steve coppell

Bristol City have confirmed that former Reading manager Steve Coppell will take over the reins at the West country club, effectively replacing Gary Johnson who left the club back in March.

Caretaker manager Keith Millen will remain in charge of the team for the final two games of the season. Millen had put himself into the frame for the Ashton Gate job, and will remain with the club as Coppell’s right hand man as assistant manager and will play a key part in rebuilding the team during this summer.

With Coppell’s history it is no surprise that Bristol City see him as the man to lead the club to promotion from the Championship during next season and Coppell is relishing the opportunity to prove them right.

City have not been in the top flight for thirty years, but chairman Steve Lansdown says: “Steve arrives with a track record and pedigree that shows the ambition this club has. We are aiming to play at the highest possible level.”

Coppell has won promotion to the top flight on three occasions and that makes him the perfect candidate for Bristol City, wherever he has been the players and fans generally speak highly of the 54 year old former England player and he has the ability to bring out the best in otherwise mediocre players. His Reading side set a Championship points record four years ago when promoted with 106 points.

Coppell said; “Every manager knows that promotion is his brief and I’m no different. No one person can do it by themselves and we will need to work as a team. Football is a week-to-week industry and I will be looking for improvement. Everyone is judged on results and we need to win games but we need to finish strongly this season and look to kick on.”

He added that he will take over as manager of Bristol City at the end of the season and expected a busy summer identifying new players for the club and although no budget has been set, the chairman has promised his full support.

Steve Lansdown added:

“I’m delighted that Steve has agreed to become the new manager of Bristol City. I’d also like to thank Keith Millen for the hard work he has put in over the past seven games and I’m pleased he will stay on as assistant.”

Coppell and Bristol City have agreed a twelve month rolling contract.

Barnsley

It is the second defeat on the trot in the Championship and third in a week including the Carling Cup loss at Arsenal for the Baggies and has put a temporary dent in their attempt at marching straight back to the Premiership.

Barnsley, who are at the other end of the Championship table, were much the better team and deserved the win with a performance that belies their position in the league.

Michael Chopra scored four in Cardiff’s mauling of Derby County as the Welsh team found their early season form and thrashed Nigel Clough’s side 6-1.

Promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough and Preston were both beaten, the latter by lowly strugglers Reading who won away 1-2 and lifted themselves up the table but will need to build on this result to avoid a relegation battle later in the season.

Gareth Southgate was booed by the home crowd following the 0-1 defeat by Leicester who are now just one point behind Middlesbrough after an indifferent start to the campaign.

Roy Keane’s Ipswich were robbed yet again as Sheffield United scored an equalising goal in injury time to make the score 3-3. Ipswich had led 3-1 and will be disappointed at letting the game slip away, although one point is better than none.

Ipswich Town’s Simon Clegg was quick to dispel any rumours that Keane’s time at the club was coming to an end by issuing a statement to say there is no pressure on the Irishman.

Coventry staged a late comeback to take all the points from their visit to Watford, trailing 2-1 the Sky Blues scored twice in the last ten minutes or so to seal the win 2-3.

Bristol City beat Blackpool 2-0 who are now both on 16 points just outside the play off places which is becoming very congested with five teams on the same points.

Crystal Palace were held to a 0-0 against visitors Sheffield Wednesday, the same result as at Doncaster who entertained Swansea. The bottom of the table clash between Darren Ferguson’s Peterborough and Plymouth was won by the south west team 1-2, their first win of the season.

Newcastle have the chance to stretch their lead to five points at the top of the league when they take on QPR tonight, while Nottingham Forest will host Scunthorpe in the other game.

The apology will not change the fact that Crystal Palace lost three points to City, who’won’ the game 1-0. Freddie Sears had clearly scored on 30 minutes but both referee and linesman both missed that the ball had crossed the line as it fired back out off a stanchion.

Rob Shoebridge, the referee involved in the blunder has been withdrawn from officiating Tuesday’s Championship game between Plymouth and Cardiff as a result of the error.

Warnock is also angry at the Bristol City players and manager, who he feels should have done more;

“The body language of the Bristol players and the fans should have told the referee it was a goal. If it had been at the other end of the pitch, there would have been a riot. Refs make mistakes but morally I felt Bristol should have let us score a goal there.”

Bristol City manager Gary Johnson hit back, saying;

“We knew the ball had gone into the net, but we got word the ref said there was an infringement so there is nothing more we can do. It happened to us twice last year and it is very disappointing and you have a little moan and you get on with it. I can understand Neil being disappointed but you have to choose your words these days.”

“But nobody has cheated, nobody means to make mistakes and we had a perfectly good goal on the day ruled out for offside.That happens. It will happen to us many times and to Palace many times and you are aggrieved and you have got to get on with it.”

To rub salt into the tender wound for Palace, City scored the winning goal in the 89th minute to ensure the three points.

The Bristol City Manager, Gary Johnson will certainly have his work cut out as he tries to inspire his team. Dean Windass’ only goal in a 1-0 win at Wembley last May knocked the stuffing out of The Robins as their momentum did not carry into this campaign.

Poor individual performances and a lack of unity seem to be pinnacle to their failure.

Gary Johnson came out after the recent poor form and told BBC Radio Bristol: “They are an honest bunch. Obviously, we’re all disappointed together. We are together in what we’re trying to do.

“Individuals have got to get their games right and then hopefully the team will get their game right.”

Bristol City’s failure to win since their 1-0 victory over Southampton has showed a lack of solidarity and togetherness as their latest 2-0 defeat to the hands of a high flying Preston side did not help matters.

The table may say that they are only a mere two wins away from the playoffs but in retrospect terms it is a much greater divide.

The performers last year have not lived up to their potential this term, as players of the quality of Adriano Basso, Bradley Orr, Lee Trundle and Michael McIndoe have hardly reproduced that glittering form that saw them well last season.

Even the additions of Nicky Maynard and Stern John from Crewe and Southampton respectively have not made the impact for what the club were hoping. Maynard being the clubs top goal scorer with four goals. That is not enough to compete at the top end of the table.

Being beaten in the playoff final has not always been a bad omen. In recent times, only Leeds United have dropped right out of the picture when losing to Watford 3-0 back in 2006. Preston, West Ham United and West Brom have made relatively decent pushes the following term with West Ham and West Brom both being promoted.

However, this time round they are aiming higher in what Gary Johnson is calling the ‘Premier League Two’. In more recognised terminology, they are aiming to win automatic promotion to the Premier League this season.

The Bristol City boss believes that Wembley couldn’t be further from the player’s minds as they reported back for pre-season training. I always find this hard to believe – surely they must still be hurting from such an experience? They will be training while thinking ‘we could be preparing for the Premier League now’. Fair enough, Gary Johnson has to say they aren’t thinking about it – but I’m not so sure.

So, how realistic is Gary Johnson’s aim of finishing in the top two of the Championship next season? Well, because of their success last year they are bound to be one of the promotion favourites, but it is going to be very difficult for them. Just look at Colchester. They came up from League one, just missed out on the play-offs and then finished bottom the following season. It will be Bristol City’s ‘difficult second season’ and they will have to perform fantastically well to win promotion.

They will hope that new signing will increase their chances of success, but they have only brought in Gavin Williams from Ipswich so far and will need to strengthen further if they are to compete in the top end of the Championship table.

Because as Gary Johnson admits, with the likes of Reading, Derby, Birmingham, Swansea and Nottingham Forest entering the Championship – it is going to be tougher than ever to finish in the top two.

The game wasn’t a goal fest as I had imagined but was a very open, attacking and entertaining game of football to watch. Hull capitalised on the lion (or should that be tiger!) share of the possession in the first half with a fantastic volley from 39 year old Dean Windass.

Dean Windass started his professional career  with Hull City 17 years ago.  He has played for several teams including Bradford and Middlesborough before returning to is home town team.

In the second half Bristol City battered the Hull defence and had a few chances to take the game into extra time. But Hull held on for a momentus victory.

Unfortunately, the dust hasn’t even settled and the talk is now of whether Hull, West Brom & Stoke will be able to survive more than one season in the Premier League. However, considering that promotion betting didn’t even consider Hull at the beginning of the season – they should just enjoy it!

The stakes are high. with a place in the Premier League reported to be worth an estimated £60 million to the winning team.

Bristol City have not been in the top division since 1980, while Hull City have never played in the top flight of English football. There is no clear avourite and both teams are confident of a win.

Both Bristol City and Hull City play attractive attacking football, so I am expecting a high scoring, high tempoed and exciting game; a 2-1 or 3-2 score line wouldn’t surprise me!

The bookmakers are making Hull City slight favourites. Bluesquare odds, as I write:

Bristol City to win 2/1
Hull City to win 3-2 – 11/8

Bristol City to win 2-1 -12/1
Hull City to win 2-1 – 9/1

I’m going for Hull city to win & Nick Barmby to score at 8/1. What do you think?

With all the television money and global exposure that comes with playing in the Premiership it is fair to say that niether Bristol City or Hull were cited by any football critics at the beginning of the season to be in the play-offs, let alone play-off final.

In fact, many critics suggested Bristol City, who were promoted last season from League One, were contenders for relegation from whence they came! Football league betting certainly didn’t expect them to be in the play-off final!

Both Gary Johnson at Bristol City and Phil Brown at Hull have done remarkable well to get their teams this far.  But without a big investor backing the manager to buy Premiership players in the summer, can you really see either of them remaining in the Premiership for what Reading know only too well can be an awkward second season?

Bristol City will play Hull City at Wembley on Saturday 24th May. The winners will receive a place at the head table of English football as they will start the 2008/09 season in the Premier League. The losers will be the weakest link and leave with nothing. They will have to continue playing English Championship football next season.

After Hull City beat Watford 2-0 on Sunday, Watford needed a quick start tonight; and Darius Henderson after just 12 minutes to give Watford a lifeline.

For most of the first half Watford played well, while Hull City looked nervous. But in the 43rd minute that all changed as Nick Barmby, a schoolboy fan of Hull City scored with a header to make it 1-1 at half-time.

Hull outplayed Watford in the second half and thoroughly deserved to win the tie. But it took until 70 minutes before Hull took the lead through a Caleb Folan header.

Richard Garcia and Nathan Doyle made the score 4-1 on the night and 6-1 on aggreagate.

Phil Brown takes Hull City to Wembley with the chance of The Tigers to play in the top tier of English football for the first time in their history. Everyone in Hull will want to get there hands on these football tickets!

So, who will join West Brom and Stoke City in the Premiership next season, Bristol City or Hull City?

Bristol City won with a last minute goal on Saturday to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in the first leg at Selhurst Park.  And tonight they came from behind to win by the same score line in extra time with a wonderful goal from Lee Trundle.

Bristol City go through to the Championship Final at Wembley on Saturday 24th May where they will face the winners of tomorrow (Wednesday) night’s game between Hull City and Watford.  Hull will be favourites to progress after a convincing 2-0 win last Sunday at Watford’s Vicarage Road.