Bristol City End the Year on a High with Victory at Gillingham By a_stockhausen | Bristol City can look back on 2014 with genuine pride and justifiably look forward to the new year with a sense of optimism. Rock bottom of League One 12 months ago and arguably at their lowest ebb for many years, the Robins were staring down the barrel of a second successive relegation. But manager Steve Cotterill, appointed in December 2013, has overseen a remarkable transformation in fortunes since then. Having rescued City from the threat of relegation and achieved a top-half finish at the end of last season, Cotterill has since established the club at the top end of League One, restoring lost confidence and giving long-suffering fans reason to feel renewed pride in their team. After a year in which they claimed a notable tally of 84 League points – more than double that achieved in 2013 – the Robins will enter 2015 as genuine promotion contenders and as leaders of League One following yesterday’s 3-1 win at Gillingham. Two goals from on-loan striker Matt Smith and one from Scott Wagstaff gave City victory. Cotterill said: “We’ve used the squad very well over these couple of games and we’re delighted with the points we’ve gained. “We deserved to beat Crewe, which would’ve put us on 51 points. That was going to be our target from the start of this month – it would’ve meant winning please log in to view this image every game, but it was certainly possible.” “We said at half-time that they would come out and have a razz because they did exactly the same last time. When we’re that dominant we need to take a couple more chances and put the game to bed. “We defended poorly for their goal, but, other than that, for the time span we’ve had to play these two games in, I thought we were comfortable winners and I thank the lads very much for that – they were great.” Reflecting on the year as a whole, Cotterill said: “I could not possibly have asked for any more. Considering where we were when I first came through the door, it’s been a fantastic year for the club. “I’ve enjoyed every minute of it and I hope people have enjoyed me being here. “It has been a real team effort from Steve Lansdown, the owner, all the way down to the tea lady. I have so many people to thank, the supporters, the local media, the staff at the football club and, above all, the players themselves. Everyone has pulled together and worked so hard to make 2014 such a great year.” Such has been the turnaround in fortunes inspired by Cotterill and his players that City are campaigning on three fronts, chasing a return to the Championship as well as pursuing glory in the FA Cup and Johnstone’s Paint Trophy please log in to view this image . City travel to Doncaster on Saturday knowing that victory could potentially net them a glamour tie against a Premier League club in the next round, while they are just two games away from a Wembley final in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. Following three seasons of bitter disappointment and under-achievement, City are finally putting Bristol back on the national football map. But Cotterill sounded a note of caution, insisting: We’ve achieved nothing yet. “Our aim is to win promotion and there is still a long way to go before that can happen. “I’d targeted 51 points by the end of December and we’re going to fall three short of that. We have to keep pushing hard and keep this run going, because nothing is won at Christmas.” City remain a point clear of West rivals Swindon Town, who beat Port Vale 1-0, but moved further clear of MK Dons and Preston, who both dropped points. Cotterill said: “We cannot control what happens elsewhere, so there is no point in even thinking about that. It’s nice that we are starting 2015 on top of the table and it’s nice that a couple of our rivals have lost a bit of ground. But we’re not going to celebrate that.” Read more: http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Bristol-City-end-year-high-victory-Gillingham/story-25777443-detail/story.html#ixzz3NHHlwzdJ
Top team, Top manager, Top chairman, congratulations to all of them, bloody glad to be a Bristol City fan and looking forward to 2015..
Cant argue with any of that After the O'Dismal spell the club, fans and clueless management had hit rock bottom. What a difference 12 months has made to the club. If we get a second half of the season like we've seen for the first 23 games we will surely be promoted as champions. Up The City and bring on Notts County on 10/1 for hopefully another 3 points.
It's fantastic to be here and top of the league. Without in any way intending to pour 'negative vibes' on that, we have to prepare ourselves for the liklihood that Swindon, Preston or MK Dons (or more than one of them) will go above us in the next couple of weeks - due to the fact that they will be playing league games whilst we tackle 2 cup competitions. This is a reminder to myself as much as to everyone on here not to get disheartened if/when that happens. We will have games in hand but will be probably playing catch-up - unless all 3 of our nearest rivals lose their next 2 fixtures. Hopefully we will have strength of mind to recover the top spot before we face Swindon on Bank Holiday Monday. We certainly have the ability.......
Thats very true and I totally agree, but sometimes its easier to chase than sit on top, either way I'm confident we can finish top 2 now, those sides chasing us will have wobbles too, just like MK Dons yesterday.
