Support for Manning shows 'beauty of football'

Chris Hogg (left) has coached alongside Liam Manning for a number of years

Bristol City assistant head coach Chris Hogg said you can see the "beauty of football" in the support shown to Liam Manning following the death of his baby son.

The club said on Monday that head coach Manning would be taking a period of absence after the death of his recently born son Theo.

Messages of support have been sent from around the football world, flowers have been laid outside the club's ground and England Under-21 players and staff wore black armbands during their 7-0 win against Azerbaijan at Ashton Gate on Tuesday.

"It's been a horrible four, five days, you can imagine even more so for Liam and his family,” Hogg told BBC Radio Bristol.

"I can't thank people enough for the support they've had as a family, speaking to Liam as well I know how much he appreciates it.

"The beauty of football [is] it brings people together and unites people in a way that not many other things can. It's a beautiful thing to see people rallying around Liam and his family.

"We have to respect their privacy and allow them to go through what they're going through and be there and support them in any way we can."

Hogg joined Bristol City to work alongside Manning in November last year, with the pair's relationship stretching back years to when they were both in the Ipswich Town academy before they worked together at MK Dons and Oxford United.

Hogg will take charge in the 38-year-old's absence, with the Robins away at Middlesbrough on Saturday in the Championship following the international break.

"He's a colleague of mine, but also a personal friend - probably one of me closest friends - it's not been an easy time to see them go through what they're going through," Hogg added.

The players were told of Manning's absence on Monday and Hogg said it has "affected everyone" at the football club.

"The bond that Liam has with the players and some of the relationships that he's formed, some of the respect that's around the building for him, it's palpable," Hogg said.

"The players have been good. They've tried their best to train and do things that we want them to do. We're professional sports people and unfortunately the game doesn't stop to allow people to really process emotions and feelings.

"We have to do our best really and pull together."

Hogg will take charge of Bristol City during Manning's period of absence

The Robins travel up to Teesside off the back of three draws in the league. Hogg said "naturally" the players will want to make Manning proud in the game.

"The more support that people, the supporters, myself can give the players [the] better chance they've got of coming through it as a united group," Hogg said.

"I think it's about us controlling our emotions as well and being as present as we can in the moment to be organised, to go to Middlesbrough and try and put on a good performance and do our best we can, ultimately."