Bristol City F.C.
Encyclopedia
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol
, England (the other being arch rivals Bristol Rovers
). They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City. They were promoted to the Football League Championship
in the 2006–07
season after finishing second in League One
but failed to make a second consecutive promotion to the Premier League after they were defeated by Hull City
in the Championship Play-Offs.
Bristol City won the Welsh Cup
– despite being an English team – in 1934. In 1907 they finished runners-up in Football League Division One, which is their highest-ever final position.
In 1982, Bristol City became the first English team to suffer three consecutive relegations but by 1990 they were back in the old Second Division
. Another relegation followed in 1995, when City finished second from bottom in the new Endsleigh League Division One and a return to that division three years later lasted just one season. Most of their seasons between 1999 and 2006 were spent challenging for promotion in the upper half of the Football League Second Division
.
The club's nickname is "The Robins", and a robin
featured on the club's badge
from 1976 to 1994. Official club merchandise, including replica kits, still has a label showing a robin. An attempt by the club to alter the club's badge was abandoned after the club was criticised fiercely by fans.
Bristol City currently play at Ashton Gate stadium in the Ashton/Bedminster area of the city of Bristol
, which has an all-seater capacity of 21,497. Bristol had been chosen as a host city for the 2018 World Cup, but England were not awarded host nation status. Bristol City plan to build a new 30,000 capacity stadium at Ashton Vale, to be completed in time for the 2012–13 season. The club is affiliated to the Somerset County FA and Gloucestershire County FA.
, finishing as runners-up in three of the first four seasons. In 1900 the club merged with local rivals Bedminster
, who had been founded as Southville in 1887. The side joined the Football League
in 1901 and were the only non-London League side south of Birmingham until 1920. Their first game in the Football League was against Blackpool
at Bloomfield Road
on 7 September 1901. City won 2–0.
They first entered Division One in 1906 as Second Division
champions, and as newcomers became known as the "Bristol Babies", a nickname that would last into the thirties. They were runners-up to Newcastle United
in their first season in the top flight, and in 1909 reached the FA Cup
final, where they were beaten by Manchester United
at the Crystal Palace in London. But these achievements were not consistent, and in 1911 City were relegated back to the Second Division. They have not repeated the heights of the 1906–1909 era since, and did not even return to the top flight for 65 years.
became chairman in 1949, a post he would hold for over 30 years. An engineer who had bought out the firm he worked for, he designed the first set of floodlights installed at Ashton Gate in the early 1950s. The late 1950s were a better time for City, with a five year stay in the Second Division, a league they returned to for a further spell in 1965.
was appointed manager, and things gradually began to improve,with promotion to the First Division finally being achieved in 1976, ending a 65-year exile from the top flight.
City's second stint in the top flight was less successful and memorable than the club's first, with 13th position in 1979 being their highest finish during this era. Stars of this era included Geoff Merrick
, Tom Ritchie
, Clive Whitehead
, Gerry Gow
, Trevor Tainton
and Jimmy Mann
.
, and were declared bankrupt. BCFC (1982) Ltd acquired the club's player contracts, and the highly-paid senior players Julian Marshall, Chris Garland
, Jimmy Mann
, Peter Aitken
, Geoff Merrick
, David Rodgers, Gerry Sweeney
and Trevor Tainton
, who became known as the 'Ashton Gate Eight', each accepted termination of his contract for half the amount due to him.
achieved promotion as Third Division runners-up.
There was a tragedy for the club, however, in that promotion campaign
. In March 1990, two months before the club sealed promotion, striker Dean Horrix
was killed in a car crash barely two weeks after joining the club, and having played three league games for them.
in September 1990, and his successor Jimmy Lumsden
remained in charge for 18 months before making way for Denis Smith. Smith's first signing was the 20-year-old Arsenal
striker Andy Cole
, who was an instant hit with fans and quickly established himself as one of the finest goalscoring talents ever to wear a Bristol City shirt. But he was sold to Newcastle United in February 1993 and later established himself as a world class goalscorer, most prominently with Manchester United, where he collected five Premier League titles, two FA Cup
s and the European Cup
.
Meanwhile, City remained in the new Division One
(no longer the Second Division after the creation of the Premier League in 1992) and Smith moved to Oxford United
in November 1993. His successor Russell Osman
was sacked within a year, being a very unpopular figure with fans. One of Osman's few successful moments with City came in January 1994 when he led them to a shock 1–0 victory over Liverpool
in the third round of the FA Cup
.
Joe Jordan was brought back to Ashton Gate in September 1994, but was unable to prevent relegation to Division Two.
. City were relegated in bottom place and Lennartsson was dismissed in favour of Gillingham
's Tony Pulis
, who lasted six months before leaving to take over at Portsmouth. During his time at Ashton Gate he was manager of perhaps the worst City side since the one that completed a hat-trick of successive relegations almost 20 years earlier. Coach Tony Fawthrop took over until the end of the season, when Danny Wilson was appointed. Wilson was arguably the most prominent manager to take charge of a City side since Denis Smith, as he had guided Barnsley
to promotion to the Premier League in 1997 and Sheffield Wednesday
to a 12th place finish in 1999.
in Cardiff in 2003. The taste of the play-offs was bitter though, losing to rivals Cardiff City
1–0 on aggregate in the semi-final. In his final year – 2004 – they reached the final, but lost to Brighton & Hove Albion
. He was sacked within days and replaced by veteran player Brian Tinnion
.
. City's form had slumped despite the addition of high profile players including Marcus Stewart
and Michael Bridges
. Yeovil Town
manager Gary Johnson
was recruited as his successor.
Johnson arrived in September 2005, making the move from Yeovil Town, with whom he had gained two promotions. His first game in charge (only hours after meeting the squad) saw City win away at Brentford 3–2. After a short spell of decent results, City were plunged into the relegation mire, enduring a club record of nine successive defeats, leaving them at the foot of League One. Much criticism was aimed at Gary Johnson at this time; the Chairman of Bristol City Supporters Club labelled him a 'Conference Manager' and contended that he was 'totally out of his depth'. The run was brought to an end with a 2–0 victory at home to Huddersfield on 10 December. City then lost just three of their next 16 games, and this fine run of form was capped with a 6–0 win over Gillingham, in which defender Louis Carey
scored a brace. This was City's most emphatic league win since beating Charlton by the same score in September 1969, and was an encouraging sign of things to come, although they did not quite make playoffs in 2006.
Despite a slow start to the following season
, which saw a vocal minority of fans calling for Johnson to be sacked after a 4–2 home defeat by Blackpool
(who were eventually also promoted), City were in the top six of League One
by November and at the end of the month began an 11-match unbeaten run which drove them to the top of the division. They also hit the headlines with an impressive FA Cup
run, being knocked out in the 4th round on penalties after a replay in which they held Premiership side Middlesbrough
to a 2–2 draw in both ties. They knocked out Championship
side Coventry City
in the 3rd round. They also reached the Southern Area Final of the Football League Trophy, but were knocked out over two legs by local rivals Bristol Rovers after a 0–0 draw at Ashton Gate and a Rickie Lambert goal condemned the Robins to a 1–0 aggregate defeat in the second leg. Promotion to the Championship
was confirmed on the final day of the season with a 3–1 win over doomed Rotherham United
. David Noble scored two goals and Alex Russell
scored once, securing runners-up place in the division and resulting in automatic promotion and joyous scenes of celebration in the city and even more so on the pitch at the full time whistle. 2007–08
is the first season in almost a decade that has seen Bristol City playing at this level of English football.
. However City got off to a good start going unbeaten for a number of matches and briefly topping the Championship after beating Coventry City 3–0. City then suffered a slight blip after losing 3–0 to Barnsley
before beating a variety of big name teams including Sheffield United
live on Sky Sports
and Southampton
. In November, City's form dipped and they endured a run of 4 games without a win, including a 6–0 thrashing at the hands of Ipswich Town
. In December, City's form picked up again and went unbeaten all the way to Boxing Day
when they lost to West Bromwich Albion
4–1.
After a stop start run of form including victories over Blackpool and Coventry City and losses to Queens Park Rangers
and Crystal Palace, City went top of the Championship on 1 March, after a 2–1 home victory over Hull City
. After some indifferent results City went back to the top after a last gasp winner from Steve Brooker
, who was just returning from injury, in a 2–1 win over Norwich City. However a poor run ended City's chances of an automatic promotion
place. On 4 May 2008, a 3–0 home win against Preston North End
on the final day of the league season ensured a play-off place and a semi-final fixture against Crystal Palace. On 13 May 2008, a 4–2 aggregate win over Crystal Palace with goals from Lee Trundle
and Michael McIndoe
confirmed City's trip to Wembley
, where they were beaten 1–0 by Hull City.
After a poor start in the first half of the 2008–09
season, City recovered after Christmas. After winning 4–2 away at Watford
on Boxing Day, they took 13 points from five games in early 2009 to reach 8th place in the league by early February. City had a memorable away victory against Reading
which saw them jump up to their highest position of the season to 4th. After a lot of draws, the season eventually petered out and City finished the season in 10th place.
saw some good results in the Autumn, but heavy defeats to Cardiff City
(0–6) and Doncaster Rovers
(2–5) in early 2010 lead to much dissatisfaction amongst fans. On 18 March 2010, the club issued a statement that Johnson had "left his post as manager of Bristol City by mutual consent". Assistant manager Keith Millen
took charge as caretaker manager, starting well with a draw against title favourites Newcastle United and a 5–3 win against Barnsley. After that, City beat Peterborough United
1–0, which was the first time they had gone three matches unbeaten in the league since the end of October.
would become the new City manager at the end of the 2009–10
campaign, when he would start a 12-month rolling contract, and that Keith Millen, who had guided the club to Championship safety in his brief spell as caretaker manager, would remain at the club as his assistant. Coppell's first game in charge was a 1–1 friendly draw with Swedish side IFK Gothenburg. His first win as manager was an 11–1 win against Swedish fourth division side Vallens IF on the same pre-season tour.
It was announced on 12 August 2010 that Coppell had resigned as manager with immediate effect. This followed his only two competitive games at the club, a 0–3 home defeat by Millwall
in the opening game of the 2010–11 Football League Championship
and a 2–3 loss at League Two
Southend United
in the Football League Cup
.
was announced as manager of Bristol City on a three year deal after Coppell stepped down.
Bristol City parted company with manager Keith Millen on 3 October 2011. City struggled to find form at the start of the 2011–12 Championship season picking up just 6 points from 10 games. His sacking comes after their 5–0 defeat by Blackpool
on 1 October 2011. Millen's last game in charge was his heaviest loss since his appointment the previous year. The club installed Steve Wigley as caretaker manager following Millen's exit and stated that they would take their time in finding a new manager.
was appointed Bristol City manager after Keith Millen's departure. The 40-year-old joined from Scottish Premier League side St Johnstone on a contract until the summer of 2014. McInnes was highly respected at St Johnstone after his 2008/09 season triumph when St Johnstone finished at the top of the First Division taking them up into the SPL. Assisting McInnes will be Tony Docherty, who was his assistant manager at St Johnstone. McInnes arrives at Ashton Gate with a 40 per cent win percentage, with 53 victories, 41 draws and 38 defeats in his 130 games in charge at McDiarmid Park.
On 29 November 2011, the club announced a loss of £11.45 million.
Other Honours
|-
|valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Winner
!Starts
!Sub
!Total
!Goals
|-
|2004–05||
Leroy Lita
||42||2||44||24
|-
|2005–06|| Steve Brooker
||34||3||37||16
|-
|2006–07|| Phil Jevons
||31||10||41||11
|-
|2007–08||
Darren Byfield
||17||16||33||8
|-
|2008–09|| Nicky Maynard
||34||9||43||11
|-
|2009–10|| Nicky Maynard
||40||2||42||20
|-
|2010–11|| Brett Pitman
||21||18||39||13
|}
Bristol City have played in red and white since the 1890s, occasionally also including black.
The 2010–2011 season's kit is made by Adidas
(The 1st year of a 4 year deal).
. The clubs have met 105 times, with the first meeting in 1897. Bristol City have the most wins on 43. However, the clubs have not been in the same league for a number of years, and meetings have been inconsistent in the 21st Century. They were last in the same division in the 2000–01 Season. Since then, they have only met twice, in the two-legged southern final of the 2006–07 Football League Trophy
.
City's other main rivals are Cardiff City
, who play in nearby Cardiff
. Despite being a local derby, it crosses the Wales-England border, making it one of the few international derbies in the United Kingdom. Both clubs have been at similar levels over the past 10 years, except between 2003 and 2007 when Cardiff were a division above. This has meant frequent meetings in the league including in the semi-finals of the 2003 Second Division play-offs. Both clubs are currently in the championship with Cardiff winning their most recent encounter 3-1 on 14th August 2011.
Other clubs have been seen as 'third rivals' by the fans and media. Swindon Town
are seen by many as rivals, being nicknamed 'Swindle' by City fans. Plymouth Argyle
have also been considered rivals despite a distance of over 100 miles. The rivalry has developed in recent years as the two clubs were the highest ranking West Country
clubs for a number of years, and meetings were seen as a decider of the 'Best in the west'. Swansea City and even Yeovil Town
have previously been mentioned as rivals, but very rarely.
|-
!Period
!Kit Supplier
!Kit Sponsor
|-
|1976–1981
||Umbro
||None
|-
|1981–1982
|rowspan=2|Coffer Sports
||Park Furnishers
|-
|Feb 1982
|rowspan=4|Hire-Rite
|-
|1982–1983
||Lynx
|-
|Aug–Dec 1983
||Umbro
|-
|Dec 1983–1990
|rowspan=2|Bukta
|-
|1990–1992
|rowspan=2|Thorn Security
|-
|1992–1993
|rowspan=3|Nibor
|-
|1993–1994
||Dry Blackthorn Cider
|-
|1994–1996
||Auto Windscreens
|-
|1996–1997
|rowspan=2|Lotto
|rowspan=3|Sanderson
|-
|1997–1998
|-
|1998–1999
|rowspan=2|Uhlsport
|-
|1999–2000
|rowspan=6|DAS
|-
|2000–2001
|rowspan=2|Admiral
|-
|2001–2002
|-
|2002–2003
|rowspan=4|TFG Sports
|-
|2003–2004
|-
|2004–2005
|-
|2005–2006
|rowspan=3|Bristol Trade Centre
|-
|2006–2007
|rowspan=4|Puma
|-
|2007–2008
|-
|2008–2009
|rowspan=3|DAS
|-
|2009–2010
|-
|2010–2011
|rowspan=2|Adidas
|-
|2011–2012
|| RSG (Home)
Bristol City Community Trust (Away)
|}
|-
! style="background:silver;"|Position
! style="background:silver;"|Name
! style="background:silver;"|Nationality
|- style="background:#eee;"
|Manager: || Derek McInnes
||
Kingdom of Scotland Scottish
|-
|Assistant Manager: ||Tony Docherty
|| Kingdom of Scotland Scottish
|-
|Under 21 Coach: ||Gary Owers
|| Kingdom of England English
|-
|Head of Recruitment: ||Russ Richardson|| Kingdom of England English
|-
|Goalkeeping Coach: ||Stuart Naylor
|| Kingdom of England English
|-
|First Team Physio: ||Nick Dawes|| Kingdom of England English
|-
|Academy Director: ||John Clayton|| Kingdom of Scotland Scottish
|}
(vice-captain)
Kingdom of England England
Kingdom of Scotland Scotland
Wales Wales
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland
Canada Canada
Australia Australia
Barbados Barbados
Bermuda Bermuda
Brazil Brazil
Germany Germany
Jamaica Jamaica
Netherlands Netherlands
Nigeria Nigeria
Costa Rica Costa Rica
Poland Poland
|-
!Name
!Period
|-
|
England Sam Hollis
|1897–1899
|-
| England Robert Campbell
|1899–1901
|-
| England Sam Hollis
|1901–1905
|-
| England Harry Thickett
|1905–1910
|-
| England Frank Bacon
|1910–1911
|-
| England Sam Hollis
|1911–1913
|-
| England George Hedley
|1913–1917
|-
| England Jack Hamilton
|1917–1919
|-
| England Joe Palmer
|1919–1921
|-
|
Scotland Alex Raisbeck
|1921–1929
|-
| England Joe Bradshaw
|1929–1932
|-
| England Bob Hewison
|1932–1949
|-
| England Bob Wright
|1949–1950
|-
| England Pat Beasley
|1950–1958
|-
| Northern Ireland Peter Doherty
|1958–1960
|-
| England Fred Ford
|1960–1967
|-
| England Alan Dicks
|1967–1980
|-
| England Bobby Houghton
|1980–1982
|-
| England Roy Hodgson
|1982
|-
| England Terry Cooper
|1982–1988
|-
| Scotland Joe Jordan
|1988–1990
|-
| England Jimmy Lumsden
|1990–1992
|-
| England Denis Smith
|1992–1993
|-
| England Russell Osman
|1993–1994
|-
| Scotland Joe Jordan
|1994–1997
|-
| England John Ward
|1997–1998
|-
|
Sweden Benny Lennartsson
|1998–1999
|-
| Wales Tony Pulis
|1999
|-
| England Tony Fawthrop & David Burnside
|2000
|-
| Northern Ireland Danny Wilson
|2000–2004
|-
| England Brian Tinnion
|2004–2005
|-
| England Gary Johnson
|2005–2010
|-
| England Steve Coppell
|2010
|-
| England Keith Millen
|2010–2011
|-
| Scotland Derek McInnes
|2011–present
|}
. The ground has an all-seated capacity of about 21,500, with an effective capacity (depending on how many away tickets are allocated, and how they are segregated) of around 19,100. It was the home of Bedminster
until the 1900 merger, and the merged team played some games there the following season, but it did not become the permanent home of Bristol City until 1904.
In the past plans were considered for expansion work to be carried out at Ashton Gate. There were also proposals to build a new 36,000-seat stadium at Hengrove Park
. This was turned down in a local referendum in December 2000. In 2002, the local council was looking at possible sites for a new 40,000-seat stadium which would house both City, Rovers
and Bristol Rugby
, but these plans were scrapped and it is widely accepted that this would not have been welcomed by the majority of supporters from all clubs. Ashton Gate's current capacity is an average size for Championship
grounds, however in November 2007 the club announced plans to relocate to a new 30,000 capacity stadium
in Ashton Vale plans were also in place to increase capacity to 42,000 had the England 2018 World Cup bid been successful.
As well as football, Ashton Gate has played host to many major music concerts in recent years, including those of The Rolling Stones
, Rod Stewart
, Bryan Adams
, Elton John
, Neil Diamond
, The Who
, Ronan Keating
, Meat Loaf
, Bon Jovi
and Westlife
.
in 1994 and winning promotion to the Premier League
in 2004. Following the decision by the FA to fund only one centre of excellence in Bristol, the two senior teams were disbanded in June 2008 and the girls youth side merged with the Bristol Academy for girls at Filton College
. The majority of the senior players, with coach Wayne Roberts, moved to the University of Bath in summer 2008 and now play as AFC TeamBath Ladies in the South West Combination Women's Football League
.
|-
!#
!Name
!Career
!Appearances
|-
|1
|align="left"| England John Atyeo
|1951–1966
|645
|-
|2
|align="left"| England Louis Carey
|1995–2004; 2005–present
|606
|-
|3
|align="left"| England Trevor Tainton
|1967–1982
|581
|-
|4
|align="left"| England Brian Tinnion
|1993–2005
|551
|-
|5
|align="left"| Scotland Tom Ritchie
|1972–1981; 1983–1985
|504
|-
|6
|align="left"| Scotland Gerry Sweeney
|1971–1981
|490
|-
|7
|align="left"| England Rob Newman
|1981–1991
|483
|-
|8
|align="left"| Scotland Gerry Gow
|1969–1981
|445
|-
|9
|align="left"| England Geoff Merrick
|1967–1982
|433
|-
|10
|align="left"| Scotland Scott Murray
|1997–2003; 2004–2009
|427
|}
Most club appearances including substitute appearances in all competitions (excluding Gloucestershire Cup). Updated 7 October 2011.
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England (the other being arch rivals Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
). They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City. They were promoted to the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
in the 2006–07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
season after finishing second in League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
but failed to make a second consecutive promotion to the Premier League after they were defeated by Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
in the Championship Play-Offs.
Bristol City won the Welsh Cup
Welsh Cup
The Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
– despite being an English team – in 1934. In 1907 they finished runners-up in Football League Division One, which is their highest-ever final position.
In 1982, Bristol City became the first English team to suffer three consecutive relegations but by 1990 they were back in the old Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. Another relegation followed in 1995, when City finished second from bottom in the new Endsleigh League Division One and a return to that division three years later lasted just one season. Most of their seasons between 1999 and 2006 were spent challenging for promotion in the upper half of the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
.
The club's nickname is "The Robins", and a robin
European Robin
The European Robin , most commonly known in Anglophone Europe simply as the Robin, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family , but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher...
featured on the club's badge
Badge
A badge is a device or fashion accessory, often containing the insignia of an organization, which is presented or displayed to indicate some feat of service, a special accomplishment, a symbol of authority granted by taking an oath , a sign of legitimate employment or student status, or as a simple...
from 1976 to 1994. Official club merchandise, including replica kits, still has a label showing a robin. An attempt by the club to alter the club's badge was abandoned after the club was criticised fiercely by fans.
Bristol City currently play at Ashton Gate stadium in the Ashton/Bedminster area of the city of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, which has an all-seater capacity of 21,497. Bristol had been chosen as a host city for the 2018 World Cup, but England were not awarded host nation status. Bristol City plan to build a new 30,000 capacity stadium at Ashton Vale, to be completed in time for the 2012–13 season. The club is affiliated to the Somerset County FA and Gloucestershire County FA.
Early years and early successes (1897–1911)
The club was founded in 1897, when Bristol South End turned professional and changed its name to Bristol City, and were admitted into the Southern LeagueSouthern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
, finishing as runners-up in three of the first four seasons. In 1900 the club merged with local rivals Bedminster
Bedminster F.C.
Bedminster F.C. was an English football club based in Bristol. The club was established in 1887 as Southville and played at Ashton Gate. They were founder members of the Bristol & District League in 1892, which became the Western League in 1895...
, who had been founded as Southville in 1887. The side joined the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
in 1901 and were the only non-London League side south of Birmingham until 1920. Their first game in the Football League was against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
at Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
on 7 September 1901. City won 2–0.
They first entered Division One in 1906 as Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
champions, and as newcomers became known as the "Bristol Babies", a nickname that would last into the thirties. They were runners-up to Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in their first season in the top flight, and in 1909 reached the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
final, where they were beaten by Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
at the Crystal Palace in London. But these achievements were not consistent, and in 1911 City were relegated back to the Second Division. They have not repeated the heights of the 1906–1909 era since, and did not even return to the top flight for 65 years.
The yo-yo era (1912–65)
The 1920s were a rocky time as City bounced between the Second Division and the Southern Section of the Third Division. By the 1930s they had slumped into the lower division, and stayed that way until the Second World War. Harry DolmanHarry Dolman
H J "Harry" Dolman OBE was a well-known Bristol businessman, starting off as an engineer who later bought out the firm he worked for, Brecknell, Dolman & Rogers Ltd. and as chairman and president of Bristol City FC.-Early life:Harry Dolman was born in Kington Langley near Chippenham, Wiltshire...
became chairman in 1949, a post he would hold for over 30 years. An engineer who had bought out the firm he worked for, he designed the first set of floodlights installed at Ashton Gate in the early 1950s. The late 1950s were a better time for City, with a five year stay in the Second Division, a league they returned to for a further spell in 1965.
Back among the elite (1966–80)
In 1967, Alan DicksAlan Dicks
Alan Dicks is a retired English footballer and football manager. He managed Bristol City for thirteen years and managed clubs in five countries on three continents....
was appointed manager, and things gradually began to improve,with promotion to the First Division finally being achieved in 1976, ending a 65-year exile from the top flight.
City's second stint in the top flight was less successful and memorable than the club's first, with 13th position in 1979 being their highest finish during this era. Stars of this era included Geoff Merrick
Geoff Merrick
Geoff Merrick is an English former professional footballer who played as a central defender, making over 300 career appearances.-Career:Born in Bristol, Merrick played for Bristol City and Caroline Hill.-References:...
, Tom Ritchie
Tom Ritchie
Tom Ritchie is a Scottish footballer who played as a striker, most notably for Bristol City.Ritchie signed from Bridgend Thistle in 1972 and established himself in the Bristol City attack, playing a key role in the club's rise to the First Division by 1976...
, Clive Whitehead
Clive Whitehead
Clive Whitehead is an English former footballer.-Career:Whitehead was born in Bordesley Green, Birmingham. He played for Bordesley Green Boys and Northfield Juniors during his youth and had a trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1971. In March 1973 he joined Bristol City and turned professional...
, Gerry Gow
Gerry Gow
Gerry Gow is a former footballer who played for Bristol City in the 1970s, making 375 appearances for them in The Football League....
, Trevor Tainton
Trevor Tainton
Trevor Keith Tainton is a former footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League between the 1960s and 1980s for Bristol City....
and Jimmy Mann
Jimmy Mann (footballer)
Jimmy Mann is an English former footballer.Mann began his career at Leeds United but failed to establish a regular place in the first team. He joined Bristol City in 1974 and gained renown as a skillful attacking midfielder who played a role in the Robins' promotion to the First Division under...
.
Decline and financial ruin (1980–82)
In 1980, the City team went back to the Second Division in the first of three relegations, their debt mounted and their financial losses increased, with two successive relegations following. Thus, in 1982, they both fell into the Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
, and were declared bankrupt. BCFC (1982) Ltd acquired the club's player contracts, and the highly-paid senior players Julian Marshall, Chris Garland
Chris Garland
Christopher "Chris" Garland is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Bristol City, Chelsea and Leicester City between the 1960s and 1980s. He was capped once by England at under-23 level....
, Jimmy Mann
Jimmy Mann (footballer)
Jimmy Mann is an English former footballer.Mann began his career at Leeds United but failed to establish a regular place in the first team. He joined Bristol City in 1974 and gained renown as a skillful attacking midfielder who played a role in the Robins' promotion to the First Division under...
, Peter Aitken
Peter Aitken
Peter Gerald Aitken is a Welsh former footballer who played nearly 300 games in the Football League.Aitken began his career as an apprentice with Bristol Rovers, making his debut in the 1972–73 season...
, Geoff Merrick
Geoff Merrick
Geoff Merrick is an English former professional footballer who played as a central defender, making over 300 career appearances.-Career:Born in Bristol, Merrick played for Bristol City and Caroline Hill.-References:...
, David Rodgers, Gerry Sweeney
Gerry Sweeney
Gerry Sweeney is a Scottish former footballer and manager. Sweeney spent the majority of his time in football with Bristol City.-Playing career:...
and Trevor Tainton
Trevor Tainton
Trevor Keith Tainton is a former footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League between the 1960s and 1980s for Bristol City....
, who became known as the 'Ashton Gate Eight', each accepted termination of his contract for half the amount due to him.
Revival (1982–90)
City spent two seasons in the Fourth Division before winning promotion under Terry Cooper in 1984. They consolidated themselves in the Third Division during the later part of the 1980s, and in 1990 Cooper's successor Joe JordanJoe Jordan (footballer)
Joseph "Joe" Jordan is a Scottish football coach and former player and manager. He is currently first team coach for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, under manager Harry Redknapp....
achieved promotion as Third Division runners-up.
There was a tragedy for the club, however, in that promotion campaign
1989-90 in English football
-European competitions:English clubs were still banned from competing in European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.- First Division :...
. In March 1990, two months before the club sealed promotion, striker Dean Horrix
Dean Horrix
Dean Horrix , was an English footballer.He joined Millwall as a striker and made 65 league appearances plus 7 as substitute, scoring 19 goals. He was sold to Gillingham in 1983 and joined Reading later the same year. He formed a successful striking partnership with Trevor Senior and was very...
was killed in a car crash barely two weeks after joining the club, and having played three league games for them.
Back in the second tier (1990–95)
Jordan moved to Heart of MidlothianHeart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
in September 1990, and his successor Jimmy Lumsden
Jimmy Lumsden
James "Jimmy" Lumsden is a Scottish former association football player and current football manager.-Playing career:...
remained in charge for 18 months before making way for Denis Smith. Smith's first signing was the 20-year-old Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
striker Andy Cole
Andy Cole
Andrew Alexander Cole is a retired English footballer. He is most well known by the name Andy Cole , but in 2000, he reputedly asked to be known as Andrew Cole...
, who was an instant hit with fans and quickly established himself as one of the finest goalscoring talents ever to wear a Bristol City shirt. But he was sold to Newcastle United in February 1993 and later established himself as a world class goalscorer, most prominently with Manchester United, where he collected five Premier League titles, two FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
s and the European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
.
Meanwhile, City remained in the new Division One
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
(no longer the Second Division after the creation of the Premier League in 1992) and Smith moved to Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
in November 1993. His successor Russell Osman
Russell Osman
Russell Charles Osman is a retired England international footballer.-Playing career:Osman was born in Repton, Derbyshire, the son of Rex Osman who played a handful of games for Derby County in the early 1950s...
was sacked within a year, being a very unpopular figure with fans. One of Osman's few successful moments with City came in January 1994 when he led them to a shock 1–0 victory over Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in the third round of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
.
Joe Jordan was brought back to Ashton Gate in September 1994, but was unable to prevent relegation to Division Two.
Promotion and relegation (1995–2000)
Jordan remained at the helm for two seasons after City's relegation, but left in June 1997 after failing to get them back into Division One. Former Bristol Rovers manager John Ward took over, and achieved promotion in 1998 as Division Two runners-up. But City struggled back in Division One, and Ward stepped down in October 1998 to be succeeded by Benny LennartssonBenny Lennartsson
Benny Lennartsson is a Swedish football coach.He has managed Örebro SK, Lyngby FC and Bristol City among others.-References:...
. City were relegated in bottom place and Lennartsson was dismissed in favour of Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
's Tony Pulis
Tony Pulis
Anthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
, who lasted six months before leaving to take over at Portsmouth. During his time at Ashton Gate he was manager of perhaps the worst City side since the one that completed a hat-trick of successive relegations almost 20 years earlier. Coach Tony Fawthrop took over until the end of the season, when Danny Wilson was appointed. Wilson was arguably the most prominent manager to take charge of a City side since Denis Smith, as he had guided Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
to promotion to the Premier League in 1997 and Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
to a 12th place finish in 1999.
The Danny Wilson era (2000–04)
City were regular Division Two playoff contenders during Wilson's spell as manager. City failed to reach them in 2002, although Wilson almost took them to automatic promotion, and winning the Football League TrophyFootball League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
in Cardiff in 2003. The taste of the play-offs was bitter though, losing to rivals Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
1–0 on aggregate in the semi-final. In his final year – 2004 – they reached the final, but lost to Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
. He was sacked within days and replaced by veteran player Brian Tinnion
Brian Tinnion
Brian Tinnion is a British former footballer and ex-manager. He made over 450 appearances for Bristol City, including a spell as player-manager...
.
Disappointment under Brian Tinnion (2004–05)
City just failed to make the playoffs in Tinnion's first season as manager, finishing seventh, and he stepped down in September 2005 after a poor start to the season culminating in a 7–1 defeat at the hands of Swansea CitySwansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
. City's form had slumped despite the addition of high profile players including Marcus Stewart
Marcus Stewart
William Marcus Paul Tubb) known as Marcus Stewart is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward from 1991 until 2011...
and Michael Bridges
Michael Bridges
Michael Bridges is an English football striker who currently plays for A-League club, Newcastle Jets. Bridge has previously played over 200 Premier League games.-Sunderland:...
. Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
manager Gary Johnson
Gary Johnson (footballer)
Gary Johnson is an English football manager and former player. He was most recently the manager of Npower League Two's Northampton Town....
was recruited as his successor.
Revival and promotion under Gary Johnson (September 2005 – May 2007)
Louis Carey
Louis Anthony Carey is a central defender currently playing for Bristol City. Though born in England, Carey is eligible to play for Scotland at international level through his grandparents, and has played once for Scotland's under-21 team.-Bristol City:Carey is a self-proclaimed Bristol City...
scored a brace. This was City's most emphatic league win since beating Charlton by the same score in September 1969, and was an encouraging sign of things to come, although they did not quite make playoffs in 2006.
Despite a slow start to the following season
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
, which saw a vocal minority of fans calling for Johnson to be sacked after a 4–2 home defeat by Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
(who were eventually also promoted), City were in the top six of League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
by November and at the end of the month began an 11-match unbeaten run which drove them to the top of the division. They also hit the headlines with an impressive FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
run, being knocked out in the 4th round on penalties after a replay in which they held Premiership side Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
to a 2–2 draw in both ties. They knocked out Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
in the 3rd round. They also reached the Southern Area Final of the Football League Trophy, but were knocked out over two legs by local rivals Bristol Rovers after a 0–0 draw at Ashton Gate and a Rickie Lambert goal condemned the Robins to a 1–0 aggregate defeat in the second leg. Promotion to the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
was confirmed on the final day of the season with a 3–1 win over doomed Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
. David Noble scored two goals and Alex Russell
Alex Russell
Alexander John Russell is an English professional footballer currently plays for Conference National side Bath City. He plays as a central midfielder...
scored once, securing runners-up place in the division and resulting in automatic promotion and joyous scenes of celebration in the city and even more so on the pitch at the full time whistle. 2007–08
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
is the first season in almost a decade that has seen Bristol City playing at this level of English football.
The Championship challenge (2007–08 – 2008–09)
In the summer between City's promotion and the start of the Championship season, Gary Johnson made a number of signings. However their pre-season form did not start well, losing 4–2 to Forest Green RoversForest Green Rovers F.C.
Forest Green Rovers Football Club is an English football club based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, currently the longest-serving members of the Conference National. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.-Early years:...
. However City got off to a good start going unbeaten for a number of matches and briefly topping the Championship after beating Coventry City 3–0. City then suffered a slight blip after losing 3–0 to Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
before beating a variety of big name teams including Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
live on Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
and Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
. In November, City's form dipped and they endured a run of 4 games without a win, including a 6–0 thrashing at the hands of Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
. In December, City's form picked up again and went unbeaten all the way to Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
when they lost to West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
4–1.
After a stop start run of form including victories over Blackpool and Coventry City and losses to Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
and Crystal Palace, City went top of the Championship on 1 March, after a 2–1 home victory over Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
. After some indifferent results City went back to the top after a last gasp winner from Steve Brooker
Steve Brooker
Stephen Michael "Steve" Brooker is an English football striker. In a twelve years professional career he has scored 86 goals in 294 games....
, who was just returning from injury, in a 2–1 win over Norwich City. However a poor run ended City's chances of an automatic promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
place. On 4 May 2008, a 3–0 home win against Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
on the final day of the league season ensured a play-off place and a semi-final fixture against Crystal Palace. On 13 May 2008, a 4–2 aggregate win over Crystal Palace with goals from Lee Trundle
Lee Trundle
Lee Christopher Trundle is an English footballer who currently plays for Neath.-Career:Trundle was a late entrant into professional and league football, playing for non-league teams Burscough, Stalybridge Celtic, Southport, Bamber Bridge and Chorley before joining Welsh Premier League club Rhyl in...
and Michael McIndoe
Michael McIndoe
Michael McIndoe is a Scottish professional footballer who is currently a free agent after he was released by Coventry City in June 2011 His position is left midfield.-Club career:...
confirmed City's trip to Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, where they were beaten 1–0 by Hull City.
After a poor start in the first half of the 2008–09
2008–09 in English football
The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while...
season, City recovered after Christmas. After winning 4–2 away at Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
on Boxing Day, they took 13 points from five games in early 2009 to reach 8th place in the league by early February. City had a memorable away victory against Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
which saw them jump up to their highest position of the season to 4th. After a lot of draws, the season eventually petered out and City finished the season in 10th place.
End of the Johnson era (2009–10)
The 2009–10 season2009–10 in English football
The 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League...
saw some good results in the Autumn, but heavy defeats to Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
(0–6) and Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
(2–5) in early 2010 lead to much dissatisfaction amongst fans. On 18 March 2010, the club issued a statement that Johnson had "left his post as manager of Bristol City by mutual consent". Assistant manager Keith Millen
Keith Millen
-External links:...
took charge as caretaker manager, starting well with a draw against title favourites Newcastle United and a 5–3 win against Barnsley. After that, City beat Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
1–0, which was the first time they had gone three matches unbeaten in the league since the end of October.
Steve Coppell enigma (2010)
In a brief press conference on 22 April 2010, it was announced that former Reading manager Steve CoppellSteve Coppell
Stephen James "Steve" Coppell is an English former footballer and manager, currently without a club.As a player, he was a highly regarded right winger known for his speed and work rate. He won domestic honours with Manchester United and represented England at the World Cup...
would become the new City manager at the end of the 2009–10
2009–10 in English football
The 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League...
campaign, when he would start a 12-month rolling contract, and that Keith Millen, who had guided the club to Championship safety in his brief spell as caretaker manager, would remain at the club as his assistant. Coppell's first game in charge was a 1–1 friendly draw with Swedish side IFK Gothenburg. His first win as manager was an 11–1 win against Swedish fourth division side Vallens IF on the same pre-season tour.
It was announced on 12 August 2010 that Coppell had resigned as manager with immediate effect. This followed his only two competitive games at the club, a 0–3 home defeat by Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
in the opening game of the 2010–11 Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
and a 2–3 loss at League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
in the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
.
Keith Millen (2010 – October 2011)
Keith MillenKeith Millen
-External links:...
was announced as manager of Bristol City on a three year deal after Coppell stepped down.
Bristol City parted company with manager Keith Millen on 3 October 2011. City struggled to find form at the start of the 2011–12 Championship season picking up just 6 points from 10 games. His sacking comes after their 5–0 defeat by Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
on 1 October 2011. Millen's last game in charge was his heaviest loss since his appointment the previous year. The club installed Steve Wigley as caretaker manager following Millen's exit and stated that they would take their time in finding a new manager.
The Derek McInnes Revival
On Wednesday, 19 October 2011, Scotsman Derek McInnesDerek McInnes
Derek John McInnes is a former Scottish football player and current manager of Bristol City. McInnes featured prominently for Greenock Morton, Rangers, West Bromwich Albion and Dundee United during his playing career. He won two caps for the Scotland national football team while with West...
was appointed Bristol City manager after Keith Millen's departure. The 40-year-old joined from Scottish Premier League side St Johnstone on a contract until the summer of 2014. McInnes was highly respected at St Johnstone after his 2008/09 season triumph when St Johnstone finished at the top of the First Division taking them up into the SPL. Assisting McInnes will be Tony Docherty, who was his assistant manager at St Johnstone. McInnes arrives at Ashton Gate with a 40 per cent win percentage, with 53 victories, 41 draws and 38 defeats in his 130 games in charge at McDiarmid Park.
On 29 November 2011, the club announced a loss of £11.45 million.
Honours
Football League Honours- The Football LeagueThe Football LeagueThe Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
(Premier League) runners-up: 1906–071906-07 in English footballThe 1906–07 season was the 36th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:-First Division:-Second Division:P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GA = Goal average; Pts = PointsReferences...
- Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
(Football League ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
) champions: 1905–061905-06 in English footballThe 1905–06 season was the 35th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Following the increase in size of the Football League from 36 clubs to 40, and with Doncaster Rovers having been relegated from the Second Division, four new clubs were elected into the league, along with Stockport...
, runners-up: 1975–761975-76 in English footballThe 1975–76 season was the 96th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won their first major trophy under Bob Paisley by narrowly winning the league title after heated competition from Queens Park Rangers. They also lifted the UEFA Cup for the second time in their...
- Third Division SouthFootball League Third Division SouthThe Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
(Football League OneFootball League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
) champions: 1922–231922-23 in English footballThe 1922–23 season was the 48th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Liverpool retained the First Division title, but halfway through the season their manager David Ashworth left the club to take over at Oldham Athletic, who ended the season relegated.-Honours:Notes = Number in...
, 1926–271926-27 in English footballThe 1926–27 season was the 52nd season of competitive football in England.-Events:This was the season in which George Camsell scored an astounding 59 goals in 37 league appearances for Middlesbrough-Honours:...
, 1954–551954-55 in English footballThe 1954–1955 season was the 75th season of competitive football in England, from August 1954 to May 1955:-Overview:* Chelsea win the League Championship for the first time.* Newcastle United win the FA Cup....
- Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
(Football League OneFootball League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
) runners-up: 1964–651964-65 in English footballThe 1964–65 season was the 85th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* After a three-way tussle for the League title between Manchester United, Leeds United and Chelsea, Manchester United came out on top and were crowned champions....
, 1989–901989-90 in English football-European competitions:English clubs were still banned from competing in European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.- First Division :...
- Football League OneFootball League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
runners-up: 1997–981997-98 in English footballThe 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title...
, 2006–072006-07 in English footballThe 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
finalists: 19091909 FA Cup FinalThe 1909 FA Cup Final was the final match of the 1908–09 FA Cup, the 38th season of England's premier club football cup competition. The match was played on 24 April 1909 at Crystal Palace, and was contested by Manchester United and Bristol City, both of the First Division. Manchester United won by...
- League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
semi-finalists: 1970–711970-71 in English footballThe 1970–71 season was the 91st season of competitive football in England.-First Division:Arsenal won the league championship at the end of a season which would soon be followed by their FA Cup final tie with Liverpool. Arsenal secured the league title at White Hart Lane, the home of bitter rivals...
, 1988–891988-89 in English footballThe 1988–89 season was the 109th season of competitive football in England.-Hillsborough disaster:On 15 April, a crowd crush at the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough killed 94 people and injured more than 300. A 95th Liverpool supporter died in hospital...
- Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
winners: 1985–861985-86 in English footballThe 1985–86 season was the 106th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The championship crown went to Liverpool for the 16th time in their history at the end of their first season under the management of Kenny Dalglish, but they had to fight off some very stiff competition to...
, 2002–032002-03 in English footballThe 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Most Memorable rise:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time.-Most Memorable...
, finalists: 1986–871986-87 in English footballThe 1986–87 season was the 107th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The First Division championship went to Everton in their final season under the management of Howard Kendall before his departure to Athletic Bilbao. His side overcame a spate of injuries to fight off...
, 1999-00
Other Honours
- Welsh CupWelsh CupThe Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
winners: 1933–341933-34 in English footballThe 1933–34 season was the 59th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
- Anglo-Scottish CupAnglo-Scottish CupThe Anglo-Scottish Cup was a tournament arranged for teams in the English and Scottish football leagues during the summer for several years during the 1970s...
winners: 1977–781977-78 in English footballThe 1977–1978 season was the 98th season of competitive football in England, from August 1977 to May 1978:-First Division:Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest side took on the First Division by storm, by winning the League Cup on 22 March and confirming themselves as league champions the following month...
Player of the season
|
Young Player of the season
|
Top League Scorer
{||-
|valign="top"|
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Winner
!Starts
!Sub
!Total
!Goals
|-
|2004–05||
Leroy LitaLeroy Lita
Leroy Halirou Bohari Lita , is a Congolese-born English footballer who plays for Swansea City. Lita was a product of the Chelsea youth system. He failed to play for Chelsea, and moved to Bristol City and Reading, where his form helped him earn a place with the England under-21 side...
||42||2||44||24
|-
|2005–06||
Steve BrookerSteve Brooker
Stephen Michael "Steve" Brooker is an English football striker. In a twelve years professional career he has scored 86 goals in 294 games....
||34||3||37||16
|-
|2006–07||
Phil JevonsPhil Jevons
Phillip "Phil" Jevons is an English football player who currently plays for Football League Two side Morecambe. He is notably remembered for scoring a last minute 45 yard extra time winning goal for Grimsby Town against his home town club Liverpool in the third round of the League Cup in 2001...
||31||10||41||11
|-
|2007–08||
Darren ByfieldDarren Byfield
Darren Asherton Byfield is an English-born professional footballer of Jamaican descent who played for Walsall. His predominant position is as a forward.-Career:...
||17||16||33||8
|-
|2008–09||
Nicky MaynardNicky Maynard
Nicholas David "Nicky" Maynard is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bristol City.-Crewe Alexandra:...
||34||9||43||11
|-
|2009–10||
Nicky MaynardNicky Maynard
Nicholas David "Nicky" Maynard is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bristol City.-Crewe Alexandra:...
||40||2||42||20
|-
|2010–11||
Brett PitmanBrett Pitman
Brett Douglas Pitman is a Jersey-born footballer who plays for Bristol City. He signed for Bournemouth as a 16 year-old after being spotted playing for Jersey league side St. Pauls and went on to become a regular in the Bournemouth first team. In August 2010, he moved to Championship side Bristol...
||21||18||39||13
|}
Colours, crest, mascot & anthem
The 2010–2011 season's kit is made by Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
(The 1st year of a 4 year deal).
- The club's crest is a simplified version of the coat of armsCoat of armsA coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of the city of Bristol. - The club's mascot is Scrumpy the RobinEuropean RobinThe European Robin , most commonly known in Anglophone Europe simply as the Robin, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family , but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher...
who has been the club's mascot since 2005. - The club's official anthem is One For The Bristol City by The WurzelsThe WurzelsThe Wurzels are a British Scrumpy and Western band...
. First released in 1976, it is the tune the team run out to at home matches. A newly-recorded version of the song reached number 66 in the UK charts in September 2007.
Rivalries
Bristol City's traditional and biggest rivals are Bristol RoversBristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
. The clubs have met 105 times, with the first meeting in 1897. Bristol City have the most wins on 43. However, the clubs have not been in the same league for a number of years, and meetings have been inconsistent in the 21st Century. They were last in the same division in the 2000–01 Season. Since then, they have only met twice, in the two-legged southern final of the 2006–07 Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
.
City's other main rivals are Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
, who play in nearby Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. Despite being a local derby, it crosses the Wales-England border, making it one of the few international derbies in the United Kingdom. Both clubs have been at similar levels over the past 10 years, except between 2003 and 2007 when Cardiff were a division above. This has meant frequent meetings in the league including in the semi-finals of the 2003 Second Division play-offs. Both clubs are currently in the championship with Cardiff winning their most recent encounter 3-1 on 14th August 2011.
Other clubs have been seen as 'third rivals' by the fans and media. Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
are seen by many as rivals, being nicknamed 'Swindle' by City fans. Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
have also been considered rivals despite a distance of over 100 miles. The rivalry has developed in recent years as the two clubs were the highest ranking West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
clubs for a number of years, and meetings were seen as a decider of the 'Best in the west'. Swansea City and even Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
have previously been mentioned as rivals, but very rarely.
Shirt sponsors
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"|-
!Period
!Kit Supplier
!Kit Sponsor
|-
|1976–1981
||Umbro
Umbro
Umbro is an English sportswear and football equipment supplier based in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England. The company is now part of Nike. Umbro designs, sources, and markets sport-related apparel, footwear, and equipment...
||None
|-
|1981–1982
|rowspan=2|Coffer Sports
||Park Furnishers
|-
|Feb 1982
|rowspan=4|Hire-Rite
|-
|1982–1983
||Lynx
|-
|Aug–Dec 1983
||Umbro
Umbro
Umbro is an English sportswear and football equipment supplier based in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England. The company is now part of Nike. Umbro designs, sources, and markets sport-related apparel, footwear, and equipment...
|-
|Dec 1983–1990
|rowspan=2|Bukta
Bukta
- History :Edward Buck and Sons founded the company in 1879, mainly producing shorts for soldiers fighting in the Boer Wars. In 1884 football team Nottingham Forest were pictured wearing kit produced by Bukta....
|-
|1990–1992
|rowspan=2|Thorn Security
|-
|1992–1993
|rowspan=3|Nibor
|-
|1993–1994
||Dry Blackthorn Cider
|-
|1994–1996
||Auto Windscreens
|-
|1996–1997
|rowspan=2|Lotto
Lotto Sport Italia
Lotto Sport Italia is an Italian sports apparel manufacturer. Its products are now distributed in more than 60 countries.-History:Lotto was established in 1973 by the Caberlotto family in Montebelluna, northern Italy, the world centre of footwear manufacturing. In June 1973, Lotto made its debut...
|rowspan=3|Sanderson
|-
|1997–1998
|-
|1998–1999
|rowspan=2|Uhlsport
Uhlsport
Uhlsport is a manufacturer of football equipment. Based in Germany and founded in 1948, the company's products include goalkeeper gloves, football boots, shin pads, footballs, training clothes, and kits....
|-
|1999–2000
|rowspan=6|DAS
|-
|2000–2001
|rowspan=2|Admiral
|-
|2001–2002
|-
|2002–2003
|rowspan=4|TFG Sports
|-
|2003–2004
|-
|2004–2005
|-
|2005–2006
|rowspan=3|Bristol Trade Centre
|-
|2006–2007
|rowspan=4|Puma
|-
|2007–2008
|-
|2008–2009
|rowspan=3|DAS
|-
|2009–2010
|-
|2010–2011
|rowspan=2|Adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
|-
|2011–2012
|| RSG (Home)
Bristol City Community Trust (Away)
|}
Current management
{| class="toccolours"|-
! style="background:silver;"|Position
! style="background:silver;"|Name
! style="background:silver;"|Nationality
|- style="background:#eee;"
|Manager: || Derek McInnes
Derek McInnes
Derek John McInnes is a former Scottish football player and current manager of Bristol City. McInnes featured prominently for Greenock Morton, Rangers, West Bromwich Albion and Dundee United during his playing career. He won two caps for the Scotland national football team while with West...
||
Kingdom of Scotland ScottishScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
|-
|Assistant Manager: ||Tony Docherty
Tony Docherty
Tony Docherty is a Scottish former footballer who is currently assistant manager at Bristol City.-Career:Docherty's short career began in 1987 with Dunfermline Athletic before moving to English side Cambridge United...
||
Kingdom of Scotland ScottishScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
|-
|Under 21 Coach: ||Gary Owers
Gary Owers
Gary Owers is an English former professional footballer and was previously manager of Forest Green Rovers of the Nationwide Conference as well as the Assistant Manager at League Two side Aldershot Town...
||
Kingdom of England English|-
|Head of Recruitment: ||Russ Richardson||
Kingdom of England English|-
|Goalkeeping Coach: ||Stuart Naylor
Stuart Naylor
Stuart William Naylor is an English football coach and former player.-Playing career:Naylor had a trial with Leeds United in 1977, but did not sign for the club and the following year joined Yorkshire Amateur. He signed schoolboy forms with Lincoln City in February 1979 before turning professional...
||
Kingdom of England English|-
|First Team Physio: ||Nick Dawes||
Kingdom of England English|-
|Academy Director: ||John Clayton||
Kingdom of Scotland ScottishScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
|}
First-team squad
- As of 4 November 2011.
(vice-captain)
On Loan
Notable former players
For a list of notable Bristol City players in sortable-list format see List of Bristol City F.C. players. Kingdom of England England
- John AtyeoJohn AtyeoJohn Atyeo was an English football striker who spent the majority of his career at Bristol City. He won six England caps between 1955 and 1957, scoring five goals...
- John BaileyJohn Bailey (footballer born 1957)John Bailey is a retired English professional footballer who played in the 1984 FA Cup Final with Everton.-Career:...
- Peter BeadlePeter BeadlePeter Clifford William James Beadle is an English former football player and manager. A forward, he scored some 83 goals in 355 league games, mostly for the two Bristol clubs....
- Mickey Bell
- Gus CaesarGus CaesarPogus Cassius "Gus" Caesar is an English former football player.-Youth and career at Arsenal:Born in Tottenham, London, Caesar joined Arsenal in August 1982, turning professional in February 1984...
- Paul CheesleyPaul CheesleyPaul Martyn "The Big Cheese" Cheesley is a former professional footballer.-Career:Cheesley, a striker, began his career with Norwich City, for whom he made his debut as a substitute on 17 November 1971 against Chelsea in a League Cup tie at Carrow Road...
- Andy ColeAndy ColeAndrew Alexander Cole is a retired English footballer. He is most well known by the name Andy Cole , but in 2000, he reputedly asked to be known as Andrew Cole...
- Terry Cooper
- Chris GarlandChris GarlandChristopher "Chris" Garland is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Bristol City, Chelsea and Leicester City between the 1960s and 1980s. He was capped once by England at under-23 level....
- Bobby GouldBobby GouldRobert Anthony "Bobby" Gould is an English former footballer and manager.-Playing career:Born in Coventry, Gould started his career at Coventry City, making his debut for the club whilst still an apprentice at the age of 16. He did not sign professional until June 1964...
- Norman Hunter
- Leroy LitaLeroy LitaLeroy Halirou Bohari Lita , is a Congolese-born English footballer who plays for Swansea City. Lita was a product of the Chelsea youth system. He failed to play for Chelsea, and moved to Bristol City and Reading, where his form helped him earn a place with the England under-21 side...
- Jimmy MannJimmy Mann (footballer)Jimmy Mann is an English former footballer.Mann began his career at Leeds United but failed to establish a regular place in the first team. He joined Bristol City in 1974 and gained renown as a skillful attacking midfielder who played a role in the Robins' promotion to the First Division under...
- Steve McClarenSteve McClarenStephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
- Rob NewmanRob Newman (footballer)Robert "Rob" Newman is an English football coach and former player.-Career:Newman signed for Bristol City as an apprentice in October 1981 and played 483 games for the club, serving as club captain before being sold to Norwich City for £600,000 in 1991...
- Joe RoyleJoe RoyleJoseph "Joe" Royle is an English football manager. In his club career, he played for Everton , Manchester City, Bristol City, Norwich City, and the England national team...
- Marcus StewartMarcus StewartWilliam Marcus Paul Tubb) known as Marcus Stewart is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward from 1991 until 2011...
- Bob TaylorBob Taylor (footballer)Robert Taylor , better known as Bob Taylor, is an English former footballer who played as a centre forward. Known by supporters as Super Bobby Taylor, Superbob or simply Super, Taylor scored more than 250 goals in a professional career that comprised almost 750 games in 20 years...
- Brian TinnionBrian TinnionBrian Tinnion is a British former footballer and ex-manager. He made over 450 appearances for Bristol City, including a spell as player-manager...
- Billy WedlockBilly WedlockWilliam John "Billy" Wedlock , also known as "Fatty" or the "India Rubber Man", was a footballer who played for Bristol City in 1900–01 and from 1905 until his retirement in 1921. He was a centre-half whose his short and stout stature belied his natural talent...
- Clive WhiteheadClive WhiteheadClive Whitehead is an English former footballer.-Career:Whitehead was born in Bordesley Green, Birmingham. He played for Bordesley Green Boys and Northfield Juniors during his youth and had a trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1971. In March 1973 he joined Bristol City and turned professional...
- Bradley OrrBradley OrrBradley James Orr is an English defender currently playing for Queens Park Rangers. He has played for the club since July 2010, joining for an undisclosed fee from Bristol City....
- Jamie McCombeJamie McCombeJamie Paul McCombe is an English football defender who currently plays for Huddersfield Town in Football League One, although as of 24 November 2011, he is on loan at fellow League One side Preston North End....
- Steven CaulkerSteven CaulkerSteven Roy Caulker is an English under-21 international footballer who plays as a centre back for Premier League club Swansea City on loan from Tottenham Hotspur....
- Danny Rose
Kingdom of Scotland Scotland
- Gerry GowGerry GowGerry Gow is a former footballer who played for Bristol City in the 1970s, making 375 appearances for them in The Football League....
- Peter CormackPeter CormackPeter Barr Cormack is a Scottish former professional footballer and football manager who reached his peak as a player in the first great Liverpool side of the 1970s.-Life and playing career:...
- Paul HartleyPaul HartleyPaul James Hartley is a Scottish professional footballer. He is currently player and manager at Alloa Athletic. Hartley began his career as a right winger, but was moved into a central midfield position in 2002...
- David MoyesDavid MoyesDavid William Moyes is an association football manager and former player, currently managing English Premier League club Everton. He was the 2003, 2005 and 2009 League Managers Association Manager of the Year...
- Scott MurrayScott Murray (footballer born 1974)Scott George Murray is a Scottish footballer who plays as a right winger who plays for non-league side Bath City.-Club career:...
Wales Wales
- Peter AitkenPeter AitkenPeter Gerald Aitken is a Welsh former footballer who played nearly 300 games in the Football League.Aitken began his career as an apprentice with Bristol Rovers, making his debut in the 1972–73 season...
- Mark AizlewoodMark AizlewoodMark Aizlewood is a Welsh former professional footballer and Wales international.-Playing career:Aizlewood joined his home-town club, Newport County, only leaving school in 1975. He played for Newport for three years, leaving in 1978 to join Luton Town...
- David CotterillDavid CotterillDavid Rhys George Best Cotterill is a Wales international footballer who plays for Swansea City as a winger.-Bristol City:...
- Sam VokesSam VokesSamuel Michael "Sam" Vokes is an English-born Welsh International footballer who plays as a striker. He is currently on loan at Championship side Burnley from Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers....
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland
- Tommy DohertyTommy DohertyThomas Edward Doherty is a Northern Ireland international footballer, who plays for . He previously played for Bristol City, Queens Park Rangers and Wycombe Wanderers.-Club career:...
- Ivan SprouleIvan SprouleIvan Sproule is a Northern Irish professional association football player. Sproule, a winger who is known for his explosive pace, only turned professional after he signed for Scottish Premier League side Hibernian in January 2005, just a month before his 24th birthday...
Canada Canada
- Jim BrennanJim BrennanJim Brennan is a retired Canadian soccer player. During his playing career he gained experience playing extensively in Europe and North America, most notably with Bristol City, Nottingham Forest, Norwich City and Toronto FC.He also played 49 times for the Canadian national team, was...
Australia Australia
- Paul AgostinoPaul AgostinoPaul Agostino is an retired Australian football player who played as a striker. He played the majority of his club football outside Australia, most notably with 1860 Munich in Germany for ten years...
- Luke WilkshireLuke WilkshireLuke Wilkshire is an Australian football player who plays for Dynamo Moscow in the Russian Premier League...
- Nick CarleNick CarleNicholas Alberto "Nick" Carle is an Australian football player who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for Sydney FC.- Club career :...
Barbados Barbados
- Gregory GoodridgeGregory GoodridgeGregory Ronald St Clair Goodridge is a former professional footballer.He has captained the Barbados national team and played professionally in the English Football League.-Club career:...
Bermuda Bermuda
- Shaun GoaterShaun GoaterLeonard Shaun Goater MBE is a Bermudian footballer who played as a striker for a number of English clubs in the 1990s and 2000s...
Brazil Brazil
- Adriano BassoAdriano BassoAdriano Basso is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Hull City as a goalkeeper.Basso began his playing career in his native Brazil before entering English league football with Bristol City for whom he remained for five years...
Germany Germany
- Alois EisenträgerAlois EisenträgerAlois Bernhard "Alec" Eisenträger is a former German footballer who played as an inside forward.Eisenträger moved on to Trowbridge Town and then, in 1949, to Bristol City. Thus, he was part of a professional British football team even before the famous Bert Trautmann moved to Manchester City...
Jamaica Jamaica
- Darren ByfieldDarren ByfieldDarren Asherton Byfield is an English-born professional footballer of Jamaican descent who played for Walsall. His predominant position is as a forward.-Career:...
Netherlands Netherlands
- Evander SnoEvander SnoEvander Sno is a Dutch footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Eredivisie club RKC Waalwijk. He has also featured for the Dutch under-21 and under-23 international teams. Sno typically plays in a defensive midfield role, but was utilised in nine different field positions...
Nigeria Nigeria
- Ade AkinbiyiAde AkinbiyiAdeola Peter Oluwatoyin "Ade" Akinbiyi is a professional footballer.Akinbiyi has had a much-travelled career with many different clubs with transfer fees totalling more than £11.5 million during his career, including being Leicester City's record signing .Born in England, Akinbiyi qualifies to...
- Dele AdebolaDele AdebolaBamberdele "Dele" Adebola is a Nigerian footballer, who plays as a striker for Hull City.-Early life:...
- Enoch ShowunmiEnoch ShowunmiEnoch Olusesan Showunmi a footballer who currently plays for Tranmere Rovers. He plays as a striker. Born in England, he played for Nigeria at international level and won two caps for the team.-Pre-football:...
Costa Rica Costa Rica
- Álvaro SaboríoÁlvaro SaboríoÁlvaro Alberto Saborío Chacón is a Costa Rican footballer, who currently plays for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer and the Costa Rica national football team.-Deportivo Saprissa:...
Poland Poland
- Dariusz DziekanowskiDariusz DziekanowskiDariusz Paweł Dziekanowski is a Polish football trainer and former player. He started his career at Polonia Warsaw, between 1973–79, throughout the youth set-up and into a very young first team, but went to ŁKS Łódź from 1979-83.Having not impressed the coach during his final season he moved to...
Managerial history
{| class="wikitable"|-
!Name
!Period
|-
|
England Sam HollisSam Hollis
Sam Hollis was an English football trainer and manager.Born in Nottingham as Samuel Woodroffe Moore, he had comparatively little football experience, having previously worked in the local registry and as a landlord in a pub...
|1897–1899
|-
|
England Robert CampbellRobert Campbell (football manager)
Robert Campbell was a football manager who was the first club manager of Bradford City when the club was formed in 1903.-Managerial career:...
|1899–1901
|-
|
England Sam HollisSam Hollis
Sam Hollis was an English football trainer and manager.Born in Nottingham as Samuel Woodroffe Moore, he had comparatively little football experience, having previously worked in the local registry and as a landlord in a pub...
|1901–1905
|-
|
England Harry ThickettHarry Thickett
Henry Thickett was a professional footballer who won the 1902 FA Cup final with Sheffield United and made two appearances for England in 1899. He was also in the United team which suffered arguably the biggest F A cup upset of the nineteenth century when losing to Burslem Port Vale in 1898...
|1905–1910
|-
|
England Frank BaconFrank Bacon
Francis Noot Bacon was born and died in Bedminster, Bristol. He was a director of Bristol City but was installed as temporary manager between October 1910 & January 1911 after the dismissal of Harry Thickett...
|1910–1911
|-
|
England Sam HollisSam Hollis
Sam Hollis was an English football trainer and manager.Born in Nottingham as Samuel Woodroffe Moore, he had comparatively little football experience, having previously worked in the local registry and as a landlord in a pub...
|1911–1913
|-
|
England George HedleyGeorge Hedley
George Albert Hedley was a professional footballer who won the 1902 and 1908 FA Cup finals with Sheffield United and Wolverhampton Wanderers respectively, scoring in both.He was born in South Bank, Middlesbrough....
|1913–1917
|-
|
England Jack Hamilton|1917–1919
|-
|
England Joe Palmer|1919–1921
|-
|
Scotland Alex RaisbeckAlex Raisbeck
Alexander "Alex" Galloway Raisbeck was a Scottish international footballer who played for Liverpool in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, leading them to two Football League Championships.-Life and playing career:...
|1921–1929
|-
|
England Joe Bradshaw|1929–1932
|-
|
England Bob Hewison|1932–1949
|-
|
England Bob Wright|1949–1950
|-
|
England Pat BeasleyPat Beasley
Albert "Pat" Beasley was a professional footballer and manager.-Football career:Born in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, Beasley began his career as a winger playing for local sides in Kidderminster, before joining Stourbridge. In 1931, while still only seventeen he was signed for £550 by Arsenal...
|1950–1958
|-
|
Northern Ireland Peter DohertyPeter Doherty (footballer)
Peter Dermot Doherty was a Northern Ireland international footballer and manager who played for Manchester City.An inside left, he was one of the top players of his time, winning a league title with Manchester City, an F.A. Cup final with Derby County in which he scored, and gained 16 caps for...
|1958–1960
|-
|
England Fred FordFred Ford (football manager)
Fred Ford is a former footballer and manager.Ford played for a number of clubs before becoming the manager of Bristol City in 1960, he had previously also coached the England B team and Under-23 side...
|1960–1967
|-
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England Alan DicksAlan Dicks
Alan Dicks is a retired English footballer and football manager. He managed Bristol City for thirteen years and managed clubs in five countries on three continents....
|1967–1980
|-
|
England Bobby HoughtonBobby Houghton
Robert Douglas Houghton , commonly known as either Bob Houghton or Bobby Houghton, is an English football manager and former player, Houghton was most recently the head coach of India. His career has spanned over 30 years and 10 different countries...
|1980–1982
|-
|
England Roy HodgsonRoy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson is a former English footballer and current head coach of West Bromwich Albion.Hodgson, who has managed sixteen different teams in eight countries, guided the Switzerland national team to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup and qualification for Euro 1996; Switzerland had not qualified...
|1982
|-
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England Terry Cooper|1982–1988
|-
|
Scotland Joe JordanJoe Jordan (footballer)
Joseph "Joe" Jordan is a Scottish football coach and former player and manager. He is currently first team coach for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, under manager Harry Redknapp....
|1988–1990
|-
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England Jimmy Lumsden|1990–1992
|-
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England Denis Smith|1992–1993
|-
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England Russell OsmanRussell Osman
Russell Charles Osman is a retired England international footballer.-Playing career:Osman was born in Repton, Derbyshire, the son of Rex Osman who played a handful of games for Derby County in the early 1950s...
|1993–1994
|-
|
Scotland Joe JordanJoe Jordan (footballer)
Joseph "Joe" Jordan is a Scottish football coach and former player and manager. He is currently first team coach for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, under manager Harry Redknapp....
|1994–1997
|-
|
England John WardJohn Ward (football manager)
John Patrick Ward is an English former footballer and manager. He is currently manager of Colchester United after being promoted from assistant manager on 31 May 2010.-Playing days:...
|1997–1998
|-
|
Sweden Benny LennartssonBenny Lennartsson
Benny Lennartsson is a Swedish football coach.He has managed Örebro SK, Lyngby FC and Bristol City among others.-References:...
|1998–1999
|-
|
Wales Tony PulisTony Pulis
Anthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
|1999
|-
|
England Tony Fawthrop & David BurnsideDavid Burnside (footballer)
David Gort Burnside was an English footballer, who played as an attacking midfielder. He played for various clubs, including West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Football League First Division, before becoming a youth trainer with England and then briefly manager at Bristol...
|2000
|-
|
Northern Ireland Danny Wilson|2000–2004
|-
|
England Brian TinnionBrian Tinnion
Brian Tinnion is a British former footballer and ex-manager. He made over 450 appearances for Bristol City, including a spell as player-manager...
|2004–2005
|-
|
England Gary JohnsonGary Johnson (footballer)
Gary Johnson is an English football manager and former player. He was most recently the manager of Npower League Two's Northampton Town....
|2005–2010
|-
|
England Steve CoppellSteve Coppell
Stephen James "Steve" Coppell is an English former footballer and manager, currently without a club.As a player, he was a highly regarded right winger known for his speed and work rate. He won domestic honours with Manchester United and represented England at the World Cup...
|2010
|-
|
England Keith MillenKeith Millen
-External links:...
|2010–2011
|-
|
Scotland Derek McInnesDerek McInnes
Derek John McInnes is a former Scottish football player and current manager of Bristol City. McInnes featured prominently for Greenock Morton, Rangers, West Bromwich Albion and Dundee United during his playing career. He won two caps for the Scotland national football team while with West...
|2011–present
|}
Stadium
Bristol City play at Ashton Gate in the south-west of Bristol, just south of the River AvonRiver Avon, Bristol
The River Avon is an English river in the south west of the country. To distinguish it from a number of other River Avons in Britain, this river is often also known as the Lower Avon or Bristol Avon...
. The ground has an all-seated capacity of about 21,500, with an effective capacity (depending on how many away tickets are allocated, and how they are segregated) of around 19,100. It was the home of Bedminster
Bedminster F.C.
Bedminster F.C. was an English football club based in Bristol. The club was established in 1887 as Southville and played at Ashton Gate. They were founder members of the Bristol & District League in 1892, which became the Western League in 1895...
until the 1900 merger, and the merged team played some games there the following season, but it did not become the permanent home of Bristol City until 1904.
In the past plans were considered for expansion work to be carried out at Ashton Gate. There were also proposals to build a new 36,000-seat stadium at Hengrove Park
Hengrove
Hengrove is a suburb and council ward of Bristol, England, situated between Whitchurch, Knowle and Bishopsworth, running along both dual carriageways, Wells Road and Airport Road . It consists mainly of working to middle class terrace houses. It contains an infant, primary and secondary school...
. This was turned down in a local referendum in December 2000. In 2002, the local council was looking at possible sites for a new 40,000-seat stadium which would house both City, Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
and Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby
Bristol Rugby is a rugby union club based in Bristol, England. The club currently plays in the RFU Championship and competes in the British and Irish Cup. They rely in large part on the many junior rugby clubs in the region, particularly those from 'the Combination'...
, but these plans were scrapped and it is widely accepted that this would not have been welcomed by the majority of supporters from all clubs. Ashton Gate's current capacity is an average size for Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
grounds, however in November 2007 the club announced plans to relocate to a new 30,000 capacity stadium
Bristol City Stadium
The Bristol City Stadium is a proposed football stadium, announced in November 2007, which would be built on land at Ashton Vale, Bristol, England, and would replace Ashton Gate stadium as the home stadium of Bristol City F.C...
in Ashton Vale plans were also in place to increase capacity to 42,000 had the England 2018 World Cup bid been successful.
As well as football, Ashton Gate has played host to many major music concerts in recent years, including those of The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams
Bryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Keating debuted on the professional music scene alongside Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, in 1994 as the lead singer of Boyzone. His solo career started in 1999, and...
, Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
, Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
and Westlife
Westlife
Westlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
.
Bristol City Women's FC
The women's team was formed in 1990 supported by the club's community officer. Their greatest achievement was reaching the semi-finals of the FA Women's CupFA Women's Cup
The Football Association Women’s Challenge Cup Competition, commonly referred to as the FA Women's Cup, is the top cup competition for women's football clubs in England – designed as an exact equivalent to the FA Cup created 99 years earlier...
in 1994 and winning promotion to the Premier League
FA Women's Premier League National Division
The FA Women's Premier League National Division is the second level of the English women's football league pyramid. From 1991 until the introduction of the summer competition FA Women's Super League the National Division functioned as the top league in England. Below it are simultaneously the...
in 2004. Following the decision by the FA to fund only one centre of excellence in Bristol, the two senior teams were disbanded in June 2008 and the girls youth side merged with the Bristol Academy for girls at Filton College
Bristol Academy W.F.C.
Bristol Academy Women's Football Club are a semi-professional English women's football club affiliated with the Bristol Academy of Sport, based at Filton College. They were admitted to the FA WSL in 2010.-History:...
. The majority of the senior players, with coach Wayne Roberts, moved to the University of Bath in summer 2008 and now play as AFC TeamBath Ladies in the South West Combination Women's Football League
South West Combination Women's Football League
The South West Combination Women's Football League, also known simply as the South West Combination, is at the third level of the English women's football pyramid, along with the three other Combination Leagues - South East, Midland and Northern...
.
Notable fans
Notable fans of Bristol City include:- John CleeseJohn CleeseJohn Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, and film producer. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and performer on The Frost Report...
– Actor, comedian and former Python - Steve ScottSteve Scott (journalist)Steve Scott is a legendary British newsreader. He was educated at Clifton College and began his career in local radio. Scott currently employed by ITN where he presents on the weekend ITV News bulletins and is the Sports Editor.-ITN:...
– ITVITVITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
news presenter and brother of Setanta SportsSetanta SportsSetanta Sports is an international sports broadcaster based in Dublin, Ireland. Setanta Sports was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events...
presenter Angus Scott - Dominic MohanDominic MohanDominic Mohan is a British journalist and newspaper editor.He is the Editor of The Sun newspaper in London. He joined The Sun in 1996 working on the "Bizarre" column...
Editor, The Sun. - Justin Lee CollinsJustin Lee CollinsJustin Lee Collins, commonly known as JLC, is an award-winning English comedian and television presenter.A Bristolian, he's well known for his strong West Country accent, shaggy appearance and colourful shirts....
– comedian - BanksyBanksyBanksy is a pseudonymous England-based graffiti artist, political activist, film director, and painter.His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine irreverent dark humour with graffiti done in a distinctive stencilling technique...
– Artist - Scott DavidsonScott Davidson (musician)Scott Davidson played keyboards with Bros and Pet Shop Boys, before founding the Trade-It free advert paper and becoming a director and then chairman of Bristol City FC from 1996-2001...
– ex-Chairman of Bristol City and ex-keyboard player with BrosBrosBros were a British band active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, consisting of twin brothers Matt Goss and Luke Goss along with Craig Logan...
and Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
. - Tony RobinsonTony RobinsonTony Robinson is an English actor, comedian, author, broadcaster and political campaigner. He is best known for playing Baldrick in the BBC television series Blackadder, and for hosting Channel 4 programmes such as Time Team and The Worst Jobs in History. Robinson is a member of the Labour Party...
– actor who has starred in BlackadderBlackadderBlackadder is the name that encompassed four series of a BBC1 historical sitcom, along with several one-off instalments. All television programme episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as anti-hero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robinson as Blackadder's dogsbody, Baldrick...
and presenter of Time TeamTime TeamTime Team is a British television series which has been aired on Channel 4 since 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode features a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining...
. - Mark DudbridgeMark DudbridgeMark Daniel Dudbridge is an English professional darts player.-Darts career:He started playing in his very early teens, citing Dennis Priestley as one of his heroes...
– professional darts player. - Ian King – financial journalist for The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
– previously business editor of The SunThe Sun (newspaper)The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
. - 3D (AKA Robert Del NajaRobert Del NajaRobert Del Naja , also known as 3D, is an English artist and musician. Initially gaining notoriety as a graffiti artist and member of the Bristol collective known as "The Wild Bunch", Del Naja went on to become a founding member of the band Massive Attack where he is active to this day.-Music:Del...
) – member of Bristol band Massive AttackMassive AttackMassive Attack are an English DJ and trip hop duo from Bristol, England consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall. Working with co-producers, as well as various session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be of the trip...
and regular attender in the Dolman Stand - Jonathan PearceJonathan PearceJonathan Pearce , is a British football commentator for the BBC.Known for his loud, exuberant commentaries, he has worked for both Radio Five Live and Match of the Day, as well as participating in other lower key sports programmes.- Early life and career :Pearce wanted to become a footballer, but...
– football commentator. - Richard ScudamoreRichard ScudamoreRichard Scudamore is currently Chief Executive of the F.A. Premier League, a position he has held since November 1999.-Biography:Scudamore attended Kingsfield School in Kingswood, Bristol, where he was Head Boy in his final year and which he left in 1977. He studied law at the University of...
– Chief Executive of the FA Premier League. - Marcus TrescothickMarcus TrescothickMarcus Edward Trescothick MBE is an English cricketer. He plays first-class cricket for Somerset County Cricket Club, and represented England in 76 Test matches and 123 One Day Internationals. A left-handed opening batsman, he made his first-class debut for Somerset in 1993 and quickly established...
– SomersetSomerset County Cricket ClubSomerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
and England cricketer. - The WurzelsThe WurzelsThe Wurzels are a British Scrumpy and Western band...
– SomersetSomersetThe ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
-based band. - Gareth ChilcottGareth ChilcottGareth James Chilcott is a former rugby union player, who played at prop for Bath and England.He made his England debut against Australia in 1984...
– former BathBath RugbyBath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
and EnglandEngland national rugby union teamThe England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
Rugby UnionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player. - Mark WatsonMark Watson (comedian)Mark Andrew Watson is an English stand-up comedian and novelist.-Early life:Watson was born in Bristol to Welsh parents and attended Henleaze Junior school and then Bristol Grammar School, where he won the prize of 'Gabbler of the year', before going to Queens' College, Cambridge, where he studied...
– Bristolian comedian. - Adam ShantryAdam ShantryAdam John Shantry is an English cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a left-arm medium-fast bowler.Shantry made the bold move of playing for Balwyn CC before playing for Shropshire as a youngster, joining Northamptonshire in 2003 and then moving to Warwickshire two years later...
– Glamorgan cricketer. - Angus ScottAngus ScottAngus Scott is a well-known and respected footballer for man united and Sports Television presenter. He previously worked for ITV Sport and Setanta Sports. He mainly covers football, but has also hosted Rugby Union and Motorsport coverage.- Early career :...
– Setanta SportsSetanta SportsSetanta Sports is an international sports broadcaster based in Dublin, Ireland. Setanta Sports was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events...
football presenter. - Andy HornbyAndy HornbyAndy Hornby is an English businessman, notable for having been the Group Chief Executive of HBOS at the time of its government-facilitated rescue by Lloyds TSB...
– Alliance BootsAlliance BootsAlliance Boots GmbH is a leading international, pharmacy-led health and beauty group. It has two core business activities - pharmacy-led health and beauty retailing, and pharmaceutical wholesaling and distribution - and has a presence in more than 25 countries...
CEO - Alastair Ross GoobeyAlastair Ross GoobeyAlastair Ross Goobey CBE , was a leading British investment manager and pension fund manager.As CEO between 1993 and 2001 of Hermes Pensions Management, he played a leading role in developing institutional shareholder activism on the London Stock Exchange, instrumental in improving the culture of...
– pension fund manager and corporate governance reformer - John SaxbeeJohn SaxbeeJohn Charles Saxbee was the 71st Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England between 23 March 2002 and 31 January 2011. He was introduced to the House of Lords as a new Lord Spiritual on 1 July 2008 together with former Director-General of MI5, Baroness Manningham-Buller.-Education and...
– Current Bishop of LincolnBishop of LincolnThe Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral... - Jack ShantryJack ShantryJack David Shantry is an English cricketer who plays county cricket for Worcestershire.Shantry played for Shropshire Under-17s as early as July 2004, scoring 64 at the top of the order against Yorkshire Under-17s....
– Worcestershire cricketer - Glyn StoneGlyn StoneGlyn Stone is Professor of International History at the University of the West of England. He gained a BA degree at the University of Lancaster in 1970, an MA History at the University of Sussex in 1971, and his PhD at London School of Economics and Political Science in 1986. He became a Fellow...
– Professor of International History, University of the West of EnglandUniversity of the West of EnglandThe University of the West of England is a university based in the English city of Bristol. Its main campus is at Frenchay, about five miles north of the city centre...
. - Russel Crowe – Actor
- Sarah-Jane HoneywellSarah-Jane HoneywellSarah-Jane Honeywell is an English television presenter, actress, dancer, acrobat/aerialist best known for her work on the CBeebies television channel....
– Cbeebies presenter, comedy actress and physical performer – regular attender in the East End. - Mike Freedom – Musician/Recording Artist Had a number 1 hit record in 26 countries in 1991 with Nomad track entitled (I wanna give you devotion) Number 2 in uk charts in 1991.
- Kirk Jones- Film Director: Films include, Waking Ned and Nanny McPhee.
Records
- Record League victory – 9–0 v. Aldershot F.C.Aldershot F.C.Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
(28 December 1946) - Record FA Cup victory – 11–0 v. Chichester CityChichester City United F.C.Chichester City F.C. are a football club based in Chichester, England. They were established in 2000, following a merger between Chichester City and Portfield. They are currently members of the Sussex County League Division One....
(5 November 1960) - Record League defeat – 0–9 v. Coventry City F.C.Coventry City F.C.Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
(28 April 1934)
- Highest attendance – 43,335 v. Preston North EndPreston North End F.C.Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
(16 February 1935) - Highest attendance (at any ground) – 86,703 v. Hull CityHull City A.F.C.Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
Championship Play-Off Final – Wembley Stadium – (24 May 2008) - Most League appearances – 597, John AtyeoJohn AtyeoJohn Atyeo was an English football striker who spent the majority of his career at Bristol City. He won six England caps between 1955 and 1957, scoring five goals...
(1951–66) - Most League goals scored – 314, John AtyeoJohn AtyeoJohn Atyeo was an English football striker who spent the majority of his career at Bristol City. He won six England caps between 1955 and 1957, scoring five goals...
(1951–66) - Most goals scored (overall) – 351, John AtyeoJohn AtyeoJohn Atyeo was an English football striker who spent the majority of his career at Bristol City. He won six England caps between 1955 and 1957, scoring five goals...
(1951–66) - Most goals scored in a season – 36, Don Clark (1946–47)
- Record transfer fee paid – £2.25 million to Crewe Alexandra for Nicky MaynardNicky MaynardNicholas David "Nicky" Maynard is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bristol City.-Crewe Alexandra:...
(July 2008) - Record transfer fee received – £3.5 million from Wolverhampton Wanderers for Ade AkinbiyiAde AkinbiyiAdeola Peter Oluwatoyin "Ade" Akinbiyi is a professional footballer.Akinbiyi has had a much-travelled career with many different clubs with transfer fees totalling more than £11.5 million during his career, including being Leicester City's record signing .Born in England, Akinbiyi qualifies to...
(July 1999) - Record sequence of League wins – 14; 9 September 1905 – 2 December 1905 – This is a joint league record.
Most appearances
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"|-
!#
!Name
!Career
!Appearances
|-
|1
|align="left"|
England John AtyeoJohn Atyeo
John Atyeo was an English football striker who spent the majority of his career at Bristol City. He won six England caps between 1955 and 1957, scoring five goals...
|1951–1966
|645
|-
|2
|align="left"|
England Louis CareyLouis Carey
Louis Anthony Carey is a central defender currently playing for Bristol City. Though born in England, Carey is eligible to play for Scotland at international level through his grandparents, and has played once for Scotland's under-21 team.-Bristol City:Carey is a self-proclaimed Bristol City...
|1995–2004; 2005–present
|606
|-
|3
|align="left"|
England Trevor TaintonTrevor Tainton
Trevor Keith Tainton is a former footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League between the 1960s and 1980s for Bristol City....
|1967–1982
|581
|-
|4
|align="left"|
England Brian TinnionBrian Tinnion
Brian Tinnion is a British former footballer and ex-manager. He made over 450 appearances for Bristol City, including a spell as player-manager...
|1993–2005
|551
|-
|5
|align="left"|
Scotland Tom RitchieTom Ritchie
Tom Ritchie is a Scottish footballer who played as a striker, most notably for Bristol City.Ritchie signed from Bridgend Thistle in 1972 and established himself in the Bristol City attack, playing a key role in the club's rise to the First Division by 1976...
|1972–1981; 1983–1985
|504
|-
|6
|align="left"|
Scotland Gerry SweeneyGerry Sweeney
Gerry Sweeney is a Scottish former footballer and manager. Sweeney spent the majority of his time in football with Bristol City.-Playing career:...
|1971–1981
|490
|-
|7
|align="left"|
England Rob NewmanRob Newman (footballer)
Robert "Rob" Newman is an English football coach and former player.-Career:Newman signed for Bristol City as an apprentice in October 1981 and played 483 games for the club, serving as club captain before being sold to Norwich City for £600,000 in 1991...
|1981–1991
|483
|-
|8
|align="left"|
Scotland Gerry GowGerry Gow
Gerry Gow is a former footballer who played for Bristol City in the 1970s, making 375 appearances for them in The Football League....
|1969–1981
|445
|-
|9
|align="left"|
England Geoff MerrickGeoff Merrick
Geoff Merrick is an English former professional footballer who played as a central defender, making over 300 career appearances.-Career:Born in Bristol, Merrick played for Bristol City and Caroline Hill.-References:...
|1967–1982
|433
|-
|10
|align="left"|
Scotland Scott MurrayScott Murray (footballer born 1974)
Scott George Murray is a Scottish footballer who plays as a right winger who plays for non-league side Bath City.-Club career:...
|1997–2003; 2004–2009
|427
|}
Most club appearances including substitute appearances in all competitions (excluding Gloucestershire Cup). Updated 7 October 2011.