BFC managers - first signings

[ClaretTony]

Going back a bit further

Miller first spell….was it Billy Hamilton?

Casper first spell. Terry Donovan?

Both correct I'm sure, I think Donovan was Frank's only signing.

[Fretters]

Ford was better than people make out, I seem to remember. Compared to others we had at that time, anyway.

[ClaretTony]

Ford was better than people make out, I seem to remember. Compared to others we had at that time, anyway.

I thought so too. He got back in Stan's team for a while too but eventually lost his place as new midfielders were signed. His last game was the 6-0 home loss against City I think.

[wilks_bfc]

Mark Ford did - it was the opening day of the 1998/99 season, first game under Stan.

Wasn’t that clear in my initial post but Ford was who I was referring to

[claretburns]

Both turned out pretty well didn’t they?

More than pretty well. Just trying to express the point that the "football experts" we often get on here aren't always correct.

[Fretters]

I thought so too. He got back in Stan's team for a while too but eventually lost his place as new midfielders were signed. His last game was the 6-0 home loss against City I think.

Yeah, I seem to remember him losing his place in the starting 11 initially when we brought in Micky Mellon.

[Colburn_Claret]

Pretty sure that was the season Bristol City went down and conceded over 100 goals which made the prospect of signing Heaton not that appetising to some. Add in the fact the anger from some fans for signing a released midfielder from Huddersfield.

Scotty was a wtf moment. A lot of egg on faces from that signing.

[ClaretTony]

Pretty sure that was the season Bristol City went down and conceded over 100 goals which made the prospect of signing Heaton not that appetising to some. Add in the fact the anger from some fans for signing a released midfielder from Huddersfield.

They conceded 84 with Tom conceding 77 of them in 43 games.

[martin_p]

I can still picture Steve Morgan looking completely lost (not the only one that night) in that 6.0 home defeat by City. He was dreadful for us.

Not the best of first signings for Stan, but once Barry Kilby turned up and he had a bit of money to spend he did a fine job of building the side that got us promoted the season after. Davis, Branch, Mellon, Cook and Johnrose all turned up in early ‘99 just after Kilby had invested in the club and they all played their part in the triumph of 99/2000.