The Three Lions and a Robin David Lloyd Interview

Who is if you did not know City's new Match day announcer but also has a role working with the commercial department and liaising with Supporters groups. This appointment should be welcomed by all fans as not only is David Lloyd a fan of City but PR is an area where BCFC have

lacked somewhat in the past. Hopefully some of the clubs faux pas can now be avoided and others can concentrate on those revenue streams. Dave can then use his undoubted skllls explaining BCFC's position to us all.

Q: How long have you been a City fan and how many games do you watch most seasons?

DL: I moved to Bristol in 1989 and started to watch City with my mate Tony Robinson. Gradually I changed from being someone who used to go down to the Gate a few times a season and started calling myself a fan sometime in the early 90's. I got my first season ticket in 1996 and have had one ever since. I watch nearly every home game and as many away games as I can manage.

Q: What have been the high and low points of watching Gods own red and white?

DL: Highs: The win at Liverpool, The win at Wycombe in our last promotion season, that fantastic game against Rotherham back in May are all right up there. But for sheer exhilaration and the most fantastic atmosphere I have ever experienced at any football match ever, I'd have to say the last ten minutes against Hartlepool in the Play Off Semi.

Q: This season what are your expectations, City to stride through the division like a big balled Wurzel Gladiator bristling with testosterone swinging a flagon of cider or tenaciously avoiding relegation on the last day of the season by goal difference?

DL: Somewhere in between. This will be a tough division with some very good sides but I believe we have a good young squad who will only get better, and most importantly a manager who will get the best out of them, and bring in the right players to improve the squad.

Q: Briefly what is you job description at BCFC?

DL: I have three main areas of responsibility. 1: To act as Match Day host, both in the hospitality areas and on the pitch. 2: To work with the commercial department and help put on some top quality events over the season. 3: To liaise with our supporters, both individually and with the various representative groups such as the FCF, the Supporter's Trust and the Supporter's Club.

Q: What does it feel like being employed by the club you support?

DL: I know this might sound a bit of a cliché but it really is a dream come true.

Q: You have been involved in Eastenders, Casualty and the Young ones so working for BCFC can't be as lucrative as writing for TV so is it more a labour of love than means of earning money?

DL: It's both. I'm working part time at City so that I can continue my TV writing work, but I'd reached a stage in both my career and my life where I was looking for a new challenge, and this seemed like a pretty good one to take on.

Q: Your going to be liaising with supporters groups. Is that an admission by BCFC that PR needs to be improved greatly?

DL: I think its really important that all fans remember that the people who run the club are fans themselves and want success for the club just as much as they do. Unfortunately the commercial realities surrounding modern football mean that some of the decisions they have to take will impact on supporters - usually in their pockets, and those decisions are never going to please everybody. I will do my best to make sure that the reasons for some of these decisions are properly communicated to our supporters, as well as making sure that your views are taken into account when these decisions are being made. The chances of keeping all 40,000 of our fans happy is nil, but I'll do my best.

Q: You will be involved in commercial events any inkling of what they are and will your links to thespians be used?

DL: It's too early to say yet, but I'll be using my contacts to try and bring some 'name' acts to Ashton Gate.

Q: So pitch side are we going to get the line ups read out, more pantomime "Dolman can you do better than the Williams - C'MON UUUU REDDDDSSSS" or Dave L in a tuxedo giving it "LLLLLET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE" Buffer style then sliding across the turf on your knees?

A: I know people had mixed views of my predecessor but I thought he did a fine job. But my style will be very much my own. I have a few ideas for music and events, but you'll have to wait for August 11th to find out what they are.

Q: Any chance of more pre match and half time music that is sensitive to the West Country e.g. The anthemic Wurzels Drink up thee Cider so we can pay homage to the mighty cider apple?

A: We will keep the Wurzels . It's what the vast majority of our fans want. But I'll also be looking to vary and modernise some of our other music output and I will be taking requests and dedications, so our fans can have an input into that as well. Any requests to david.lloyd@bcfc.co.uk

Q: There must be blame here. Who is responsible for that Hairy Northern nonsense Amarillo being played originally at the Gate anyway?

DL: I don't know.

Q; Can we please ditch culturally biased hairy Amarillo or any other music being played every time we score because it stifles the atmosphere? Any chance of having a show of hands v QPR to see if fans want music played at all during a game NFL style because it's poison to the mind of some of us?

DL: I suspect this will be one of my biggest challenges this season. I think that the right music, played at the right time and at the right volume can help enhance atmosphere in a football ground. But there must also come a point when the fans have to take over and that's what I will be trying to achieve this season. Ultimately it's fans and players who create atmosphere in football grounds, not men with microphones. We are going to stick with goal music for the time being as my research shows that although there are some that don't like it, most do. However I am happy (very happy) to tell you that it won't be Amarillo.

Three Lions note - Top Man Dave , Amarillos no more, a show of hands v QPR could still be arranged though to see what fans really think.