Sometimes, Jimmy Greaves' favourite catchphrase, "it’s a funny old game" doesn’t always do football justice. Away at Bournemouth on a sunny but cold day by the seaside, it was exactly what was needed to describe Bristol City’s predicament.
The timing of Nigel Pearson’s trip was by definition, funny - 16 points clear of relegation and 17 behind play-offs is how the Robins have felt for most of the season, give or take a few precarious moments of uncertainty. It’s also at this time of the season when a managerial pet hate comes out. The floated notion that teams are "on the beach".
The fans don’t see the reason to be excited about matches beyond new stadiums or general Saturday afternoon fillers, the players are caught drifting closely to dreams of holidays and pre-season breaks, the staff have to fight their side to make it perfectly sure that nobody lets their professionalism slip.
