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 @SUFC_tweets please log in to view this image Ashton Gate please log in to view this image @SkyBetChamp please log in to view this image 12.30pm please log in to view this image Pay on the day please log in to view this image BCTV+ (outside UK/IRE) please log in to view this image bcfcsnap please log in to view this image #BRCvSHU please log in to view this image
Gate Guide: Sheffield United Saturday, May 5th 2018 All you need to know for Sunday's Sky Bet Championship season finale at Ashton Gate against Sheffield United (12.30pm kick-off). Here’s a guide of what to expect if you’re heading to Ashton Gate. ORDER OF EVENTS 09.00 - Coffee Shop, Sports Bar & Pizzeria, Bristol Sport Store, Matchday Ticket Office and Supporter Services open (phones/online until 10am) 11.00 - Turnstiles open 11.05 - The band, You Me and the Dancefloor, on stage 11.30 - Team announcements 11.45 - Team out to warm up 12.30 - Kick-off - City v Sheffield United 13.15 - Half-time interval 13.30 - Second half begins 14.15 - Full time 14.25 – Lap of Appreciation 15.15 – End of Season Awards 15.45 – The Emperials on stage 17.00 – Coffee Shop/Store closes STADIUM The South Stand and Dolman Stand are SOLD OUT. Limited seats remain in the Lansdown Stand lower tier, with the bulk of the remaining tickets in the Lansdown Stand upper tier and Family Area. The Atyeo Stand will play host to the travelling Sheffield United supporters. Wi-Fi is now available in all areas of the stadium - find out more. TICKETS A crowd of 22,500-plus is already guaranteed, which includes over 2,000 away supporters. The match is pay on the day for home supporters only. To purchase a ticket, call Supporter Services by 5pm today or between 9-10am on the day of the game. Alternatively, the Matchday Ticket Office - adjacent to the Atyeo statue - will be open from 9am until kick-off. The match is all-ticket for visiting supporters. BAND You Me and the Dancefloor will be playing from 11am. The ultimate party and event band! The Emperials, a hugely popular Ska band, will be on stage after the End of Season Awards. 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 Fan Village will be in operation, with a raft of food and drink outlets, while the Sports Bar & Pizzeria will also be open from 9am (alcohol served from 10am). STORE The Store at Ashton Gate will open from 9am. 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 place. https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/gate-guide-sheffield-united/ Big Match Preview: Sheffield United home Friday, May 4th 2018 City are looking to end their season on a high with the visit of Sheffield United to Ashton Gate on Sunday (May 6th, 12.30pm kick-off). The curtain closes on the 2017/18 campaign this weekend, with a top-half finish guaranteed for Lee Johnson's side. A final win this weekend would also secure a league double over the Blades, who suffered a 2-1 defeat thanks to Jamie Paterson and Aden Flint strikes at Bramall Lane back in December. FACTFILE Formed: 1889 Nickname: Blades, Red and White Wizards Website: www.sufc.co.uk Twitter: @SUFC_Tweets Ground: Bramall Lane Capacity: 32,702 Honoursivision One / Premier League:winners – 1897/98 Division Two / Championship: winners - 1952/53 Division Three / League One: winners - 2016/17 Division Four - League Two: winners - 1981/82 FA Cup: winner - 1899, 1902, 1915, 1925 Last season:League One: 1stFA Cup: Second round, lost to Bolton WanderersEFL Cup: First round, lost to Crewe AlexanderTop scorer: Billy Sharp, 30 goals.Average attendance: 21,892. HOW DID THEY GET HERE? Sheffield United are one of only a handful of clubs to have won all four divisions of the English Football League, after they lifted the League One trophy at the end of last season. The Blades are now back in the Championship and flying high as they aimed for back-to-back promotions. The Premier League wasin their sights until recent results meant the play-offs would no longer be possible. The club were formed 129 years ago, at the site of what is now the Crucible Theatre - the home of the World Snooker Championships. They enjoyed early successes in the late 1880s and at the turn of the 20th century. The 1970s are considered the Blades' dark days following their relegations down the divisions, reaching the fourth tier by 1981 before a revival under manager Dave Bassett. They were one of the original clubs to feature in the re-branded Premier League for the 1992/93 season but they suffered a financial crisis at the turn of the millennium. It wasn't long before they returned to the Premier League - their final appearance in England's top tier to date coming in the 2006/07 season. please log in to view this image Blades boss Chris Wilder MEET THE GAFFER - CHRIS WILDER Wilder has been pivotal to Sheffield United's rise up the EFL ranks, earning praise from City assistant head coach Dean Holden earlier in the campaign. Wilder's playing career spanned between the mid 1980s and the early noughties and included a number of clubs such as Sheffield United (twice), Rotherham United, Brighton and Hove Albion and Halifax Town. He tried his management hand at Alfreton Town - where City defender Aden Flint started out - before spells at Halifax Town, Oxford United, Northampton Town and his return to Bramall Lane in 2016. He oversaw their promotion from League One in his first season and came close to back-to-back promotions before the a Championship play-off spot became unattainable. please log in to view this image Leon Clarke joins Bobby Reid in chasing the Golden Boot award STAR MAN - LEON CLARKE It’s been a fantastic season for the well-travelled frontman, who has been named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year alongside City’s own Bobby Reid. With 18 goals to date, including two hat-tricks, the 33 year old is also chasing the Championship’s Golden Boot and has made his club’s shortlist for Player of the Season. Clarke, who spent three seasons with United’s city rivals Wednesday between 2007-2010, arrived at Bramall Lane in 2016 from Bury following a long-established career with the likes of QPR, Swindon Town, Charlton Athletic and Coventry City. He has scored 143 goals in over 450 club appearances since starting his career with Wolves in 2003. please log in to view this image Aaron Wilbraham headed in the opener the last time City travelled to Bramall Lane MEMORABLE FIXTURE: SHEFFIELD UNITED 1-2 BRISTOL CITY Sky Bet League One Saturday, August 9th 2014. Goals: Aaron Wilbraham 20'; Michael Higdon 32'; Wade Elliott 72'. City kicked off their double-winning 2014/15 season with a 2-1 away victory at Bramall Lane. Wilbraham nodded City ahead after 20 minutes but the home side drew level through Higdon as he latched his own head onto a free kick. But Elliott smashed in City's winner mid-way through the second half as City recorded the season opener with all three points. City: Fielding, Ayling, Little, Williams, Flint, Cunningham, Elliott, Smith, Freeman, Baldock, Wilbraham. Blades: Howard, Alcock, Harris, McGahey, Basham, Davies, Flynn, Reed, Scougall, Higdon, Murphy. Attendance: 19,889. AND FINALLY... OfficialsReferee: Peter Bankes Timothy Wood and Daniel Leach Fourth Official: Brett Huxtable Betting (via SkyBet) - Odds correct at time of writingCity 7/5 Draw 12/5 Sheffield United 9/5 https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/big-match-preview-sheffield-united-home/ please log in to view this image Please keep off the pitch Friday, May 4th 2018 The club requests that all supporters remain in their seats for the completion of Sunday's home fixture against Sheffield United. The Bristol City players and coaching staff would like to complete a lap of appreciation to thank you - the fans - for your support throughout the 2017/18 season, but they will only be able to do so if the pitch remains clear. The safety of players, coaches, fans and match officials is of paramount importance and supporters who encroach on the pitch risk facing a banning orders as well as a criminal conviction, while the club could also face a fine. In the meantime, the club wishes to thank all fans for their outstanding support during the season. We hope you have a fantastic summer and look forward to seeing you back at Ashton Gate in August. https://www.bcfc.co.uk/ BBC Bristol City will be without Nathan Baker and several other players as they face Sheffield United in the final game of the Championship season. Baker came off with concussion in their draw against Nottingham Forest while boss Lee Johnson said "five or six" first-team players would be assessed. Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder could choose from an unchanged squad. The Blades boss has no new injury concerns after his side lost to Preston North End last week. SAM's prediction Home win 38% Draw 27% Away win 35% SAM, the Sports Analytics Machine, is a super-computer built by @ProfIanMcHale of the University of Liverpool. Match facts Bristol City have lost three of their past four home league matches against Sheffield United (W1), losing each of the past two. The Blades have not lost back-to-back league matches against Bristol City since December 1998. Victory over Sheffield United would see Bristol City finish the season on 70 points - their highest tally in the second tier since reaching the play-offs in 2007-08 with 74 points. Sheffield United have won just one of their past eight league games (D4 L3). Bobby Reid has both scored and assisted in his past two home games (two goals, two assists). The last Championship player to both score and assist in three consecutive home league games in a single season was Adel Taarabt for QPR in 2010-11 (4 games - 5 goals, 5 assists). Leon Clarke has scored 31% of Sheffield United's 59 league goals this season (18 goals) - no player has scored a higher percentage of their side's goals.
Last match of the season, I hope we win, overall it's been a good season and we have moved forward at all levels, we've also had severe disappointments but thanks to the owner, manager and team, looking forward to continued improvements next season. Bristol City 2-1 Sheffield Utd.
#BristolCity v Sheff Utd: Fielding, Brownhill, Flint, Kelly, Bryan, Paterson, Smith, Pack, Eliasson, Reid, Diédhiou. Subs: Steele, Magnusson, O’Dowda, Walsh, Bakinson, Taylor, Semenyo.
This is a really important game for me up here in Swindle - I have an ongoing bet with a Swindon mate that is worth £10 for whoever’s side finishes ranked above the other in our respective leagues. I’ve been doing rather well recently but they are 9th at the moment so we need a win today and the 2017-18 West Country challenge cup could be mine again - and the £10 which goes with it !!!
Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 21m21 minutes ago GOAL: #BristolCity 0-1 Sheffield United, Clarke 8. #BRCvSHU
Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 1m1 minute ago GOAL: #BristolCity 0-2 Sheffield United, Sharp 29. #BRCvSHU
Maybe the players have picked up on and adopted the apathy of some of our fans? It’s a pointless game after all according to some - so those people will obviously not care if we lost 10 f-in 0.
Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 2m2 minutes ago GOAL: #BristolCity 0-3 Sheffield United, Freeman 34. #BRCvSHU
Some players need to take a long hard look at themselves after todays and recent performances. Easy to blame the management team, but this is not good enough from the players
Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 23s24 seconds ago please log in to view this image Today's official attendance is 23,902 (1,971 away). Thank you for your fantastic support this season! #BRCvSHU
Bristol City FCVerified account@bcfctweets 55s55 seconds ago GOAL: #BristolCity 1-3 Sheffield United, Flint 60. #BRCvSHU
