By Ben Zucker, First Year, Economics and Politics
Geoff Merrick spent the majority of his childhood up the road from Ashton Gate. As a boyhood Bristol City fan, it had been his dream to represent his local club and lead them to success on the pitch. By 1976 Merrick had fulfilled his ambitions, captaining the Robins to a division one promotion. Yet, just six years later, Merrick would be forced to give up everything he had worked for.
In 1982 Bristol City were in the third tier. A series of management gaffes from the club both on and off the pitch had lead to consecutive relegations. With a loss of revenue from reduced crowds, Bristol City were £850,000 in debt and reportedly losing £5000 per week. They were on the verge of folding.
In a desperate move to save the club, Merrick was one of eight players given the ultimatum to either tear up his club contract or watch Bristol City cease to exist. The other players were Chris Garland, Trevor Tainton, David Rodgers, Gerry Sweeney, Jimmy Mann, Peter Aitken and Julian Marshall. After intense negotiations between the players, the PFA and Bristol City, the eight men duly obliged to their club's demands. They each ripped up their contracts in return for £10,000 and the gate receipts from a testimonial match. Bristol City was saved.
February 3rd 2022 marked the 40th anniversary of the Ashton Gate Eight. Bristol City will hold a special ceremony in dedication to the eight before their match against Middlesbrough on February 19th. However, attitudes towards their sacrifice were not as appreciative in 1982; Merrick has described how local media attempted to vilify the eight players, portraying them as selfish and the main reason for the Robin's demise.
Yet, this narrative could not be further from the truth. The eight players were not responsible for the years of poor business decisions made by their club's board and ownership but still took it upon themselves to rescue the club. They agreed to discard their professional ambitions for the good of Bristol City.
Although the eight would have varying levels of success after these events, at the time they were uncertain about how life would turn out for them. When playing for Bristol City, they did not earn much (£20,000-£25,000 a year). Even so, with mortgages to pay and children to feed, the eight were willing to risk their own financial health to compensate for years of their club's incompetence. So, on the 40th anniversary of their sacrifice, it is only right that we acknowledge and appreciate the selflessness of these men.
Thanks to the Ashton Gate Eight fans can continue to attend their local club in Bristol on a Saturday afternoon; they can revel in the rollercoaster that comes with being a Robins supporter and dream of returning to the promised land that is the Premier League.
Bristol City and Bristol Rovers' captains campaign for homelessness in Bristol
Today Bristol City are in the Championship after a 2015 return and are estimated to be worth nearly £80 million. The club is also a focal point for the local community, helping with issues such as COVID vaccinations and education. They even provide mentorship for struggling children. The football club is something to be proud of as an institution that provides hope to both its supporters and the City of Bristol. None of this success would be possible without the courageous actions of the eight men willing to put the needs of their football club above their own careers.
