FM11: Official Bristol City Thread

Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol. They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City. Keith Millen is currently the manager of the club. They were promoted to the Football League Championship in the 2006–07 season after finishing second in League One. In the first season in the Championship they narrowly missed out on promotion as they were defeated by Hull City in the 2008 Play off Final. The following season was much different with clubs getting used to how the side played and they struggled at first before picking up in the second half of the season to secure a 10th place finish. Last season the club had a very poor start to the season and the manager Gary Johnson was sacked following heavy defeats by Cardiff City (0-6) and Doncaster (2-5). The end of the season picked up and the club avoided relegation which looked a possibility at the time and secured a 10th place finish with only one defeat in the last 9 games.

Steve Coppell was appointed manager in the summer and signed plenty of players including David James and Nicky Hunt who was once tipped for an England call up. However Coppell walked out after just two games of the season causing great shock amongst fans. Keith Millen who had guided the club at the end of the previous season took charge.

The club was founded in 1897, when Bristol South End turned professional and changed its name to Bristol City, and were admitted into the Southern League, finishing as runners-up in three of the first four seasons. In 1900 the club merged with local rivals Bedminster, who had been founded as Southville in 1887. The side joined the Football League in 1901 and were the only non-London League side south of Birmingham until 1920. Their first game in the Football League was against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road on 7 September 1901. City won 2–0.

In 1967 Alan Dicks was appointed as manager and the clubs fortunes began to turn around. Bristol City reached the top division in 1976 ending a 65 year exile from English footballs top flight. However succuess was short lived as four years later they were relegated to the second division which was the start of consecutive relegations climaxing in reaching the bottom tier of English football. The club was in financial ruin and declared bankrupt. Fans and players all did there bit to keep the club alive with 8 of the senior players ripping up there contracts for less than half of what they were due to be paid. This saved the club from extinction and the players became known as the Ashton Gate 8. The 8 players were: Julian Marshall, Chris Garland, Jimmy Mann, Peter Aitken, Geoff Merrick, David Rodgers, Gerry Sweeney and Trevor Tainton.

Bristol City currently play at Ashton Gate stadium in the Ashton/Bedminster area of the city of Bristol, which has an all-seater capacity of 21,497. The four stands of the ground are named after famous players and two ex chairman. The four stands being Called the Atyeo stand, the Dolman stand, the Williams stand and finally the Wedlocks stand or the "Eastend" as it is known by fans. This is were the noisest section of the support is housed along with the away fans.

Goalkeepers

This is one of the strongest areas of the squad with David James being the stand out keeper. He is a premier league class keeper and will do wonders in the Championship. Dean Gerken is an able back up with Stephen Henderson a young goalkeeper who could become useful once he has improved.

Star Man: David James

Fullbacks Jamie McCallister is the only recognised natural left back in the squad, and he isn't of a sufficient quality IMO and should looked to be replaced. Liam Fontaine and Lewin Nyatanga can both fill in at left back if McCallister is injured. Right back is a strong area with Nicky Hunt a good full back with good stats in the right areas. Christian Ribiero is a capable replacement with the ability to play in the premier league.

Star Man: Nicky Hunt

Center Backs

The centre back area is one that has plenty of solid defenders but none who are outstanding. Lewis Carey is the captain and is a solid defender if abit slow. Liam Fontaine and Lewin Nyatanga are two left footed defenders. If you were looking to raise funds then I would suggest selling one of these. Damian Stewart is a new signing and seems to have good stats. This is an area I would look to strengthen.

Star Man: Lewis Carey

Wingers/Wide Midfielders

Danny Rose is on loan from Tottenham and looks decent if not spectacular and is the only left footed winger at the club. I would look to bring in another left footed winger if possible. Jamal Campbell Ryce, Albert Adomah and Ivan Sproule are the other three wingers in the squad but are all right footed. Personally I would look to sell Sproule as he is pritty rubbish, selling Campbell Ryce might be an option aswell if you want to bring in a new right winger.

Star Man: Danny Rose

Central Midfielders

This area of the squad has more defensive players than attack minded ones, so if you are looking to play with a creative midfielder then signing a creative midfielder is vital. Cole Skuse, Marvin Elliott and Kallifa Cisse look strong players all capable of performing. If one was to be sold I would sell Elliot although I wouldn't do this myself. The other two central midfielders are Gavin Williams and Lee Johnson, I would look to move both of these on to free up some funds to bring in a real class creative midfielder.

Star Man: Cole Skuse

Strikers

This is the strongest area of the squad with 6 players to choose from all with a variety of stats. Sam Vokes is on loan until January. The other strikers being John Stead, Brett Pitman, David Clarkson, Danny Haynes and Nicky Maynard who is unfortunately injured at the start of the game. With 6 strikers to choose between there is plenty of variety, for my liking there is one too many strikers at the club and I would choose to sell Danny Haynes out of the 6.

Star Man: Nicky Maynard

I think this is a good challenge for anyone who wants to take a Championship side with a decent budget and solid enough squad which with a few changes can challenge for a play off spot. Good luck

Reserved for updates

Reserved for updates

Hey

I went 10 games un beaten with Bristol lads and stead has scored 12 goals pretty good ahh

I bought danny shittu at cb and Jay Demerit also at cb last of all I bought liam rosenoir at lb or rb

My next thing is that stead then got injured and is out for about 5 2 6 months so cause of this I have lost 2 drawn 4 and won 1 of my last 7 games when only playing 1 up front So can anyone help please : )

Right let's get this thread going. Just finished the transfer window and bought plenty of players with others leaving to free up wages to enable me to sign players like Bernard Mendy who has been awesome for me. I haven't quite managed to get the tactics right just yet, at home I seem to be ok but away I tend to get overran. I'm beginning to tinker with my tactics to try and find the perfect blend between attack and defence. So far I have managed to score plenty of goals but have conceded far too many. Anyway I can't seem to take a screen shot so I'll just list my transfer dealings.

So far I have brought in:

Bernard Mendy Free

Gai Assulin Free

Jay Demerit Free

Michael Ball Free

Keith Fahey Free

Jordi Gomez Loan

David Edwards 1.2 Mil

My outgoing transfers have been:

Jamal Campbell Ryce

Ivan Sproule

Lee Johnson

Gavin Williams

Jamie McCallister

Well I am into my 5th season now with Bristol City, having got promoted into my first season my star signing is (i think) a regen by the name of Renato Gaucho from Sao Paulo

Started a career with City. Brought in Maresca who the fans were very pleased with, as well as Jose Goncalves on a free, Leigh Griffiths, King Gyan, Coelho and Tshabalala. Won my first 6 league games including a 5-1 win at QPR. Sold Johnson, JCR, both Williams', McAllister, Sproule and sent Vokes back. Also beat the Gas 2-0 in the league cup. Will keep you all updated.

Now into my 8th season, Connor Wickham has been a key signing for me scoring for fun. in the past few seasons I have finished 16th, 14th, 10th, 6th, 5th and now 2nd. They still wont give me a new stadium.

Anyone playing as City?

Gonna start a long term game with city sometime this week asoon as my exams are over, however inbetween studying for the exams ive also been studying fm tactics and training so im ensuring im prepared.

I wanna spend afew seasons down in the championship to build up a new squad as i feel the current one is completely unbalanced. thinking of playing a narrow formation as im not a fan of the wingers at the club and im not confident of bringing in 2 or 3 news ones on my budget.

now with the large squad the club looses about 800k a month, which is a problem i want to change, does anyone think this is do able whilst in the championship, some of the players are on huge wages, David James for example 20k a week plus 10k clean sheet bonus, looking at upto 40k a week if all goes well. Brett Pittman, turning out alright IRL but 10k a week on the game and barely breaks into my usual starting 11. does anyone think its possible to get the club in monthly profit or should i just push for promotion in the first season?

thinking about it, it wouldnt of happened untill the 2nd season to see if i could make some money, so i went for promotion.

played a 4-2-1-2-1 lined up like this.

GK: James

Fullback support: Hunt/ Ribs was used as a full back defend.

Defender stopper: Caulker/ signed Scot Cuthbert in Jan 700k

Defender cover: Carey/Stewart/Chris smalling for a few months

Fullback auto: Jloyd samuel, on loan from bolton.

Anchor Man: Cisse

Deeplying playmaker: Skuse/Cory Evans

CM attack: Tamir Cohen, loan from bolton

Inside forward left: Craig Conway 500k, great signing, got into box scored 17 goals

Winger attack right: James Forrest, on loan from celtic, scored 13 goals.

Poacher: Maynard, scored 15 since returning in january, get him to lean place shots and hes class at this level.

had a massive clear out of staff and players aswell, the strikers just wasnt doing anything for me, signed Febian Brandy on a free and he provided good back up for maynard scoring 12 i think.

won the playoffs beating reading on pens in the final.

Congrats Stu, you still going?

I restarted a career with City after going away and working on tactics on other saves. In my first season I finished mid table but conceded too many goals. The second season I finished 6th but was right in the automatic promotion challenge until two games to go were I went off the boil. However I managed to win the play offs and go up. I've pritty much secured my premier league status, I have two games left and am 6 points clear of third bottom WBA with a 30 goal better goal difference than them. I signed: Begovic, Wes Brown, Nordtveit, Behladj, Barazite, Fleck, Tim Janssen, Zaki and Jonjo Shelvey and Reo-coker on loan. I would post screen shots but my laptop is knakered and won't take screenshots.

Going to start game as Bristol City when the patch is out. Anyone has any experience with new stadium? Bristol is quite a big city and the stadium isn't that big and in my spurs game they were closing stands due to poor state all the time...

As the new stadium is no guarantee in real life it's not scheduled in the game. I asked the chairman and he said what we have will suffice even though we finished 10th in the prem at the first time of asking.