Dan Bentley: Bristol City captain says there's 'no stigma' around home games

Dan Bentley joined Bristol City in 2019 and was made captain this season

Bristol City captain Dan Bentley says there is no "stigma" around them playing at home, despite the Robins' winless run at Ashton Gate stretching to 16 matches.

City last won at home on 26 January against Huddersfield Town.

They have since endured a run of six draws and 10 defeats, losing 2-0 against Bournemouth on Saturday.

Sunderland hold the record for the longest run without a home win at 21, from December 2016 to December 2017.

While Bentley, 28, said the record does not weigh on the players' minds, he said the team share the fans' frustrations at not seeing a home victory in 265 days.

"It doesn't play on our minds at all. Don't get me wrong, of course we want to win at home. We're all aware of the situation, we're all aware of the number, we're all aware of the frustrations of the fans," Bentley told BBC Radio Bristol.

"There's no stigma attached to playing at home. We want to give the fans something to shout about, we want to give them positivity like we have done away from home so far this season.

"But of course we know that there's a situation where we haven't won at home for too long. So as players and as a team, and I'm sure the staff, we take responsibility for that. "

By comparison, City have won seven times on the road since 26 January, with four of those victories coming this season.

Following the defeat by Bournemouth, Bristol City sit 12th in the Championship and next face Nottingham Forest - who haven't lost in their past five matches - at Ashton Gate on Tuesday.

"Ultimately you want your home ground to be a fortress, excuse the cliche, and we haven't made it that," Bentley continued.

"We've been probably a little bit too nice at home, we haven't finished games off, we haven't been ruthless enough, and that's probably why we're in sitting in the situation we are now."

With Nigel Pearson appointed Bristol City manager in February, the record means the team have yet to win at home since he took charge.

"There's not one player in that dressing room as far as I'm concerned, as far as I can see, that doesn't care. It's certainly not getting results through lack of effort. There's no lack of effort in that dressing room at all," Bentley said.

"Certainly the manager wouldn't have that and us as players would police that and we wouldn't accept that at all.

"The fans can see effort, they can see our frustrations as well, and equally we can see there's as well. They've been very patient with us, and we appreciate that."