Bristol City

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Bristol City head coach Gerhard Struber said he hopes the club hierarchy supports his team by making another signing before the transfer deadline window closes on Monday.

Struber has brought in four players so far, with Sam Morsy and Seb Naylor both signing permanent deals and George Earthy and Delano Burgzorg arriving on loan.

But speaking following his side's 5-0 thrashing at home to Derby, Struber said he did not know whether another deal would be done but remained hopeful.

"I don't know what's going on, I hope we can do something," he told BBC Radio Bristol.

"We have tomorrow [Saturday], Sunday and Monday time to bring one or other player in, we should do it and I hope the club support my team in this direction."

Struber was not able to confirm whether centre-back Zak Vyner would remain at the club, after being linked with a move to Wrexham, but said they would need to replace him him if so.

"I have no final information right now, we will see how this will go," he added.

"We know that Zak Vyner is for us a really important player and when he would move to a different club then it's important that we find a replacement."

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Bristol City head coach Gerhard Struber said the 5-0 loss to Derby was "far away" from the team that he knows.

The defeat was the Robins' biggest league loss at home since January 2010 and saw them drop two places to ninth in the table.

"In all aspects it was not really the day to control or to realise a good performance," Struber told BBC Radio Bristol.

"In all aspects it was nothing. We have to be honest it was not our standard. It was a game far away from the Bristol City team that I know.

"It's the first time that I would say we come completely under the bus and under the wheels with the energy from them, with the physical power from them. We were not ready and create the resilience against a team like that.

"This was not the level you need against Derby, and also the body language - I must say this was far away."

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Gerhard Struber says Bristol City will need to be wary of Derby's development when they meet at Ashton Gate on Friday night (20:00 GMT).

The Rams picked up their first point of the season as they grabbed a late 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture at Pride Park in August, but have climbed the table to sit a point behind the Robins on the fringe of the play-off places.

Struber told BBC Radio Bristol: "Derby showed the past few months really good development, very clear, very pragmatic, top in transitions, in counter-pressing. It's very interesting to watch.

"They have improved many things [since we last played them], especially their directness.

"We have to be on the highest level of pressing. In our transitions we have to be sharp and clear, very compact - it's super important, especially against a team with an approach like that."

Defender Rob Atkinson will miss the game with an ankle injury which could rule him out for a fortnight, and Struber said: "He's a really big one for our success. He's big in aerial duels and super reliable, in set-pieces he's really helpful."

The Austrian however revealed midfielder Joe Williams could be involved after his own ankle injury, while Max Bird might be back in time to face Port Vale in the FA Cup fourth round on 14 February.

Struber expects some surprises in the final three months of the Championship campaign but is hoping the Robins can achieve a finish which "makes everyone really happy".

He said: "In the end we will see some surprises in this league, I am convinced about it, especially what's going on behind us.

"We have all the power in our team, in our performance, every game we want to bring out the best possible.

"In the end the table will hopefully look in a direction which makes everyone really happy."

Sheffield United have joined Blackburn and Bristol City in the hunt for Barnsley winger Reyes Cleary, 21. (Sheffield Star, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

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The Championship weekend kicks-off with Bristol City welcoming Derby to Ashton Gate for a bumper play-off showdown on Friday night (20:00 GMT).

The Robins go into the game sat 7th, a point behind Wrexham, with a better goal difference, but are seeking a fourth win, and clean sheet, in five home games.

The Rams lie 11th but are only a point behind their hosts and, after winning their past two away games at Preston and Charlton, a third straight would take them sixth, their highest position of the season, albeit ahead of the Saturday programme.

• Bristol City have won their past four home league games against Derby, keeping a clean sheet in each of the past three (all of them being 1-0 victories).

• Derby manager John Eustace has lost three of his four away matches against Bristol City in the Championship (W1), including the only time he has lost a game by 5+ goals as a manager in the competition (Bristol City 5-0 Blackburn in April 2024).

• Bristol City have won and kept a clean sheet in three of their past four Championship home games (L1), as many victories to nil as they managed across their previous 21 (3).

• Derby have won half of their away games in the Championship this season (7/14 – D3 L4); the joint-best win percentage in away matches of any side (also 50% for Hull).

• 35% of Bristol City's Championship goals this season have been either scored or assisted by Anis Mehmeti (14/40), who has since left to join Ipswich. This is the fourth-highest percentage by a player for one team in the Championship this term.

Bristol City are closing in on a loan deal for Middlesbrough forward Delano Burgzorg, 27, as well as the permanent signing of 20-year-old Manchester City defender Seb Naylor. (Bristol Post), external

The Robins have also submitted two offers to Polish side Pogon Szczecin for 24-year-old attacker Sam Greenwood, while French striker Fally Mayulu, 23, is set to go the other way for around 1.5m euros (£1.3m) with a medical booked for Thursday. (Meczyki - in Polish), external

For more transfer news and rumours, read Thursday's full gossip column here.

Bristol City have offered League Of Ireland side Bray Wanderers £400,000 for 17-year-old attacker Billy O'Neill, who has 23 goal contributions in 42 games, and 18-year-old midfielder Reece Knight, younger brother of Robins club captain Jason. (Irish Examiner), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip column here.

David Pottier
Fan writer

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City chalked up the expected victory against Championship basement club Sheffield Wednesday at the weeken, but the atmosphere among the crowd was tense, particularly during the first half.

Why was this so for a side that would have finished the day in sixth position were it not for Wrexham's last-minute winner at QPR?

The fans were restless because, in their eyes, the club's hierarchy is showing zero ambition in investing in the squad to secure a play-off spot and go a step further than last season's creditable achievement, even though it ended in disappointment.

The restlessness is fuelled by the fact the club have had an £11m windfall by way of a profit share following Antoine Semenyo's move from Bournemouth to Manchester City.

There was also the boost of an unexpected £3.5m following Anis Mehmeti's move to Ipswich less than 48 hours after he had played against them in City's defeat at Portman Road.

The Albanian is out of contract in June and City could have found themselves receiving no income if he departed in the summer in such circumstances.

In addition to Mehmeti leaving, a further seven players have come off the weekly wage bill since Christmas with a number of loan moves.

Few fans would shed tears over any of the departures, such has been their impact on the pitch in a season that is over two-thirds complete.

Perhaps one exception was long-serving goalkeeper Max O'Leary, although on his debut for West Brom on Friday night, his error showed why perhaps an upgrade in this position was needed and has been so ably demonstrated by the impressive Manchester United loanee Radek Vitek.

With the transfer window open for just another seven days, all eyes are now on those in charge at Ashton Gate to see if they support Gerhard Struber, who is trying to be as tactful as possible in expressing his desire for reinforcements in the media.

Struber is still without long-term absentees Luke McNally, Max Bird and Joe Williams.

And following Mehmeti's departure, Struber might be ruing sanctioning both the Yu Hirakawa and Josh Stokes loan moves.

He certainly needs no fewer than two players who are ready for Championship football, not punts like Sinclair Armstrong and Fally Mayulu clearly were.

One of the goalscorers on Saturday was Sam Bell. Recalled from his moderately successful loan spell at Wycombe, he showed composure with his finish that condemned Wednesday to defeat and a general level of energy such that it wouldn't surprise me one bit if he were offered a new contract when we all thought he would be released in June.

One thing from Saturday's game that is worthy of mention is the applause from all around the stadium as Wednesday and City fans alike gave as Barry Bannan left the field.

Bannan has been a loyal player for more than 10 years at the Sheffield club and seems likely to be joining Millwall in the final phase of his career.

He always seemed to play well against us and was a player we may have coveted over the years. I think that applause from the City fans was a recognition of that.

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

Blackburn Rovers have made an improved bid of £1.5m for Barnsley forward Reyes Cleary, with Bristol City also keeping an eye on the 21-year-old Englishman. (Alan Nixon - requires subscription), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

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Bristol City head coach Gerhard Struber said forward Sam Bell showed that the team can "believe in him" as he scored his first goal for the club in almost two years in the win against Sheffield Wednesday.

Bell returned to the Robins earlier this month after spending the first part of the campaign on loan at Wycombe Wanderers in League One where he scored six goals in 21 games.

The 23-year-old slotted in the second goal in a 2-0 win, 13 minutes after coming off the bench.

"[He was] really good in all ball moments, also his speed behind the backline. Very brave in some moments, exactly what I want to see from him, and it was also a promotion for himself today that we can believe in him," Struber told BBC Radio Bristol.

He added he had spoken to Bell about being "brave" rather than "nice".

"He has to show in this stadium that he is the right one for Bristol City and when he goes in the game it is not nice moments [but] combined moments, moments where we have something that we can count on.

"Today we can count a goal from him and this is what we need from a striker, from a player in the attacking area."

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A new initiative highlighting the work of football club charities has been launched by the English Football League (EFL).

'Scan to Smile' will be rolled out in stadiums across the EFL from Friday until the end of January, with supporters invited to scan QR codes on posters displayed around grounds.

Each scan will unlock a short, uplifting story from a person whose life has been positively impacted by the support of their local club charity.

The subjects tackled include mental health support, combating loneliness, improving physical wellbeing, employability and confidence.

The EFL said it hoped the initiative would use "the reach and influence of football to offer fans a moment of positivity on matchday".

Trevor Birch, chief executive at the EFL, said: "Behind every club are people whose lives have been positively changed through the work and dedication of their local EFL club charity.

"This initiative gives supporters the chance to see that impact first-hand and reminds us that football truly is a force for good."

Bristol City will be favourites to end a three-match winless streak in the Championship when they host bottom side Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Wednesday's only league win of the season so far did come on the road but it was back in September when they won 2-0 at Portsmouth.

Since that day they have taken only seven points from a possible 63.

• Bristol City will be looking to complete just a third ever league double over Wednesday following the 1971-72 and 2007-08 campaigns after winning the reverse fixture 3-0 back in September last year.

• Wednesday have failed to score in any of their past three away league games against Bristol City, never before have the Owls failed to score in four in succession.

• Bristol City have won each of their past two league games against the two teams from Sheffield (United and Wednesday) and will be looking to win three in a season against them for just the second time after doing so in the 2007-08 campaign.

• Bristol City have failed to score in each of their past three league games, last having a longer run without a goal in February 2021 (4 games).

• Wednesday are winless in their past 21 league games, their longest ever run (D7 L14). It is also the fourth longest run without a win in a single second tier campaign after Cambridge United (31 in 1983-84), Barnsley (23 in 1952-53) and Darwen (27 in 1898-99).

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Goalkeeper Max O'Leary said he was "honoured to have lived every young Bristol City fan's dream" as he left the club after 18 years to join West Bromwich Albion.

The 29-year-old was out of contract at the Robins this summer and had fallen down the pecking order behind on loan Manchester United goalkeeper Radek Vitek this season after an ankle injury left him on the sidelines.

He joined Bristol City's academy at under-11 stage and went on to make 179 appearances, and played every minute of their Championship campaign last season when they reached the play-offs.

"After 18 incredible years at Bristol City, it's finally time for me to close this chapter. I started this journey as a boy, not knowing where it would take me, but I've loved every minute of it," O'Leary said.

"Thank you to all of the players I've shared a dressing room with. I've made amazing friends and memories along the way.

"To all the staff I've worked with, you have all played such a big part in helping me grow both on and off the pitch. From managers and coaches to everyone who works behind-the-scenes, thank you.

"And finally, to the supporters. You've been with me through all the highs and lows. Thank you for sharing so many amazing moments, ones I hope you'll cherish as much as I will.

"Bristol will always feel like home."