A statement from the Supporters Club & Trust following Nigel Pearson’s departure from the football club…
The Supporters Club & Trust don’t usually comment on managerial changes as we don’t have enough knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes and because it is a subject that usually divides opinion like no other. However, on this occasion the SC&T board; and it seems the vast majority of the fanbase; are agreed that sacking Nigel Pearson appears to be an incredibly harsh decision, whether or not it was based (as the club statement & quote from Jon Lansdown suggest) purely on football results.
Never before have we had a manager who has been so fundamentally instrumental in positively changing the mentality, the culture, and the togetherness of the whole football club across men’s and women’s football. And Nigel did this while operating under huge financial constraints. His intervention to ensure that the end-of-season awards dinner was inclusive of supporter-led awards was evidence of his unifying influence at our club. As was the cultural leadership Pearson embodied in relation to the recognition and respect for the women’s game.
So, the sacking of Nigel Pearson begs many questions for us.
* What is the real reason? It is clearly not just about recent results. We’ve had worse runs. We have a huge number of injuries and are giving academy players debuts most weeks. Winning football matches in a very competitive Championship is difficult, even with a full squad.
* Are we clearing the decks for new investors to come in? A wholesale clear out of a CEO and manager might suggest that.
* Is Nigel Pearson too outspoken? He has been transparent about his feelings and just maybe this has finally broken an already strained relationship with the owners.
Questions like these arise when there is a lack of meaningful engagement and transparent communication from the custodians of our football club. There were times in the past when Steve Lansdown in particular would be visible, approachable, and responsive, whether that be behind the scenes, in media interviews, or even doing Q&As in the backrooms of pubs on away days. However, since the departure of Richard Gould, such communication has been sadly lacking.
We therefore again ask the club executives and owners for more transparency and improved supporter engagement going forwards, starting with greater clarity and context around the reason for Nigel Pearson’s sacking.
We thank Nigel, Jason Euell & Dave Rennie for their contribution to the Club, and wish Curtis Fleming, Ali Hines & Kalifa Cisse every success in this interim period.
Photo courtesy Will Cooper/JMP
Need to make our feelings about Lansdowns known at next home game – protest and signage to make it visible!!!!
A very bad mistake by the board. How can a
manager get the results with both hands tied behind his back.He has done wounders with no money.Two players sold for about £35 million and he got very little of it.I hope this dose not come back and bite you know where.
What a joke the club become a joke it the wrong decision should of kept Nigel
Led us to financial stability on a shoe string budget but bank rolled Bristol bears but sold our best players and nothing invested in team shocking decision to sack him but once again no ambition
Flabbergasted by this decision, all the way from Australia
I can’t help but believe Nigel’s departure wasn’t anything to do with poor results. I think the decision was already made after his comments calling out the Club Owner’s. Sacking him wouldn’t of worked after we won 1-0. Yes I sometimes questioned his methods but I can agree we have progressed under his leadership. But I also think there’s more to this than the Lansdown’s are making public.
Spot on , the Lansdowns have let both the supporters and the team down , something not quite right about this ,and who the hell us going to take over and do a better job ?
This statement is absolutely spot on ! Everyone I have spoken to is completely gobsmacked by the recent developments.
Pearson’s treatment is absolutely scandalous, all I hope is we don’t live to regret the loss and the actions of the totally out of touch board and ownership! Perhaps it is time for Mr Lansdown to hand over the reins to somebody who can finally unlock our club’s undoubted potential!
Spot on! Lack of any narrative from the board except Jon Lansdowns weasel words.
Really poor communication from on high
exactly ,weasel words ….nigel was too honest for the lansdownes
I have never been so mad at our football club! This guy has done Everything that could of possibly been asked of him with little financial support or tellingly public support of the board of directors and members of the majority shareholders family.
The man is utter class!!
Absolutely gutted about this, the way Nigel has been treated is an absolute disgrace, he had no backing whatsoever from the board, he’s slashed the wage bill like he was asked to do, sold our best players like he was told to do, for big money also. Lansdowns, you’re a disgrace and you should hold your heads in shame.
I think it’s time owners held a prepared seminar in the lansdown where they point out the issues within the club , the vision and plan held by owners , answer a few questions from the floor even put together slide show on finance plan and how the arena build could impact club
At the moment the people who matter are being treated like mushrooms, we’re all in this together
Sadly all spot on. Nigel achieved everything asked of him.
Wage reduction while maintaining our Championship status isn’t easy.
No one would be getting more from this depleted group than Nige. The obvious friction between him and The Lansdown’s was his downfall. Jon as Chairman should be talking to us supporters. I won’t hold my breath.
Well said.
Jon Lansdown stepping down as Chairman would have been more acceptable something is going on and we have no idea what it is, but Nigel Pearson did not deserve to be treated so shockingly as he has done. All that was asked of him and more, let’s now forget he had to clear all the deadwood, reduce the wage bill, sell players including Scott who he wanted to keep, and bring on young players. All done. Pearson needed a pro active board, and the Lansdowns have let him down. I am just amazed that the club state we still want promotion, when their actions state they don’t.
The way Nige was sacked is a disgrace! Pearson, to my mind, was the best manager we’ve had at least for the last fifty years, since Alan Dicks.
Up till now I have supported the Lansdowns, but no longer. They have made a grave mistake in getting rid of Pearson. The fans will never forget this. Shame on them!
I think we’re all in agreement the board have handled this in an appalling way, of course its in their gift to hire and fire managers/coaches as they see fit and I’ve never heard of any club owners asking the fan base what they think before making a decision but on this occasion some extra communication was necessary. The communications from the club is woeful and Jon Landsdown needs to wake up if his dad’s taking a back seat. It shows a lack of respect to us fans and is the sort of thing I expect from the Mike Ashley’s or Glazers of this world…
In professional sport it’s all about timing! In the past the Roman Empire achieved support from mass populations by using “bread and circuses” feeding the people their daily bread and putting on lavish spectacles in the arenas. All to keep the mob satisfies
Modern day times see two fixture’s against relatively poor teams the Owls and R’s !
Calculating that two easy wins – 6 points and the past is forgotten!!
However maybe they’ve misjudged the mood and crossed the Rubicon!
John Atyeo was still playing when I first started supporting Bristol City and in that time there has been many managerial changes which I have never felt the need to comment upon but the sacking of Nigel Pearson I feel to be a big mistake. Whilst I appreciate the club have benefited greatly from the support given financially by the Lansdown family I feel the manager needed more support than he got especially bearing in mind the current batch of injuries being endured. Given time and support Nigel Pearson would have got the club to the next level.