IT’S NEVER THIS MUCH FUN IN THE PREM:
THE single most uplifting image of the football season so far came not in the Premier League, but in a cup competition derided by some, undermined by many.
Ball boy Jaden Neale jumping into the arms of a galloping Lee Johnson and got a twirl that might even have scored a nine from Craig Revel Horwood.
They could not dance hard enough at Ashton Gate, could not smile wide enough, could not sing loud enough.
As I made my way into the ground a couple of hours before kick-off, they were partying on the concourses outside the stadium.
When I left a couple of hours after Korey Smith turned pride into delirium, they were partying in the concourses outside the stadium.
Apart from a few moments of idiocy during a post-match pitch invasion, everything about the occasion smacked of fun.
There was the 82-page match programme depicting Johnson as Superman on the front cover.
There were the selfies with the obliging, celebrating players.
There were, of course, the ‘gifs’ – the short pre-recorded videos uploaded by the club after every goal that have become an internet hit.
There were the on-pitch interviews with the likes of the wonderfully humble, wonderfully homegrown, wonderfully talented Joe Bryan.
A two-legged semi-final against Manchester City awaits and the feelgood factor in the red half of Bristol could not be higher.
All they need now is promotion to
the Promised Land of the Premier League… and then the laughter can stop, then you can eventually try being bloomin’ miserable. Remember when football was Bristol City-type fun for Swansea City fans not that far down the road?
As the festivities were getting into full swing at Ashton Gate, Paul Clement was becoming the sixth Premier League manager to lose his job this season.
The team that once flowed has been playing fairly dire, defensive, frightened football. They have scored just 10 league goals this season.
For the third Christmas on the spin, they have changed their manager.
This over-arching obsession with staying in the Premier League has made the game a joyless experience at so many clubs, has made it one long whinging bleat to a radio phone-in.
What made Bristol City’s achievement so thrilling is that they attacked United with ambition and invention.
OK, they had nothing to lose, but some Premier League managers would have parked the bus and played for penalties.
Bus-parking against the big teams becomes ingrained in their psyche.
The reason why relegation from the Premier League is viewed as an unimaginable ogre is obvious.
They are why Mark
Hughes
might well become the seventh managerial casualty if he fails to beat West Brom tomorrow.
Never mind the decent job he has done at Stoke City over the whole four-anda-half-year piece, falling into the Championship where they might win a good few games would apparently be catastrophic for a club that spent the previous 22 seasons outside the top flight before promotion to the Premier League in 2008.
Changing the manager can have the desired effect. Numerical law means at least three of the six sackings were justified because only three teams can go down.
If your club lives to face its next survival battle, it is deemed a Premier League success by many.
It certainly will be for a club such as Huddersfield Town, whose fans are loving the thrill of welcoming and travelling to the glamorous giants of English football.
That will change if it starts going wrong and the novelty wears off.
The Premier League is where Bristol City – with its ambitious owner, innovative young manager, exciting team and excellent stadium – have a right to aim for.
And it CAN be great fun in the Promised Land.
Just don’t think it will ever be as much fun as Wednesday night.
Ask Swansea fans.