City Sign Gavin Williams

Bristol City today unveiled the signing of Gavin Williams from Ipswich Town for an undisclosed fee. The creative, attacking midfielder who can play on the wing and in an attacking midfield role has signed a two year deal with The Reds. It is the first signing of the summer for Gary Johnson as he looks to build a squad capable on replicating and improving on last season's success.

The Welsh international, 27, will have some familiar faces in the dressing room having played alongside Michael McIndoe, Lee Johnson and Chris Weale at Yeovil Town where of course they were managed by Gary Johnson. It is the second time Johnson has bought Williams, having signed him for Yeovil from Hereford United. Williams was voted player of the year by the fans at Edgar Street and his time at Yeovil was no less successful.

He was part of the team that gained promotion to the Football League for the first time in their history. Williams himself admits he "Played the best football of my career" at Huish Park. His energetic performances did not go unnoticed, and West Ham United paid £250,000 for his services in 2004. Despite an excellent goal at Elland Road against Leeds United and being called up into the Welsh national team, Williams struggled to hold down a first team place and was loaned out to Ipswich Town in 2005.

His impressive performances persuaded boss Joe Royle to sign Williams up to a full time contract and he left The Hammers for Ipswich Town in a deal worth £300,000. The following spell was an enduring one as knee and ankle injuries blighted his prospects at the club and he only started 11 games last season, including the game at Ashton Gate. Jim Magilton parted company with the player yesterday claiming Williams was "Unfulfilled potential" at Portman Road.

Gavin Williams arrives at Ashton Gate fully fit, hoping that with a pre-season under his belt, he can kick start his stuttering carrer. It is clear what his ambitions are for the club, "I don't see why we can't improve on last season's success and gain promotion into the Premier League." Johnson has bought a player to Bristol City that he knows and admires, a player that will add creativity and energy to an already impressive midfield.

For those who have bcfcWorld, video search the 2004-2005 season for Yeovil and Gavin Williams to see a peach of a goal scored by our new signing against Bristol Rovers, to quench the thirst.

Bristol City 2008/2009 Fixture List Analysis

"What do you do when there is no football on in the summer?"

"Nothing... it's boring. You just wait for the fixtures to come out." (Nick Hornby, Fever Pitch)

Following the amazing end to the Turkey versus Czech Republic match last night, my quench for football could not be greater, what great timing then, that the fixture list for Bristol City's next season were released today. As Gary Johnson likes to work in blocks of ten, let's analyse our fixtures as such, followed by the six game run in to the end of the season.

Before that, let's think about our first round Carling Cup game against Peterborough United. The Posh, who are managed by Sir Alex Ferguson's son Darren, were promoted from League Two to League One last season. They will be on a high following a great season, where they finished on 92 points scoring an almighty 84 goals in 46 games with the likes of Aaron McLean and Craig McKail Smith impressing. Let's hope for a good passing game and hopefully a win followed by a Premiership club in the next round.

So, to the league fixtures:

BLOCK 1 ( August 9 - October 4 )

blackpool away, DERBY HOME, coventry away, QPR HOME, cardiff away, BIRMINGHAM CITY HOME, DONCASTER HOME, wolverhampton away, PLYMOUTH HOME, sheffield united away.

Starting our season away to Blackpool was a popular choice amongst fans, a weekend out or missing a low key game due to holiday being the main reasons. Blackpool, despite their lack of grandeur offer a hard working team with some quality players, like a lot of teams at this level. They proved that by surviving last season without the finances of former Premiership clubs or even ourselves. We need to be looking at winning this game however, as it will put us in good form going into the next few matches.

Paul Jewell's revamped Derby County side will be our first home game and they will be looking to put last season's nightmare behind them. The acquistions of Paul Connolly from Plymouth and Kris Commons from Forest are exactly the players that Jewell wants to bring to the club to get them back out of the division, experienced Football League players who offer something extra in times of need.

The Coventry away game will see City sell out their allocation again, hoping to go top of the table like last year, Chris Coleman will have other ideas however, although previous managers Iain Dowie and Mickey Adams have seen what our club can do to the Sky Blues.

Queens Park Rangers played us off the park last year at Loftus Road with Agyemang, Vine and Buszacky all looking sharp. No doubt they will have bought a new squad by the time this game comes around, with Premiership players Peter Ramage and Radek Cerny already joining the Hoops revolution this summer. At Ashton Gate we will offer resistance to all teams, but Derby and QPR will both be favourites to beat us.

Cardiff away follows, with Lee Trundle desperate to get on the scoresheet, it seems Cardiff will sign a big name soon with Jason Roberts and Robert Earnshaw both turning down the BlueBirds recently. These games are always tense affairs, which recently have gone the home team's way.

Birmingham have the greatest attacking threat in the league despite the loss of Mikael Forssell, with Cameron Jerome excelling at this level and James McFadden who is quality at international level. They will bring a Premiership level performance to Ashton Gate.

Doncaster arrive at Ashton Gate the following week, hoping to be this seasons Bristol City, as they play a good brand of football and will upset a few teams this term. It will see the return to Ashton Gate for Mark McCammon and Paul Heffernan, as well as that elusive nearly Bristol City man, James Hayter.

We then head to Molinuex, which has been called Fontaine-Gate by me at least and despite the signing of Sam Vokes from Bournemouth, I think we did well against them last season and can gain at least a point in that game.

Plymouth will then come to Ashton Gate looking for a repeat of last season, where they beat us 2-1, they have a solid back 4 who we will do well to break down and are useful from set plays, the match will be tougher if they hold on to Peter Halmosi. Hopefully, we can keep Rory Fallon quiet as he always seems to score against us.

Folowing that we head to Brammall Lane to avenge the cruel loss to them last season where Nicky Carle, David Noble and Lee Trundle played them off the park. Blackwell's men will need to start better than last season and have a squad capable of doing so.

So, as opening blocks go, what do you think? I think we have got to target the home games, Derby will be in their transitional period early doors, QPR will come to beat us and we might nick it, ditto with Birmingham. Doncaster and Plymouth will provide good tests and we will not underestimate them, but those are the six points we have to be looking at as bankers.

The away games are always difficult to call in this league, but I'm sure there will be some dissapointment if we fail to beat Blackpool on the opening day and Coventry a few weeks later because of last seasons heroics, we might get something out of the Cardiff, Wolves and Sheffield United games too.

The opening block is looking difficult, with two relegated sides at Ashton Gate and the first of two away matches in Wales, which is always tense, but these opening games are crucial to kickstarting our season. Being positive at Ashton Gate and resolute away from home will go some way to seeing us guarantee we finish the first block with (hopefully) at least 15 points.

Block Two analysis will follow tomorrow.

BLOCK 2 ( October 18 - November 29 )

NORWICH HOME, charlton away, barnsley away, SHEFFIELD UNITED HOME, READING HOME, southampton away, NOTTINGHAM FOREST HOME, crystal palace away, WATFORD HOME, preston away.

Following the opening 10 games, which usually dictates whether a side has promotion aspirations or midtable obscurity to look forward to, we begin our second block at home to Gleen Roeder's Norwich City. The sides were seperated last season by Steve Brooker's last minute header, which left Roeder fuming. They will be without the experience of Darren Huckerby and Dion Dublin, and we should be looking to repeat last season's results against them.

Away against Charlton is next for The Reds, in a fixture that last season ended 1-1, thanks to a spirited second half performance. The point could have been made three if Michael McIndoe's late free kick didn't crash back off the bar. Charlton have recently signed ex Crystal Palace captain Mark Hudson who will certainly know plenty about our squad. A draw would be a creditable result here.

A trip to Yorkshire to play Barnsley follows, a match that saw us put out a poor second half performance letting in 3 goals in the second half last season. They proved their credentials at home last season by not only beating us but a little known team called Chelsea in the FA Cup. A tough place to come away with the points.

We then face Sheffield United for the second time within a month, much like we did with Ipswich Town last season, with contrasting results. This match could follow the fall out from the previous tie if a controversial moment proves pivotal. We played excellently in both games last year against them, and at Ashton Gate we will fancy our chances.

The next team to visit Ashton Gate is Reading, newly relegated after two respectful seasons in The Premier Laegue. Recent clashes have been full of incident, from the back and forth 3-3 draw to the horrendous Dani Rodrigues injury. Some added spice will be the potential return to Ashton Gate of Leroy Lita, Liam Rosenior and Scott Golbourne. At least one team is bearing the fruition of our academy.

We then visit Southampton's impressive St Mary's Stadium, the scene of a poor 2-0 loss in front of a sell out Bristol City away following which culminated with in-fighting between City fans. We will be looking to put that experience behind us and put in a much improved performance, both on and off the field.

Newly promoted Nottingham Forest then visit Ashton Gate, to renew the rivalry we had in League One. When it looked as though some spice had been taken out with Junior Agogo looking to leave, they sign another old foe in ex Cardiff City striker Robert Earnshaw. Throw in the spats with manager Colin Calderwood and the crowd trouble at The City Ground and we have ourselves a very tasty tie.

And that is just the preview, as the following week we return to Selhurst Park, to face Neil Warnock's Crystal Palace side still reeling from the last time we played them at their ground and David Noble's superb strike and celebrations made Warnock fume about overcelebrating. The sides will no doubt be 100% again and we will see lots of full hearted challenges and if the matches are similar to last season, plenty of talking points.

After all of that build up to the Forest and Palace matches, there is no rest for City as fellow play-off semi-finalists Watford are next to Ashton Gate. Although their season capitulated disappointingly, Aidy Boothroyd's side proved last season they are a tough team to beat, resolute and compact. Only for Adriano Basso's fine penalty save did we come away with a point. A tough game following Forest and Palace our squad may need to show its strength in depth to dig in and get a result out of this one.

We finish our second block away at Preston looking firmly to gain all 3 points following a run of hard games. To complete the block of 10 with a win would be good, with almost half the season gone we will definitely know by this point if we can sustain the form of last season. I think this second block is slightly harder than the first but still the same rules apply, be positive at home and resolute away. The Cider Army will be supporting the lads on no matter what and I am looking forward to these run of games with plenty of previous history and intrigue.



away, CRYSTAL PALACE HOME, doncaster away, WOLVERHAMPTON HOME, plymouth away, BARNSLEY HOME.

BLOCK 4 ( February 3 - March 21 )

CHARLTON HOME, norwich away, SOUTHAMPTON HOME, reading away, BLACKPOOL HOME, birmingham away, derby away, COVENTRY HOME, CARDIFF HOME, qpr away.

THE RUN-IN ( April 4 - May 3 )

PRESTON HOME, forest away, IPSWICH HOME, swansea away, SHEFF WEDS HOME, burnley away.

The Unknown and The Heartbreak - City Season Review 2007/2008

Another year, another play-off disappointment. Bristol City really don't like those dreaded words, to score a goal in a final would be nice! No matter how much it hurt seeing our players beaten and dejected on the Wembley turf as Hull lifted their playoff trophy to the sounds of fireworks and Humberside cheers, you have to admit... this has been the most exciting season for a long, long time. Playing in some historic grounds, outplaying so called superior sides, Sven at The Gate and those semi-final playoff ties all made this season very special indeed. How many magic moments could you pick out from the season, from Johnson's barmy quotes, the East End's 'Bounce Around The Ground', McCombe's overhead kick, the 3,000 fans away at Coventry seeing us go top of the league... the list goes on and on for all of us CiderHeads to cherish and behold.

Yes, the season had it's hard times too, the 6-0 loss to Ipswich, the fighting amongst ourselves at Southampton and the realisation that Pulis had beaten us to it at the Britannia Stadium. But, these have all put us in the strong position for next year, we know we are capable of causing problems to any team, and the team clearly have the self belief, a few signings to improve the squad and we will be on our way to another magic season.

As a Bristol City season ticket holder at Ashton Gate for the last 11 years, I can honestly say being in the beautifully traditional English football stadium has never felt better or more important. The club, fresh from a second placed finish in League One were promoted to the Coca Cola Championship, a league which attends more fans per week than Serie A. What has this meant for our club?

TRANSFER KITTY

Well, with Gary Johnson as manager,we had prided ourselves on shrewd signings for little or no money - see Phil Jevons (Free transfer - 43 appearances, 11 goals). With the help of Jevons' goals we were promoted last season, but with the promise of a greater quality of opponents in The Championship, Steve Lansdown placed his hands inside those deep pockets. To the delight of us fans, we have spent somewhere in the region of £3 million on the likes of Lee Trundle, Michael McIndoe, Ivan Sproule, Nick Carle and Dele Adebola. All players of great attacking prowess and intent who play passing football at pace.

NEW STADIUM?

It has also seen the unveiling of a potential new stadium, which if it is granted will be situated in Long Ashton and will seat 30,000 or if the bid for the 2018 world cup is accepted, 40,000 people. This is a huge deal, but I do have some reservations about the process, having seen Coventry unveil a smashing stadium, only for it to consume the club and force it into administration. I have a soft spot for Ashton Gate, and I always will.

NATIONAL EXPOSURE

Thirdly, the exposure of Bristol City has improved tenfold, with Sky Sports, newspapers and online avenues all paying an interest in the goings on at our proud, but somewhat bewildered club. From the praises of Gary Johnson, a manager that inexplicably still does not have 100% backing at Ashton Gate, mostly to do with what some fans see as nepotism. Lee Johnson, the managers son is a player of great ability, and specifically in the 4-5-1 that we favour this season, he plays a pivotal role linking play between defence and attack. The manager gained the club its greatest media exposure with the Liam Fontaine debacle, where in an interview with BCFC World TV, Johnson quipped "If Fontaine ever scores, I will show my backside in Burton's window" Enter Fontaine, away from home at Molineux, trailing 1-0 against a buoyant Wolverhampton side as ex Wolves man McIndoe, who was booed the whole game by the home fans whipped in a free kick. The centre back who had previously gone his whole professional career without scoring a single goal rose at the back post and headed across goal into the corner of the net. With the prospect of Johnson's arse on public view, Soccer AM wisely decided that rather go through the bare bottomed anguish, Johnson should 'Take one for the team'. Fontaine had three shots at trying to kick a ball at the boss' behind, but in keeping with Fontaine's scoring record, he failed to hit the target.

Bristol City brighten up a landscape of football, which since the early nineties has been lacking in charisma and bravado.

So, to the team in its current climate, I shall brief on each player and rank their performance this year:

Basso - Our Brazilian goalkeeper is a firm fans favourite, who keeps you occupied for the whole ninety minutes, when he is not raising his hands in prayer he is star jumping on the spot, and when he is not doing that he is making some spectacular made for TV saves. His performance away to Leicester is the best I have ever seen from a goalkeeper. 9/10

Orr - Bradley Orr was bought as a box-to-box midfielder but has excelled in his now custom right back slot. He works hard, has come off best against some tricky wingers and scored some crucial goals. Two sendings off have let him down but commitment is what you expect from the guy. 9/10

Mcallister - Our Scottish left-back has come back from poor games this season and shown resilience, steel and some class. A great left foot, he should create more goals with crosses like he put in for Adebola at Colchester. His consistency is improving and he has had a good season. 7/10

Carey - Bristol born and bred (with a cap for Scotland B??) Louis is resolute and a leader. He defends with heart and the captains arm band clearly means a lot to him. A defender who can battle with target men and halt tricky strikers, Carey has been monumental. 9/10

Fontaine - Liam, with notoriety achieved for his goal scoring prowess silences the ribbing with his defensive displays. Quick, strong and with a good jump Liam has been another defensive rock. Keen to play, even at left back. 8/10

McCombe - Boom Boom McCombe as he is affectionately known, has not been playing at the consistently dominant level he was last season to gain the Player of the year award. Caught out when up against pace, he has however proved he can win a battle in the air with more direct sides. Improves with match sharpness. 8/10

Vasko - A cult hero, the Hungarian international centre-back has proved to be an important squad player. With a huge frame he is used sparingly, and is actually tremendously useful when he is playing as an emergency striker. Deceptively good with his distribution, Tamas has unfortunately not been offered a full time contract. 7/10

Elliott - Marvellous Marvin has been a revelation, a bosman signing from Millwall, little was expected of him, but his all out performances have earned him the praises of the Ashton Gate crowd. A great engine, he provides constant pressure to the opposition and has chipped in with some goals too. 9/10

Johnson - Lee, despite his vocal critics has performed well this year and having overcome a patchy mid season he looks assured in the 4-5-1 formation. Crucial with his range of passing from open play and his usually excellent set plays. Missed him through injury for the run in. 8/10

Carle - A January transfer window capture, we only got to see the best of Nick when the season was coming to a close having struggled with injury. It is clear however, that he is strong in the tackle and has great vision. He will provide us with invention next season for sure. 7/10

Noble - The hero who scored the goals to clinch promotion has been off the rails this season. His performance against Sheffield United was monumental, but soon after he faded, struggling with injuries and fitness. A quality player who I enjoy watching, and was pleased to see him earn his spot back through hard work. His goal against Palace was a goosebump moment. 7/10

Skuse - With the arrival of Elliott, Skuse's career has stuttered this season, and it is a shame as he shows much promise. Limited to substitute appearances when we are defending a lead. Played really well at home to Norwich in Elliott's absence. 5/10

Murray - Scott Murray is a hero of mine, who has that charismatic sense of gamesmanship and holds affirmation with the crowd, at 33 though, his starting opportunities seem limited. His goal against QPR was another magic Murray moment. 6/10

Sproule - Fast, fast, fast. Unfortunately, his finishing lets the boy down. A direct winger, who will provide teams with a constant threat, he shows huge heart every game. Unfortunately faded in the second half of the season. 7/10

McIndoe - I feel Michael has the best footballing brain at the club, his constant changing of the wings, turns and checks puzzle defenders and win us plenty of free kicks - which prove our most dangerous threat to the goal. 9/10

Wilson - Troubled by his versatility, he struggles to hold down a spot in the team. Scored a goal at Sheffield Wednesday that proved vital in keeping up our tempo. 6/10

Trundle - With the weight of a £1 million price tag on his head, Lee has at times seemed over awed, although he has lacked goals, he contributes with some nice link up and hold up play. His weight loss and improved fitness near the end of the season saw the 'real' Lee Trundle return to the ranks. 7/10

Adebola - The man who was bought in January to boost our firepower, has done very well, he will battle and hold the ball for our pacy wingers and attacking midfielders. Keep it up Dele. 7/10

Byfield - Top scorer Byfield has proved to be a bit of a super sub at Ashton Gate. Lots of his goals come late on in games when introduced. Pacy and clinical, Darren will work very hard defending from the front. 7/10

Yes, we are still in The Championship next season, but from where I stand the league offers more drama than the English Premier League and we will maintain the steady climb to a well respected brand of football, which will soon warrant a place in the Premier League. 13,000 season tickets have been sold for next season, so let's keep the faith, we're Bristol City, we always believe.

Ross Verbals