How Bristol City ended wait for shot at the big time

Bristol City had to wait for confirmation of Blackburn's draw at Sheffield United before they could celebrate

A last-gasp victory against West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday, 8 April seemed to be the turning point.

That was when Bristol City fans believed their team could finally finish in the Championship play-offs for the first time in 17 years.

The players had long left the field and almost all of Ashton Gate had emptied - but the corner of the stadium known as Section 82 was still in full voice as dance anthem 'Freed From Desire' was played loudly through the stadium speakers.

And why would fans have wanted to go home?

Haydon Roberts' 96th-minute strike had given City a 2-1 win against one of their then closest rivals, moving them four points clear in the top six and putting destiny in their own hands for the remaining matches of the campaign.

Another five points from their final five games was enough to secure sixth place.

It means that for the first time since 2007-08 under Gary Johnson, Bristol City now have the chance to win a first promotion to the Premier League.

"That was the biggest game of some of the lads' careers, they wouldn't have played in such a pressurised game," boss Liam Manning said after Saturday's 2-2 draw against Preston North End.

"There's so much around philosophies and identities of dominating the ball and doing this, and doing that, but our identity and our culture and what makes us so strong is our attitude, our will to fight, sticking together, the intensity we work at, the belief we have - the behaviours are so strong.

"That's what got it over the line. The lads have over and over again showed how much they want it in terms of their actions. I'm so proud of them, I'm delighted for them, they're a special group."

Bristol City are one of only five teams in the 2024-25 Championship to have never played in the Premier League, along with Millwall, Oxford United, Plymouth Argyle, and Preston North End.

With the Robins having earned promotion to the second tier a decade ago, only Preston - who were also promoted in 2015 - have spent as long an unbroken stint in the Championship without promotion.

The past decade has seen Bristol City consistently become a mid-table side - eighth place in 2019 was the closest they had come to the play-offs when they finished four points behind Derby. Last season they were 11th.

Manning has 'earned' support by winning

Liam Manning was appointed in November 2023 and has been slowly building his team

Manning's appointment as head coach in November 2023 was not universally welcomed by fans, following the controversial sacking of Nigel Pearson.

At 39, Manning is a young coach who has worked his way up the ranks from West Ham's academy, to coaching in Belgium, managing League Two MK Dons and was at then League One Oxford, but he was unproven at Championship level and cut from a different cloth than Pearson.

"Let's turn the clock back: Nigel Pearson was a popular figure and Liam probably wasn't everybody's choice when he got the job," said former Bristol City midfielder and BBC Radio Bristol analyst Gary Owers.

"To get into this position where the crowd really have jumped on board and been very, very supportive, he's had to earn that and the only reason he's done that is by winning football matches and improving the position.

"He's a very intelligent, well-educated coach, he's put the hard yards in to earn his position and clearly he's worked his way through the divisions.

"There was definitely a period early in his Bristol City career where he was adjusting to the level, but I think he's got that all worked out."

There was no bigger showing of how much supporters had taken the head coach as one of their own than following the death of Manning's baby son, Theo, in October, when the fanbase unified behind him.

Manning later said he initially considered quitting his role in the wake of his son's death before deciding he had to get back to work.

"I think that galvanised the whole club," Owers added. "We've seen the outpouring of emotion and support that he got from the supporters, and the team took that on to the pitch as well."

Turning Ashton Gate into a stronghold

On the field, strong home form has been the foundation of City's surge up the table.

They sit fourth overall for home form this campaign, with 13 wins, seven draws and only three defeats, with only Leeds, Burnley and Sheffield United bettering them.

Since Boxing Day they have lost only once at home in 13 league matches, winning 10.

"Making Ashton Gate more of a stronghold has probably been the main reason why they've improved from a mid-table team to potentially a play-off team," Owers said.

City's playing squad, however, is the smallest in the Championship with just 24 players used - Burnley have fielded 38. It is also young, with an average age of 25 - only two players are 30 or over, and one of those, Kal Naismith, was loaned to Luton in January.

Manning has been moulding the team into his own over the past 18 months, bringing in Max Bird, Scott Twine, Luke McNally and on-loan George Earthy to become first-team regulars.

But the budget is limited and stringent - no players were brought in during January much to the chagrin of fans.

Bristol City have the fourth-best home form of any team in the Championship in 2024-25

The club do not have a marquee striker or stand-out player, such as midfielder Alex Scott who was sold to Bournemouth in 2023 for a reported £25m.

Anis Mehmeti (12) and Nahki Wells (10) - the latter who at 34 is the oldest player in the team - are in double figures for goals this season, but beyond them the goals are shared across another 15 players, most with one or two each.

Yet Wells stressed the tight-knit bond and consistency across the squad is what has proved the difference to help push them over the line.

"It's all 18, 19 men. It's everyone. We're not solely relying on one individual to get the goals or make a huge difference," Wells has said.

"Every week there's consistent performance, but in the big moments everyone's stepping up and that's what a team really is, and that's what we are as a team."

Owers similarly stressed that consistency across the board has been hugely significant.

"You're probably right they're not going to sell anyone for £10m or 15m at the end of the season," Owers said.

"I'd be keen to not underestimate what they represent as a team even though they haven't got that individual that every team would like to have."

As the games went by in recent weeks, Manning was reluctant to dwell too much on the play-offs until the team were over the line.

But speaking on Thursday, his answer to what it would mean to take that step with Bristol City showcased the team spirit that two days later helped get them there.

"I've spoken about it openly, the decision I nearly made post what happened and it was the lads and the club that made me come back," Manning said.

"It's been the toughest year of my personal life, hands down, easy. But at the same point I think probably one of the most rewarding professionally.

"Everybody plays their part, everybody has their role, we're desperate to get it over the line and want to make it happen but worst case scenario it doesn't, it doesn't change what I feel of the players.

"I think they're a terrific group of human beings firstly, and a top group of professionals."

Ending a 17-year wait to reach the play-offs is the first hurdle Manning and Bristol City have passed.

The bigger test now comes with potentially three more matches ahead and a historic promotion to the Premier League on the line.

Additional reporting by James Piercy.