Bristol City can cause a Championship upset, says John Pemberton. By a_stockhausen please log in to view this image JOHN Pemberton believes newly-promoted Bristol City could emerge as a surprise package in the SkyBet Championship next season. "It's going to be a really good test for us. People will look at us as one of the teams that won promotion from League One and think it will be tough. "However, last season we stated early on that we wanted to win the league and that put pressure on the players right from the start, a pressure they handled really well." City's players are scheduled to report back for pre-season training on July 1 and they launch their Championship campaign with a trip to Hillsborough to play Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, August 8. Pemberton added: "When the fixtures come out I think it just brings it home how close the season is. It won't be long before we're back for pre-season training. Personally, I looked for my old teams, like Leeds United, who we play at Ashton Gate early on. I also look out for Nottingham Forest. "You've only got to look at the teams in the division; it's great to be in the Sky Bet Championship and travelling to these big grounds – all the pitches will be decent." A former Sheffield United player and academy coach, Pemberton has special reason to want to put one over on Wednesday at Hillsborough on the opening day. He said: "It's a good fixture to have first off and strikes similarities with last season at Sheffield United (a 2-1 win on the opening day). "It'll be a tough game with a new manager in charge at Hillsborough. It's a big ground and I'm sure they'll pack the stands but, hopefully, we'll take a large number of supporters along as well. It should be a good game to kick-off the season." Meanwhile, ticket prices have been announced for City's pre-season friendly against Bath at Twerton Park on Friday, July 10. It will be pay on the day for City fans with tickets priced £10 (adults), £7 (concessions), £5 (students/under-18s, and £1 (under-16s). http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Bristo...et-says-John/story-26738918-detail/story.html
We will be more than a surprise package, I predict another wonderful season, with City being close to if not in the play off's, we will only get better.
Presently working on my usual predictions last season was put off the result and put us second to Sheff UTD... SO FAR IT IS PROVING DIFFICULT First attempt:- 1 CITY. 2 QPR.. 3 BURN 4 MIDD 5 HULL 6 DERB 7 FLOR 8 IPSW 9 SHFW 10 BLAC 11 LEED 12 WOLV 13 CARD 14 HUDD 15 BREN 16 PNED 17 BRIG 18 FULH 19 CHAR 20 BIRM 21 MKD. 22 BOLT 23 READ 24 ROTH but these are in groups of 5 teams and top 6
Perhaps (predictably!), I can see it either going brilliantly well and we will continue where we left off last year, always assuming we can strengthen in several key areas, or we will struggle to cope with the new challenge. I hope its the former !
