Football / Bristol City
The 40th anniversary of the Ashton Gate Eight
On February 3 1982, eight Bristol City players tore up their contracts in order to save the club from financial ruin.
Jimmy Mann, Trevor Tainton, Geoff Merrick, David Rodgers, Gerry Sweeney, Peter Aitken, Chris Garland and Julian Marshall are known as the Ashton Gate Eight.
Their selflessness prevented City from going bankrupt and did not just save the club from financial ruin due to their debts spiralling out of control but ultimately saved the club’s very existence.
is needed now More than ever
The eight players were all on long-term deals and all agreed to tear up their contracts.
“Initially, the eight players turned down a combined deal worth £58,000 from the club,” reported the Guardian, recounting the story in their That 1980s Sports Blog.
“‘How can players be expected to go on the dole so that a club which has been badly handled can be given a second chance?’ protested Merrick. But deep down the loyalty of the players involved was always going to pull at their heartstrings.
“Merrick, Garland, Tainton, Sweeney and Mann had played more than 200 games each for the club; Merrick, Tainton and Rodgers had been at Bristol City for their entire careers. As much as they wanted to protect themselves, the prospect of seeing the club they loved go under was too much to contemplate.”
City’s current home kit pays homage to the men and the club will mark the 40th anniversary of the Ashton Gate Eight with a series of events including a pitch parade.
For the weekend of City versus Middlesbrough on February 19 – the closest weekend home fixture following the February 3 anniversary – the club will host the men and their families as they travel to BS3 from across the UK.
A visit to the Robins High Performance Centre in Failand on Friday, February 18 will be followed by an evening dinner at Ashton Gate.
On matchday, the men will take part in a pre-match parade 15 minutes ahead of kick-off, with a period of applause planned in the eighth minute of the game, flags around the ground and a tribute on the big screen.
Main photo: Jordan Hall’s mural of the Ashton Gate Eight at the stadium
Read more: City Women get first win at new home ground
Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast:
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
