthetically the interior is currently a bit drab but plans are afoot to address this. City fans will be glad to hear they’ll be urinating in spacious luxury this season. The concessions seem numerous and well-staffed. They have credit card machines. The seats are sturdy and pretty comfortable with more leg-room than any budget airline. The pitch looks immaculate. I am very excited for the two home games we have coming up – Brentford on Saturday, August 15 and Leeds on Wednesday,  August 19 – to see how the stadium will feel when full.

Brentford had a great season last time round, eventually losing in the play-off semi-finals to Middlesbrough. But they have lost a lot of players, and of course their manager Mark Warburton, so let’s hope they are not quite the same proposition as they were last year and that we can christen the new look Ashton Gate with three points on Saturday.