Cheesley on Barnsley & Sheff Utd

Former Bristol City striker Paul Cheesley talked to me about Bristol City's coming games up north against Barnsley on Saturday and at Ashton Gate on Tuesday against Sheffield United.

It was just a shame we found out about the Stern John signing AFTER I'd spoken to him.

Bristol City back on track with Norwich win

Jamie McCombe returns to the Bristol City side after six weeks nursing a fractured cheekbone and serves up the goal for their first win in a while.

Bristol Rugby win at last

Lucky 13 for Bristol Rugby tonight after a torrid start to the season. At last, a win, 32-11 over French big spenders Toulon.

It might have been in the Heineken Cup's poor relation but it's a win nonetheless and a timely boost for coach Richard Hill's side.

Sweeney on Bristol City's midfield

Bristol City legend Gerry Sweeney gave me the pleasure of his company this week to chat about the club he played more than 400 matches for, and manager Gary Johnson's midfield selection headache.

Bristol City get cash injection

In a week which has seen many people fearing for their savings, Bristol City Chairman Steve Lansdown has invested more of his own in the club he is nurturing towards the Premier League.

The financier, who made his money as a stockbroker, founding Hargreaves Lansdown with business partner Peter Hargreaves, has put a further £2.3million into the club.

According to documents registered with Companies House this week Lansdown has bought 1.15m worth of shares in Bristol City Holdings Limited, the parent company of Bristol City Football Club. Vice chairman Keith Dawe has also invested £200,000 for an increase in his share holding.

Steve Lansdown declined to comment on the specific use of the money. A Bristol City spokesman said: “Steve Lansdown and Keith Dawe have put money into the club regularly over the years and will continue to do so.”

The businessman, listed by the Sunday Times Rich List 2008 as the sixth richest person in the West of England with an estimated fortune of £338m, has always played down his role in financing the club.

Lansdown backed manager Gary Johnson in the close season with the purchase of the highly rated Maynard following the club’s Play-Off final defeat to Hull City in their first season back in the Championship.

City’s chairman, who took over the club in October 2002 and is now in his seventh season as Chairman, has revealed in Q&A sessions with fans that the club's wage bill has risen from £2.5m a year to £6m a year since promotion to the Championship.

And the businessman told the Fanancial Times in February this year the club's turnover for their first season back in the Championship would be about £8m - before the trip to Wembley.

The latest accounts filed at Companies House show the club made nearly a million pound loss in the year up to 31 May 2007 and the reports of their auditors Deloitte & Touche make it clear the club, like most others, runs on the financial promise of its board.

According to Ben Sulaiman of leading lawyers Lovells, the allotment of shares is one of two main ways for a football club to raise money. The other is debt, which in the current climate is expensive due to higher interest rates.

In August 2006 for example the Bristol City Supporters Trust bought 2,500 shares in Bristol City Holdings Limited for £5,000 which went towards improvements at the club's Abbots Leigh Training Ground.

Bristol Rovers stadium 'on target'

Bristol Rovers chairman Nick Higgs has confirmed the club’s ground revamp is on target despite the current financial crisis.

The £36-million Memorial Stadium makeover has already suffered from the credit crunch and was delayed for a year this summer when the student accommodation provider Opal pulled out.

The Rovers chairman was bullish in August, in his first interview after taking over from Ron Craig, that the stadium would still be delivered, with plans to push the button in the New Year and commence work in May.

And this week he confirmed the club had put the project out to tender as planned, that he would be making an announcement in the next few weeks and May 2009 was still the goal for starting work.

He said: “It’s all on target. I have been in design meetings today and we are out to the market. There is no change to the spec. It suits what we want in the future and where we want the club to be.

“Now we are in a state of limbo while we wait for responses.”

As revealed in August, the redevelopment project will leave the club with a residual debt of about £2m, a situation which has not changed but which will not jeopardise the rebuilding despite the banking crisis.

“Nothing has changed on that front,” said Mr Higgs. “We are still comfortable with the amount which will be repaid through revenue from the new stadium.”

Financial director Toni Watola was equally confident about the project but, like Mr Higgs, tempered his statement with a touch of realism.

“We’re, what’s the phrase, ‘quietly confident’,” said Mr Watola. “We still have the support of the bank, but until you get signatures on a piece of paper you never know.”

Bristol City legend speaks out

Bristol City legend Paul Cheesley tells ANDY SLOAN what he thinks the Robins need to achieve promotion to the Premier League.

Cheesley was part of the Robins' 1976 side which won promotion to the top tier of English football and scored their first goal back in the First Division against Arsenal on a memorable day for City fans.

A knee injury against Stoke three days later effectively ended his career at the tender age of 23 but he still has a passion for the game and is fondly remembered for his 20 goals in 64 league appearances for City.

The burly striker signed for the club after several years as an apprentice professional at Norwich City and returned to Ashton Gate for the sum of £30,000 in 1973 (£167,000 today).

Now landlord of the Knowle Hotel bar in Leighton Road, Cheesley still follows the team closely and believes they have more work to do both on and off the pitch before they can step up a division.

He said: “You can have hiccups along the way, and that's exactly what Gary Johnson's finding now.

"I thought we overachieved last year. Without being too rude to the club and the team, nobody expected us to do what we did. We managed to get into the play-off final which was magnificent but with no glory at the end of it unfortunately.

"Were we ready to go into the Premier League with the infrastructure we have now? I don't know, but Hull seem to be doing very well and on the crest of a wave as it were.

“It's a bit like when we were promoted in '76. The next season we were on the crest of a wave but we just managed to stay up, which was good. And I think Hull will stay up.

"You need to get those early points in the bag and big squads are paramount now in the Premiership. Would we have the money or the backing from the chairman? Sorry Mr Chairman, but it needs an awful lot of money to get into the Premiership.”

Michael McIndoe spoke out after City's 2-0 defeat at Wolves in September citing a need for extra quality and Johnson himself admitted after the 3-0 reverse to Sheffield United at Bramall Lane that the team requires something between a "fine tuning" and a "major overhaul".

He now has an international break to consider 'emergency' loan signings, plan for the January transfer window and, most importantly, to work with predominantly the same squad which reached the play-off final last year.

"(International breaks) are important to a degree because there are an awful lot of games in football so you do need a bit of a break from time to time,” said Cheesley.

"Some people could go stale in that short space of time, some people don't want a break but I would say the majority would. Especially after a bit of a dodgy time recently. Gary Johnson will be looking to stop that kind of thing happening again.

“My opinion is I think we need a couple more players to strengthen what is not a bad squad at the moment.” City aside, Cheesley's next passion is England and he's expecting a full house at the Knowle Hotel for their encounter with minnows Kazakhstan on Saturday.

Perfect start to Butland's England career

BRISTOL goalkeeper Jack Butland marked his England debut with a clean sheet against Northern Ireland as the England Under-16s hammered their hosts 6-0 at the Ballymena Showgrounds.

The 6ft 4in former Clevedon United keeper played for the full 90 minutes but had little to do as his team-mates proved too good for their Irish opponents in the opening fixture of the 2008 Victory Shield.

Butland, who is a member of Birmingham City’s Academy, enjoyed what will probably be one of the most comfortable matches of his career in front of the Sky Sports cameras last Friday.

He said: “It was quiet for me but what I had to do I did well. I didn’t have a shot to save but I was there when I needed to be for pass backs and the like. The coaches were pleased.”

Despite a confident debut, Butland is likely to make way for England’s next match against Wales in Llanelli on October 31 as the rest of the squad are given a chance to shine.

“For the Victory Shield they tend to rotate the players around,” he explained. “Our goalkeeping coach (former Liverpool, Tottenham and England keeper) Ray Clemence said I shouldn’t worry if I don’t play against Wales. Obviously I have had a chance and shown them what I can do.

“It was the biggest match I’ve played so far and I’m looking forward to more of them.”

The 15-year-old Clevedon Community School pupil described lining up for the anthems as a “special moment” and is hoping to be handed the number one jersey against Scotland in the final Victory Shield match as the squad seek to retain the trophy.

God and football

Bristol Rovers' chaplain David Jeal sets me straight on how long he's been with the club in a chat about God and football.

No football? no problem - 10 sporting things to do in and around Bristol

FOR the first time this season all three of Bristol’s leading clubs, City, Rovers and Bristol Rugby, are playing away from home along with Clifton RFC, Bristol Ladies Academy, and Dings RFC – so the Evening Post took a look at what is on offer in their absence:

1. Somerset and former England cricketer Marcus Trescothick is turning his hand to Major League Baseball at the County Ground tomorrow when the Trescothick Bangers take on the Great Britain baseball team at 2pm.

Ashley Giles, Robert Croft, Geraint Jones, Martin Saggers, Graeme Hick and Simon Jones as well as some Somerset favourites will be taking a swing. Adults £10, children £5. All funds go to Trescothic’s benefit year and Children’s Hospice South West. Tickets from the Somerset CCC box office or on 0845 3371875.

2. If baseball is not for you then check out some Banger racing and stock car action at the Mendip raceway, Warrens Hill Road, near Cheddar, BS40 7XU. On Sunday the final meeting of 2008 takes place featuring one of the oldest titles in banger racing – the West of England Championship. Racing is from 1.30pm to 5.30pm. Gates open at 11.30am. Adults £10, OAPs £5, children (5-15) £2, u5s free, family ticket (two adults and three children) £22. Go to www.apwd.co.uk/joomla/ or call 01963 220028 for more information.

3. Support some grass roots football on the Downs at 2pm on Saturday. Downs league Division One leaders Bristol Barcelona are taking on second-placed Cotswool in a crunch top-of-the-table clash. It’s free. Just check at the tea room by the water tower for the pitch number.

4. Spend the weekend with the wife/husband/family then cheer on the next generation of Bristol Rugby stars against local rivals Bath on Monday night (7.30pm). Bristol United take on Bath United at Clifton RFC in the Guinness A League. Tickets £5 on the night.

5. Support Alcove AC fishing for the Ken Davies Cup at the Fishponds Lido. Draw is at 8.30am with fishing from 9.30am to 2.30pm. Call Alan Sheppard for more details on 0117 9571344.

6. There is more motor -racing action at Castle Coombe as the Melton Concrete Products Formula Ford Carnival brings the courses’ 2008 racing season to a close with FF1600 cars, Saloon cars, the Special GT Championships, classic sports cars, tin tops, Jaguar XJSs. Practice starts at 8.40am with racing at 1.00pm. Adults £12, OAPs £6, accompanied children free. The circuit is close to Jct 17 & 18 of the M4 and signposted by brown tourist signs marked with a chequered flag.

7. For the agriculturally minded supporter, or those desiring some greenery, head to the Somerset Ploughing Championship Match on Saturday. It includes a mini-digger driving competition, tractor ploughing and horse ploughing at Hinton Park Farm, Hinton St George, Crewkerne (signposted from A30). Ploughing starts at 10.00 am and, more importantly, there’s a licensed bar and a hog roast. Contact Mr Hardwill on 01460 30661for more information.

8. Enjoy the beach at Weston-super-Mare before 100,000 motorbike enthusiasts descend on it next weekend for the Weston Beach Race (www.wbruk.com).

9. Mangotsfield Utd v Evesham Utd – See Mangotsfield attempt to leapfrog their British Gas Business Football League Premier Division opponents at Cossham Street (3pm). Adults £8.00, senior citizens £6.00, under 16’s £4.00 and under 10’s £2.00.

10. Parkour – the athletic art of free-running over walls and buildings. Watch Bristol’s finest train between 11am – 12pm at Castle Park Church. It’s free and you can even join in.