The Exiled Robin

A fair bit has happened to Yeovil since we last played them. A national television appearance and certainly little shame in their huge FA Cup tie with Manchester United, followed just a few weeks later by Gary Johnson paying the price for their season-long flirtation with the relegation zone. Meanwhile City have gone on and on, with our visit to Wembley later this month the reason for this re-arranged fixture. Stu Radnedge caught up with Leeds-based Glover Ben Barrett for his typically humourous take on the situation at Huish Park ahead of the final match in our mini-series against the bottom four. “Last time I did this, I said that 500 words wouldn't be quite enough to describe the goings on at Huish Park this season, the truth is, that three months down the line, this email could turn into a dissertation-length ramble if I'm not careful. Right, let's keep this simple, I'm a positive bloke, I love being a Yeovil fan, but my word - this season sucks. ...

Precisely one year after Bristol City went into Christmas bottom of the league, we enter the 2014 festive season the maximum  number of places higher; top of the pile. However, a once relatively substantial lead has been largely eliminated and for the nuetrals, if there are many that watch league one, an enthralling second half to the season lies ahead with the top four separated by just a single point. In the absence of any real competition from the blue lot north of the river, and setting aside a more traditional ‘M4 derby’, the Yeovil fixture was one many City fans would have sought out when the fixtures were released in the summer, and for once the computer didn’t disappoint. The only disappointment is that if it were not for the reduced capacity, this local derby, with City flying high, would have almost certainly attracted a capacity bank holiday crowd, meaning a lesser atmosphere and circa £200,000 lost revenue. Throw in the fact that it’s the return of Gary Joh...

A new dawn: It’s always exciting, isn’t it? There’s always that feeling of anticipation, of wondering what could be? Even if you’re expected to be relegated, fans talk about the likes of Burnley and of Blackpool and of Yeovil and they say “you never know”. Newly promoted sides discard the caution that should exist and dream of ‘doing a Norwich’ or ‘doing a Southampton’ and heading to two consecutive promotions. We at Bristol City so nearly did that. Despite these constant over-hyped emotions, which in many cases are shot down in a bitter dose of reality by 4:55pm on the first Saturday, some seasons just feel that much more special than others. Some just feel like it’s your time. And so it is that Bristol City head into their second League One season with a burgeoning spirit of anticipation and excitement, no, expectation buzzing around Ashton Gate.   But is it realistic to be talking of promotion?   Five years of decline have seemingly been halted but that uptur...

League One club Yeovil Town swept to an expected comfortable win against their non-league neighbours in a friendly last night, which left both managers praising their clubs management for getting the fixture arranged. A goal in each half from striker Ajay Leitch-Smith sealed the win for the Somerset side who used last night’s occasion to ease into their more serious upcoming pre-season programme.  Leitch-Smith said afterwards “It’s always great to score a goal whoever you’re playing. The fact it’s a local non-league side doesn’t make a difference to me, it will just give me more confidence when we start facing better opposition". Chirpy Glovers boss Gary Johnson was pleased with his side’s performance, stating “Whoever you play you’ve still got to go out and perform and win. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Manchester Untied or a local smaller outfit like Bristol Rovers, you’ve still got to turn up and we did that tonight”.   Ex-Bristol City boss Johnson - who is lo...

As Oldham Athletic become the latest side to try and end Bristol City's remarkable unbeaten start to the season (in November!!!), here's a reminder of the exclusive interview I carried out with Latics boss Lee Johnson earlier in the year: An extra-special 'Inside Line' feature this week as Lee Johnson, the manager of Saturday's opponents Oldham Athletic, speaks exclusively to The Exiled Robin. Lee was a virtual ever present in the City side that settled and then got promoted from league one last time around, and then continued to play a significant role in helping us reach the play-off final at Wembley, coming so close to reaching the promised land of the Premier League. However his time in BS3 wasn't always smooth. Accusations of favouritism from his manager - and Dad - Gary and the lack of the all-action throwing-himself-into-tackles displays that some fans see as essential led to Lee receiving a fair amount of stick and his name was an almost const...