please log in to view this image please log in to view this image v please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Big Match Preview: Sunderland (home) Friday, February 9th 2018 City will be looking for a return to winning ways when they host Sunderland at Ashton Gate this weekend. Lee Johnson's side slipped against relegation fighters Bolton Wanderers last week and so will be wary of a determined Black Cats, who themselves are looking to move out of the bottom three. FACTFILE Formed: 1879 Nickname: Black Cats Website: www.safc.com Twitter: @SunderlandAFC Ground: Stadium of Light Capacity: 49,000 Honours: First Division: 1891/92, 1892/93, 1894/85, 1901/02, 1912/13, 1935/36 Second Division: 1975/76, 1995/96, 1998/99, 2004/05, 2006/07 Second Division play-off winners: 1989/90 Third Division: 1987/88 FA Cup: 1937, 1973 Charity Shield: 1936 Last season: League finish: 20th (Premier League) FA Cup: Third round, lost to Burnley EFL Cup: Fourth round, lost to Southampton Top scorer: Jermain Defoe, 15 goals Average attendance: 41,287 HOW DID THEY GET HERE? Sunderland have managed just five Sky Bet Championship wins all season, only securing their first home win for a year when they beat Fulham 1-0 in December. It’s fair to say the Black Cats have struggled since their relegation from the Premier League in May and they face another relegation brawl now in the division below. But there is a new-found sense of hope, following the appointment of former Wales boss Chris Coleman, who has overseen four of their handful of victories this season. The club is synonymous with the Premier League, having appeared in England's top league 16 times in its 21-year history and there is a belief, if they can stay up during the current campaign, of mounting a serious challenge of a return to the big time next year. please log in to view this image Chris Coleman MEET THE GAFFER - CHRIS COLEMAN Coleman is a new face at the Stadium of Light, having replaced Simon Grayson in November. He stood down from his position of head coach of the Wales national team, where he famously guided the Dragons – now coached by Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs – to the 2016 European Championship semi-finals. The Swansea-born manager was a defender in his playing days, which included a career with Manchester City, the Swans, Crystal Palace, Blackburn Rovers and Fulham. His management career began at Craven Cottage ahead of spells at Real Sociedad and Coventry City, all before he took the national job with Wales and his subsequent move to Sunderland. please log in to view this image Up for the challenge: Aiden McGeady STAR MAN – AIDEN MCGEADY A Republic of Ireland international whose career has taken him to Scotland - where he actually was born - Russia and now England. A tricky winger full of tricks, he joined Celtic in 2010 and progressed through their Academy to win three Scottish Premier League title and four cups. He also landed three Young Player of the Year awards and the main award in 2008. In 2010 he stunned Glasgow by joining Spartak Moscow for a fee of £9.5m - making him the most expensive Scottish export. McGeady spent four years in Russia before returning to the UK with Everton. Loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End followed, before he signed for Sunderland on a three-year deal in the summer, reuniting him with his old Preston boss. MEMORABLE MEETING 1993/94 Bristol City 2-0 Sunderland Goals: Allison 82; Baird 90 Sunderland faded despite a bright start to the Halloween-weekend clash although City’s decisive goals would only come in the final ten minutes of the match. Wayne Allison added to his goal tally as he opened the scoring, with an injury-time strike from Ian Baird killing off any chance of a point for the Black Cats. Baird skipped past two challenges before burying the ball beyond Sunderland keeper Alec Chamberlain. Attendance: 8,162 AND FINALLY... OfficialsReferee: James Linington Assistant Referees: Steven Meredith & Michael George Fourth Official: Adam Bromley Betting (via SkyBet)Bristol City 4/6 Draw 11/4 Sunderland 17/4 Form please log in to view this image
Gate Guide: Sunderland Friday, February 9th 2018 All you need to know for tomorrow's Sky Bet Championship clash at Ashton Gate against Sunderland. Here’s a guide of what to expect if you’re heading to Ashton Gate. ORDER OF EVENTS 10.00 - Coffee Shop & Store opens 10.00 - Supporter Services open (phones/online until 1pm) 10.00 - Matchday Ticket Office opens 12.00 - Sports Bar & Pizzeria opens 12.30 - Arsenal v Tottenham plus Sheffield United v Leeds United in the Sports Bar & Pizzeria 13.00 - Turnstiles open 13.30 - The band, You Me and the Dancefloor, on stage 14.00 - Team announcements 14.20 - Team out to warm up 15.00 - Kick-off - City v Sunderland 15.45 - Half-time interval 16.00 - Second half begins 16.45 - Full time 16.45 - England v Wales (Six Nations) and then Manchester City v Leicester City in the Sports Bar & Pizzeria 19.00 - Ealing v Bristol Rugby in the Sports Bar & Pizzeria STADIUM The South Stand, Dolman Stand and Lansdown Stand will be open for home supporters, including the Lansdown Upper Tier and Family Area. The Atyeo Stand will play host to the travelling Sunderland supporters. Wi-Fi is now available in all areas of the stadium - find out more. TICKETS A crowd of 22,000-plus is already guaranteed, which includes over 1,500 away supporters. The match is pay on the day for home supporters only. To purchase a ticket, call Supporter Services by 5pm today or 1pm on the day of the game. Alternatively, the Matchday Ticket Office - adjacent to the Atyeo statue - will be open from 10am until kick-off. Meanwhile, online sales conclude at 1pm tomorrow (Saturday). The match is all-ticket for visiting supporters. BAND You Me and the Dancefloor will be playing from 1.30pm. The ultimate party and event band! PROGRAMMES As well as the usual selling points, programmes will be available for purchase in S2, S3 and D1 concessions. Price: £3. PARKING & TRAVEL AG1, AG2 and AG4 First Bus routes will be operating as normal. For full information about Parking and Travel, click here. SPORTS BAR & PIZZERIA The new Fan Village will be in operation, with a raft of food and drink outlets, while the Sports Bar & Pizzeria will also be open. STORE The Store at Ashton Gate will open from 10am. SUPPORTERS CLUB & TRUST BAR Access to the Supporters Club and Trust Bar is via the Sports Bar & Pizzeria. Go through the main bar and up the stairs at the far end. The bar is on your left at the top of the stairs. There is a lift that takes you straight there as well. RUCKSACKS Ashton Gate Stadium asks supporters not to bring large rucksacks on matchdays, following advice from the National Counter Terrorism Office and Avon and Somerset Police. Fans will still be able to bring smaller handbags into the stadium, although these will be subject to the usual search process. An Ashton Gate spokesman said: “The searching process will always be subject to change and whilst there is no specific threat to any Sports Ground, we must ensure that we remain vigilant and the message to spectators is to ‘Be Alert not Alarmed’.” If larger bags are brought to the stadium, they will be subject to a thorough search, with a bag and tag procedure in plac
Awkward game this for us, we are near the top with a good seasons performance so far, Sunderland are at the bottom and all over the place results wise, so it should be a cert for us, you would think but look at both our last 6 match performances home and away, we have lost 4, drawn 1 and won 1, they have lost 5 and won 1, nothing in it really, so I think we are in for a tough game, we should count the Dubai factor and hope we have got our act together, otherwise doom and gloom factor set's in. I am optimistic and think we will have the edge, 3-1 win to us.
I'm with you Wiz, could be a very tricky game for us.......getting off to a good start would be key for us, edge a bit of confidence back into the players..The longer the game goes on without us scoring I would fear another Bolton.. Optimistic 2-0 from me!!
It's pretty rare to get an easy game in the Championship, and I don't expect this one to be, however, I would be particularly disappointed if we don't win. Hopefully there's been a reaction to the result & performance at Bolton and everyone's focused and motivated for this - I'd like to see a high intensity right from the off to try and force an early goal. I think that Sunderland will be preparing to keep it tight and hit on the counter, so if they go behind it should force them out and I think we're better prepped to pick them off. My fear is another 1-0 defeat where we pass it around nicely, but ultimately fruitlessly.
Bolton were **** last week - hitting the ball high and aimless most of the game (with one decent moment - Ameobe’s goal). The trouble is - we matched them for hoofing it high - we did the same - is it like popping bubble wrap? You just can’t help doing it? We MUST dictate the game and play it OUR way.
Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 3h3 hours ago please log in to view this image IT'S MATCHDAY! please log in to view this image please log in to view this image @SunderlandAFC please log in to view this image Ashton Gate please log in to view this image @SkyBetChamp please log in to view this image 3pm please log in to view this image Pay on the day please log in to view this image BCTV (audio only) please log in to view this image bcfcsnap please log in to view this image #BRCvSUN please log in to view this image
Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 25m25 minutes ago please log in to view this image #BristolCity v Sunderland: Fielding, Smith, Flint, Wright, Bryan, Paterson, Brownhill, Pack, Kent, Diédhiou, Reid. Subs: Steele, Magnusson, Walsh, Eliasson, Woodrow, Engvall, Diony. #BRCvSUN
well that didnt take long did it? Second week in a row we have Bristol City live in Australia, well done Mr Flint
C'mon lads we scored 5 goals today, can't be that bad, still we've got the highest aggregate score of the day in the Championship as well, think positive.
Utter waste. I won’t say we were BETTER than Sunderland - they were WORSE than us - but they exploited the situations better. I keep telling myself at least we are still top 6.
That my friends was embarrassing.Diony got his chance second half-ten million man you’re aving a larf. Fammy is twice the player,Reid is priceless second half we were toothless. Again only one side wanted it and it was Sunderland well done to them. Anybody that got the rose tinted specs still on time to take em off. 2018 is relaxation form very simple. Ahhhh rant over.
That is a predictable City result A golden opportunity to improve our GD after the battering at Villa and 3-0 up against one of the poorest sides in the league AND WE STILL MANAGE TO **** IT UP !!
That is a predictable City result A golden opportunity to improve our GD after the battering at Villa and 3-0 up against one of the poorest sides in the league and to consolidate our place in the top 6. AND WE STILL MANAGE TO **** IT UP !!
Only one result second half,it was a barrage of threats by Sunderland,and they were the worst team I have seen at the gate first half.