'We'll do it the Bristol City way' - Rawcliffe

Bristol City reached the Championship play-offs last season

Bristol City chief executive Tom Rawcliffe has said the club will continue to stick to their principles and ruled out any major increase in the playing budget.

City reached the Championship play-offs for the first time in 17 years last season but Rawcliffe, who was appointed in July, said coming close to promotion will not change how the club is run.

"We've got a structure in place and we work within the parameters we've set," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"We'll stick to our principles and we'll do it the Bristol City way."

Despite leading the club back into the top six, head coach Liam Manning left to take charge of Championship rivals Norwich in June.

Manning cited the Canaries' "ambition" as motivation for the switch and has been backed with significant spending on new players over the summer.

Austrian Gerhard Struber was brought in to replace Manning at Ashton Gate on a three-year contract.

"There's a sense of optimism here and there should be," Rawcliffe said. "We have got a good squad.

"We recruited in the summer of 2024 quite strongly and we're pleased with our recruitment this summer. I still think we are ambitious.

"We think the squad we've got and with Gerhard coming in, it's a natural fit and it should lead to success."

City began the new campaign with an eye-catching 4-1 victory at Sheffield United, who beat them in last season's play-off semi-final.

A 0-0 draw at home to Charlton followed on Saturday and Struber is targeting another signing before the transfer window closes.

"We want to support the head coach as much as possible," said Rawcliffe. "We're always looking to improve the squad but equally we have got quite a large squad, so we have got depth.

"If we looked to bring a player in, if I'm being honest, we'd have to have a look at outs as well.

"We do remain a trading club but anyone outside the top six in the Premier League is a trading club - there's always a bigger fish in the sea and if a player wants to move on it's very difficult to stand in their way."

The club also continues to explore new investment but little progress has been made since owner Steve Lansdown said he was open to selling the club in August 2022.

"Finishing in the top six and being not far away from the Premier League doesn't hurt the conversation," said Rawcliffe.

"Success breeds success and people want to be involved with that. Conversations are ongoing but there's been nothing close and will be nothing in the short term."