Bristol City

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Portsmouth are keen to bring defender Rob Atkinson back next season, but are in no rush to push a deal through.

Sporting director Richard Hughes told BBC Radio Solent that Pompey plan a conversation about the 26-year-old's future, but only after parent club Bristol City's Championship play-off campaign is over.

The defender made 14 league appearances, 13 of them starts, after arriving at Fratton Park on loan in January, and scored two precious goals against Derby last month to help keep the Blues away from trouble.

"We've loved having Rob, he's been brilliant and made a big impact," Hughes said. "He's Bristol City's player and we'll always be respectful of that.

"We'll probably have to let their season come to a natural conclusion and then there's a conversation to be had as to whether something works for everyone."

Hughes said "it's probably unlikely any other loanees return", adding: "They have all served purposes. I know Freddie Potts will want to test himself at the highest level. I spoke to Graham Potter… West Ham have been really pleased with his development.

"Adil Aouchiche and Isaac Hayden both came in in January and affected games in different ways and helped in that upturn in results post-January.

"We'll never say no but we're looking in a lot of different directions."

There are likely to be departures too, with Hughes admitting: "Some of them will have had a big impact on the team in the past two years but there are some players who need to go and play football, that's really important, for their development and to do the right thing.

"It's a natural evolution from going from a League One team to finishing in a relatively good position in the Championship. We want to keep getting better."

Hughes said he did not expect much movement on the transfer front until June and said Pompey would "take learnings" from signings which have not worked out, adding: "Players have to have an athletic profile, have to be able to handle the ball and have to be able to cope with the demands that John Mousinho's going to place on them.

"I think there'll be fewer players than we have seen in the last couple of summers. The board have always been open and respectful when we've put the right propositions in front of them. Invariably they have always backed us.

"We'll be looking to bring in some players who can affect the starting XI and better the club for the here and now but also the future."

Click here to listen to BBC Radio Solent's full interview with Richard Hughes.

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Bristol City have confirmed they will appeal against the red card shown to Rob Dickie in their 3-0 Championship play-off semi-final first leg defeat by Sheffield United.

Dickie was dismissed by referee Oliver Langford just moments before half-time for bringing Kieffer Moore down in the box.

Harrison Burrows scored the subsequent penalty to give the Blades a 1-0 lead at Ashton Gate.

The return leg at Bramall Lane will be played on Monday night.

Were you in the stands at Ashton Gate or following the first leg of the Championship play-off semi-final from elsewhere? Wherever you were, we want hear from you.

What did you think of Bristol City's efforts?

Any thoughts on Sheffield United's performance?

Come back to this page later on Friday to find out what some of you had to say.

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Bristol City head coach Liam Manning said he was "hurt" and "disappointed" for the Robins' fans after his side saw Rob Dickie sent off right before half-time and went on to lose 3-0 to Sheffield United in their play-off semi-final first leg at Ashton Gate.

"Hurt, disappointed I think for the fans more so than anything, for the lads, because the game was decided by a huge error," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol of Dickie's sending off.

"Credit to Sheffield United – they still have to go and win the game and they did. There's bits we still need to do better, up until the decision [red card] I thought it was a really good game.

"I thought we showed really good control, bravery to go out and play, gave up a couple of chances, but I thought it was a really good spectacle for Championship football and then unfortunately a huge error goes and changes the way the game goes.

"We'll keep believing, we'll keep fighting. That's the beauty of sport if you look at the history of it there's been many comebacks. I know this group inside out, they're hurting right now, hugely disappointed, but at the same point once we're in tomorrow we'll be ready to go Monday."

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Bristol City boss Liam Manning has made important tactical adjustments to help the Robins reach the Championship play-offs, according to ex-Crystal Palace and Reading winger Jobi McAnuff.

City won 11 of their 24 games (D8 L5) after Christmas at a rate of 1.7 points per game compared to just six wins from their opening 22 matches (D9 L7) with a 1.22 points per game ratio.

The improved form in the second half of the season proved to be enough to secure sixth and a first play-off finish since 2007-08.

"He [Manning] made a little tweak at the turn of the year and it's really served them well," McAnuff told Football Daily 72+: The EFL Podcast.

"They've gone to three at the back but they're then really nice and narrow and compact in midfield. They go and press high and win the ball really aggressively in that final third.

"I think they're very well organised, certainly a well coached team. They're very difficult to play against and that run they've had in the new year is a big reason they're in the play-offs now.

"They're going to be a difficult prospect. I think they will be quietly confident of what they can do given that form they've been on for quite a long time now."

Former Huddersfield Town defender Tommy Smith said it has been an "unbelievable season" for Bristol City.

"You look at the Championship table, some of the teams they've finished above this year, it's a remarkable achievement and he [Manning] deserves full credit for it," Smith added.

Listen to the latest episode of Football Daily 72+: The EFL Podcast on BBC Sounds.

Bristol City host Sheffield United at Ashton Gate in the Championship play-off semi-final first leg on Thursday evening (20:00 BST).

The Robins have won just one of their past five games (D2 L2) on the way to finishing sixth, while the Blades - who finished third - have only won two of their past seven (D1 L4).

United have failed to win promotion via the play-offs on nine previous occasions since the format began in the late 1980s.

• Bristol City are winless across their past seven games against Sheffield United in all competitions (D2 L5), since a 3-2 victory at Bramall Lane in the Championship in March 2019.

• Sheffield United have won five of their past seven league trips to Ashton Gate (D1 L1), with each of their previous three victories via a one-goal margin.

• Bristol City are unbeaten across their past eight home league games (W6 D2), their longest run at Ashton Gate in a single season since a nine-match stint between January and April 2023. In the 2024-25 Championship season, only Leeds United (58), Burnley (51) and Sheffield United (49) accumulated more points on home soil than the Robins (46 – W13 D7 L3).

• Sheffield United will be competing in the play-offs in the second tier for the sixth time, failing to earn promotion on each of the previous five occasions. In that time, they've won just one of their five away semi-final legs (D3 L1), though it did come in their most recent such tie – a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in May 2022, before being eliminated on penalties.

• Bristol City will be playing in their sixth EFL play-off campaign this season and their first since 2007-08 in the Championship. On that occasion, the Robins reached Wembley but lost 1-0 to Hull City; they've never earned promotion via the play-offs on any of the previous five occasions.

• This season, Sheffield United became just the third side in the history of the second tier to win as many as 90 points yet still fail to get automatically promoted, after only Sunderland in 1997-98 and Leeds United last season.

• Only four Championship players this season have created more chances than Bristol City's Max Bird (75), who also ranks fifth for expected assists (8.65).

• In the Championship this season, only Burnley's James Trafford (29) recorded more clean sheets among goalkeepers than Sheffield United's Michael Cooper (21).

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Bristol City boss Liam Manning says there is a "slight possibility" wing-back Cameron Pring could be fit to face Sheffield United in the Championship play-off semi-final first leg.

Pring missed the last two games of the regular season with a hamstring injury having started eight of the previous 10 league matches.

The Robins welcome the Blades to Ashton Gate on Thursday and have no fresh injury concerns, according to Manning.

"Everyone came through Saturday OK," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"Cameron Pring, there is a slight possibility of him playing, we have to weigh up the risk of all of it. We will see how he responds.

"Most of our lads can play two positions which is important when you run a small squad."

Ross McCrorie started at left wing-back in Pring's absence and scored both goals in City's 2-2 draw with Preston on Saturday.

But McCrorie is naturally a right-sided player, while Yu Hirakawa also impressed filling in at right wing-back.

"I will be awake for the next few nights trying to pick a team," Manning added.

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Bristol City goalkeeper Max O'Leary says reaching the Championship play-offs is a "special" opportunity to create history - but insists the Robins will approach the semi-final like any other game.

Liam Manning's side will face Sheffield United over two legs with a Wembley final at stake for the winner and a shot at promotion to the Premier League.

"To be on a good journey and trying to create some history is something pretty special," O'Leary told BBC Radio Bristol's Sound of the City show.

"It's quite a quick turnaround; we'll be in all week just preparing like normal. We've played against them twice this year, so we know what we're up against.

"It's just sticking to what we've done and our processes. Hopefully we can provide a good performance and, more importantly, the result to match it."

City had two hard-fought encounters against the Blades this season, narrowly losing 2-1 at Ashton Gate in November after two late goals for United before striking late themselves at Bramall Lane to draw 1-1 in March.

O'Leary hopes the Robins can play to their full potential in what is their first play-off tie since 2007-08.

"I think now the shackles should be off, and we should go out and try to express ourselves and play freely because we've done the hard part of getting here," he added.

"Now is the fun bit of actually trying to play for something, and if we show what we're about and have a bit of personality, then hopefully that takes care of itself and we can come out on top.

"It's an exciting time, but we prepare like we would normally and go out and give it a right go."

Listen to Max O'Leary's interview and much more on the Sound of the City show on BBC Sounds.

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Bristol City wing-back Ross McCrorie says it is "incredible" to reach the Championship play-offs, but they want to go one step further.

The 27-year-old scored both goals in the 2-2 draw with Preston as the Robins earned a place in the play-offs for the first time in 17 years.

Liam Manning's side will face Sheffield United in the semi-final, who have never won promotion via the play-offs, and McCrorie is eyeing a Wembley final.

"We're not just here to take part," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"We want to progress as a club. The boys have got a winning mentality; we want to keep that up.

"For us, we go out in these next two games, give it our all and then anything can happen."

McCrorie says the fans running on the pitch to celebrate after the Preston game is "something that will live with me for the rest of my life".

"When I first came here, that was the aim, to get into the play-offs and try and push the club up to another level," he said.

"We've done that within 18 months since the gaffer came in. He's been top with everything we've been doing and it's just a credit for the hard work to get us in this position.

"Now we can go in with confidence and and enjoy these games. We've got nothing to lose.

"We've got a confident bunch here with quality players. We'll give it our all and see what the outcome is."

The Scotland international said Manning treats every game "like a cup final" and the play-offs will be no different.

"We've always had that mentality, so when we do need to be up for a massive game and the pressure's on, we're used to it," McCrorie added.

David Pottier
Fan writer

Bristol City's 10th successive season in the second tier of English football saw them make the play-offs with a points total that in most seasons would only have merited around a ninth or 10th-placed finish.

Promotion through the play-offs is something that has eluded City in the five times they have participated - but that record is nothing compared to their semi-final opponents, Sheffield United, who have failed no fewer than nine times.

The play-offs have provided a finale to the Football League season since 1986-87.

City participated the following season when the format did not include a trip to Wembley but a two-legged final played home and away.

The team that finished third from bottom in the higher division played off against the fifth-placed team in the lower.

City were that fifth-placed team in what is now League One and Sheffield United had finished third from bottom in what is now the Championship.

I saw both games, with the first leg held at Ashton Gate on a Sunday afternoon with a 6pm kick-off. An Alan Walsh goal gave City a slender advantage to take to Bramall Lane, which proved to be enough as the Blades could only equalise an early goal from Carl Shutt, and City went through to play Walsall in the final.

City trailed Walsall 3-1 after the first leg at Ashton Gate so it looked like the Saddlers would emerge victorious.

Goals from Rob Newman and Shutt drew City level on aggregate. There then followed a penalty shootout, not to decide who would get promotion but which club would host the deciding game.

City lost, and so, just 48 hours later, we made the journey back up the M5 with hopes restored to a degree.

It was a day to forget. City found themselves three goals down after just 20 minutes and eventually lost the game 4-0, with Walsall's David Kelly, who had a habit of scoring against us in the 1980s, grabbing a hat-trick.

City's other play-off experiences were a semi-final exit against Brentford in 1996-97, similar against Cardiff in 2002-03, a final defeat played in Cardiff against Brighton in 2003-04 and a loss to Hull at Wembley in 2007-08.

You can hear more from David Pottier on the fans' podcast Forever Bristol City, external.

Bristol City boss Liam Manning experienced all the emotions as the Robins secured a Championship play-off spot for the first time in 17 years.

Ross McCrorie scored twice inside five second-half minutes to earn a 2-2 draw with Preston North End but there was an anxious wait after full-time for Blackburn Rovers' game at Sheffield United to finish as a draw.

Had Rovers scored a second goal at Bramall Lane that would have knocked City out of the top six but instead they can look forward to a play-off semi-final against Sheffield United with Thursday's first leg at Ashton Gate.

"I have no idea how I am feeling, to be honest. Exhausted, stressed, happy, over the moon, proud - what an afternoon," Manning told BBC Radio Bristol.

"We made real hard work of it but I spoke to the lads beforehand and there's a lot made now about styles and philosophies, and we spoke about us to underpin everything with the culture we have got.

"It says on the shirts 'always believe' and we have done that numerous times now, and you see it today - it's a fantastic group of lads.

"I said to them, irrespective of what happens today, I couldn't be more proud of them and what they've done, so I'm delighted.

"I have had a tough six months. I spoke to the lads beforehand, 'today is everything'.

"There's no expectation or pressure on us so we have got to go and be brave and enjoy it. You see today the lads give everything for the shirt."

Bristol City will look to book their place in the play-offs while visitors Preston North End will be scrapping for survival when the two meet on Saturday (12:30 BST) for the final game of the season.

The Robins have missed their past two attempts to secure a shot at promotion, losing to Luton Town and Leeds United, but will be guaranteed a place if they secure victory against North End.

Though Preston will also be desperate for a win too.

They've lost their past four successive games and are winless across their past seven to see them drop from the midtable to a real relegation threat, with only three points a definitive way of remaining in the Championship next season.

• Bristol City have lost just two of their last 12 league games against Preston North End (W4 D6), scoring 2+ goals in six of those matches.

• After winning each of their five away league games against Bristol City between 2014 and 2018, Preston North End are since winless in five visits to Ashton Gate to face the Robins (D3 L2).

• Bristol City have won just one of their nine fixtures played on the final day of a league campaign (D2 L6), a 2-0 success against QPR in May 2023.

• When playing away from home on the final day of a league campaign, Preston have won just one of their last 13 fixtures (D2 L10) whilst failing to score in eight of those matches.

• Preston have picked up just 49 points across their 45 league games this season, their lowest tally going into the final game of the season since 2010-11 (39), the last time they were relegated from the Championship.

"It's so hard to call. What we are guaranteed is drama, drama and more drama."

The 72+ team discuss the final two Championship play-off places and the "absolute carnage" that will be the final-day battles to secure them.

Sheffield United and Sunderland have already booked their spots in the semi-finals but there are five others aiming to join them: Bristol City, Coventry City, Millwall, Blackburn Rovers and Middlesbrough.

Fifth and sixth are currently held by the Robins and the Sky Blues - but with their future in their hands, is that the worst place to be?

"The pressure is on those sides who are already in there. That's what I find when I've been in these situations myself," former Reading midfielder Jobi McAnuff told the podcast.

"You feel it's yours to lose. I think if you are going into it on the outside of it, you can have a little bit more of an open mentality.

"Whereas if you are Bristol City or Coventry at the moment, who are in there, there's a little bit more of that tension of maybe messing it up."

Listen to the full episode and more on the Football Daily podcast.