Sean Donnelley interview 26/2/08

How long have you been the landlord of the 3 Lions was it originally called

I have been the landlord since 1995. I changed the name from the 3 Horse Shoes to coincide with Euro 96.

How long do you intend staying as Landlord of the 3 lions?

I have no intention of leaving the Lions until City no longer exists in BS3.

How many pubs are you involved in running?

At this moment in time four.

Describe the 3 Lions and its clientele?

The 3 Lions is a hardcore City pub with proper people using it on a day to day basis, a proper boozer with a mint juke box if your forty.

If City do move away from Ashton Gate will you buy a pub near the proposed ground?

We have already made enquiries regarding this but to get suitable premises in the area will be very hard. Maybe we will buy a bus instead.

Anybody famous been in the Lions?

Ricky Hatton was great, real good company and very funny. Paul Gascoigne still has a bar tab. Quite big as well! Phil the Power Taylor was good food as was Eric Bristow.

John H,..Stacy ex world champ did a Karaoke for us that was good.

Very resonantly Carlton Leach from Rise of the Foot Soldier was surprisingly nice & friendly, Danny Dyer signed our Football Factory poster. He was alright.

How long have you been a City fan and what have been the highs and lows?

I have been a City fan all my life. The highs were promotion in 76, the 2-2 draw v Coventry to stay up in 77 and going to Wembley and Cardiff. The lows being RED you get accustomed to but one that really sticks out was Crewe away in 99. City lost 1-0 which all but relegated City from the old second division. I driving back with my business associate Duncan not a word was said till we got to Birmingham where even a five figure win a casino did not cheers us up, we would have given all back for City to stay up. A lot of people would consider any defeat against the Gas as low but ultimately City always come out on top.

At the start of the season how did you think City would do?

I thought the Championship would suit City’s football but to be where we are, NEVER. I truly believe we can be top two and of course play offs at least.

A lot of the 3 Lions regulars also follow England abroad. Any appeal in this to you?

The first time I watched England abroad was Italia 90. I swore to myself I would not miss another England game abroad again. It was brilliant as there were as many City fans there as any other team. Chelsea maybe had more but none of them seemed to know each other unlike the City fans. It was TEN YEARS before I watched England again and I don’t know why. My preference has always been City then England.

You used to have City players as regulars at the 3 Lions does this still happen since Gary Johnson took over?

Unless invited for a reason i.e. a presentation they don’t really frequent the pub now. Its a shame as it good for the players to see fans in their normal surroundings. I also find when fans get to know players on a personal level they will stick up for them more on the pitch.

So what are City’s players like now, good well rounded bunch?

Every player I know in the current squad are down to earth friendly people. In fact some of them are down to earth than some really recent players City have binned.. This maybe because we have better players but I think Gary Johnson also works on personalities as well as abilities.

Is Steve Phillipps a weirdo?

Well I organised Steve Phillipps testimonial game v Rovers and his dinner night. So I see a different side to him that most fans and players would not. Ricky Hatton was Steves gust of honour at his dinner night. Ricky Hattons trainer said in his next couple of fights “just think of Steve and you will batter your opponent! Gazza was also a guest and he’s just been sectioned, so no more!

You are a really big boxing fan. Which comes first boxing or football?

I love boxing but I have to running the Lions, ha, ha. Seriously after football comes boxing. I have been all over the world to watch fights and met some of the biggest names in the game. We have had some famous boxers in the 3 Lions like Frank Bruno, Henry Cooper, John Conteh, Dave Boy Green, Charlie Magri who I have met or contacted through Jane Couch who is a friend. Jane can have a row!

Do you have any proper boxing training and have you put any pugilistic skills to use running the Lions?

What does pugilistic mean? No I haven’t. Being brought up in Knowle West and seeing how the Venture was run helped a lot. That was mad but good experience!

Why do you have a Ghastlyshire CCC cricket bast on the wall of a South Bristol pub?

Because it was given as a gift, I am sorry! I now have an England one to replace it.

Alan Walsh plays for your Sunday football team? Any other ex City players playing, who else and are they any good?

We have a very good team. Top of our Sunday league at this point with a cup final on the 18th March at the Almondsbury ground. GFA Quarter final soon. Alan THE LEGEND Walsh no longer plays for us which is a shame and we now have no ex City players although Colin Crambe is signed on although we do not see him. Scott Murrays brother is also signed on. The squad is Pants in goal, Ryan Perrett, Craig Knight, Lee Zabek [EX GAS!!], Ben Cummings, James Peart, Mikey Jeffries, Danny Jeffries, Terry Blake, Tai Coleman, Kev Taylor, Andy Perrett [goal scoring legend], Kai Mountford, Dean Maggs [Elvis], Big Darren Hunt and myself. Our manager is big Angus [Top man] and Nobby Johnson is the kit man.

Obviously the 3 Lions play in a new City kit each year.

Other than the Gas attacking the pub what has been the Lions most memorable night?

One good really good night was after we won the freight summit Van trophy at Cardiff and all the City Team & Backroom came back. Can’t say no more about that.

How has the smoking ban affected trade?

The smoking Ban is a nightmare really affected trade. People create people. In the Lions there could be a hundred people outside but the pub looks empty, so when people look in and wander off. But when City played Blackpool this season there was a pub The Scots Corner which allowed smoking so we all headed there and it was vile. Even Beanie (Dadds) who is probably the best smoker I know went outside, so maybe we should go back in time and have an internal smoking bar which would have been at the back of the pub. So you don’t have to walk through smoke.

Do you serve cider with ice?

We have thought about not serving ice full-stop but it would be unfair on the short drinkers (i.e. Little Ronnie). We could change our name to the Tres Lioons, A Booty Pub or ? with Natch er ly city No ice.

Will the 3 Lions be doing the end of season picture outside the pub again?

We have decided to do our flag day again, because what ever the outcome of the season we have massively achieved. I am very proud of our team. Can I take down the Gary Johnson Banner at the end of the season and put it inside, Can’t do it yet might change our luck? Replies welcome

What did you think of the increase in season ticket prices this season?

I’ve got loads of money so it don’t matter to me ‘’Joke’’. No seriously to achieve what we are doing at the moment we can’t really complain, as long as it does not jump to much in the premiership next season. Maybe they should grade games. I.e. On opposition from week to week. Season ticketer’s maybe could go up by say £50 but include cup games, could be a gamble but ensure decent crowds when playing lower league teams and over last few season’s would have been in clubs favour. But who knows in the future?

Murray or Sproule?

Scotty is a very good friend of mine and has been a great servant to our club. He did not wish to leave and really deliberated over a move there was a lot of clubs in for him and main concern was what will the fans think if he go’s here, there or where ever. I think he deserves a testimonial? Its his eleventh year in total minus one year at Reading. He deserves it, nothing is ever too much for him. But: at the moment Ivan is playing very well. He is like Scott in personality as well as play and hopefully we will have as long as association with him as we have Scott.

If the Gas team coach pulled up outside the 3 Lions would you?

A Serve them

B Advise them to go elsewhere before the cavalry arrive

C Lock them all in the cellar

We have got a token Gas Head who use’s the pub all the time Mr Ferge Demsey, because he says in his woods its proper people. Proper crack so maybe we answer the question with C but get Fergie to lock the cellar door and Peter Beadle to form a wall.

Free cider for the workers.

What is your opinion of Gary Johnson?

I had my doubts about G.T I thought Marcus Stewart could give us something & others really disagreed with those decisions. Thought he was very full of himself, but who’s right now. He’s the man. I’ve played charity games with him and he is a nice bloke, says the right things, picks the right team and has put us where we could have only dreamed of being. So fair play to him, Millen and Walshy and all the back room team, upstairs and downstairs.

Up the City