"Ever Get The Feeling We've Been Here Before, Son?" Yeovil Town Preview

As pre-season results go, two draws and a loss don't necessarily constitute reason to look forward to the coming season. However, as Gary Johnson is fully aware, the pre-season is primarily about gaining that much needed match fitness before the 9th of August when Bristol City open their Championship season.

The draws against Forest Green Rovers and SC Olhanense followed by a single goal loss to Rushden and Diamonds have improved fitness, especially as the latter two were played in the heat of the Algarve, however performances have been lacklustre, forcing manager Gary Johnson to re-iterate, "We need a squad of 20 Championship players, and we haven't got that yet. We will be looking to bring two or three in."

The pressure is on the fringe players to stand up and be counted in the final few weeks before the season begins, starting with tonight's game against Yeovil Town at Huish Park. (Kick Off 7.45)

The match sees the return to Yeovil for City boss Gary Johnson who guided Yeovil Town out of non-league football and into the Football League for the first time in their 102 year history. The charismatic coach was very popular during his time at Huish Park, and is still fondly thought of despite his jumping ship to Bristol City in 2005. It is not only Gary Johnson who will be returning to familiar ground this evening, as Johnson has bought five former Yeovil players since his arrival at Ashton Gate in his son Lee Johnson, Michael McIndoe, Liam Fontaine, Gavin Williams and Chris Weale.

In the two seasons that Yeovil and Bristol City resided together in League One, Huish Park was a ground that Bristol City struggled to get a result with a draw and a loss at the old fashioned ground.

Yeovil Town

After several successful seasons in League One, last season was a disappointment for Russell Slade's men, who finished in 18th place just four points clear of the relegation zone. Accusations from some Yeovil fans blamed Slade's reliance on the long ball game and loan signings causing unrest in a squad far different than the team created by Gary Johnson. The previous season saw Slade win the League One Manager of The Year award, after guiding the Green and Whites to a 5th place finish and a date at Wembley in the play-off final, but this season has meant a lot of fans have forgotten about that. Unlucky, really, when you realise that most talented players have decided to leave Yeovil Town during his tenure - see Arron Davies and Chris Cohen.

Bristol City masters player Marcus Stewart will not be playing, as he has recently joined League Two side Exeter City, but 'The Weasel' Darren Way, whose Louis Carey's goalscoring free kick routine against Crystal Palace was named after has re-joined the Glovers after two seasons at Swansea City. He will be looking for his side to play the way they did on Saturday, beating Barnsley 2-0 at Huish Park.

The Yeovil squad for tonight's match is:

GK: Trialist

DF: Terry Skiverton, Scott Guyett, Lee Peltier, Nathan Jones, Craig Alcock, Rob Fitzgerald

MF: Marc Bircham, Darren Way, Danny Schofield, Kieran Murtagh, Trialists

FW: Lloyd Owusu, Andy Kirk, Aidan Downes, Trialist

City News

With tomorrow's match against Hereford United, the squad is likely to be split in two for the two games because Gary Johnson has said, "You will start seeing my plans by the Bournemouth game next Saturday." New record signing Emad Meteb has not had international clearance to work in England and misses out, as does Liam Fontaine who suffered an injured ankle in the loss to Rushden and Diamonds. There will be no return to his former club for Gavin Williams who is still struggling with his match fitness.

The likely starting line-up for tonight's match is:

GK: Chris Weale

DF: Bradley Orr, Louis Carey, Cole Skuse, Jamie McAllister

MF: Ivan Sproule, Lee Johnson, David Noble, Michael McIndoe

FW: Jennison Myrie-Williams, Dele Adebola

City fans will be situated in the Copse Road Terrace where tickets are priced at £10 for adults, £5 for Senior Citizens and £1 for under 16s. You can watch highlights from this evening on BCFC World.

HERE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LAST MATCH BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES AT HUISH PARK, BACK IN 2006.





Ross Verbals

Bristol City In Record Signing Shocker!!!

Bristol City have today announced the signing of the highly rated forward Emad Meteb for a club record £1.5 million pounds, subject to the striker obtaining a work permit. The Egyptian international had been linked with a move to Ashton Gate week after week, without an official comment from the club, but the player was unveiled today and manager Gary Johnson is delighted to have finally got his man. "He has always been our number one target. He's a quality finisher and the fox in the box. We've needed one for a while and I think he can work well with any of the strikers we have at the club."

Speaking of the longevity of the transfer to complete, Johnson added, "We've been tracking him for sometime and I have been over to Egypt to see him play. We have seen all of his African Cup of Nations games and we like his style of play and professionalism." The transfer, it has been documented, almost stalled over how the transfer fee was to be paid to Egyptian side Al-Ahly. This has been negotiated now and the deal will complete once the work permit arrives for the 25 year old.

Meteb was a popular and successful player at Al-Ahly, having been at the Cairo based club since the age of 12. During his time at the club he won a Bronze Medal at the FIFA Club World Cup 2006, 4 Egyptian Premier League titles, 2 Egypt Cup titles, 3 Egyptian Super Cup titles, 2 CAF Champions League winners medals as well as 2 CAF Super Cup winners medals. The club is hugely successful, has a massive following and high crowd expectations, so Emad should not be daunted by the English game at all.

Whilst at Al-Ahly Meteb was called into the Egyptian national team where the striker has won the last two African Cup of Nations in 2006 and 2008. His strike rate is formidable too, scoring 22 goals in 47 appearances for his country and 89 goals in 172 appearances for Al-Ahly. Although last season Meteb only scored 5 goals for his club, his last appearance for Egypt saw him score twice in a 2-0 win against Malawi.

Speaking through a translator, Meteb said "It was a difficult decision to leave the club where I grew up and learnt football, but this is a professional life and I'm sure people will understand my decision in Egypt. I hope to realise all my dreams with Bristol City. I am happy to be here and I want to help the club win promotion to the Premier League."

This exciting news will prove to rivals in The Championship that Bristol City are not resting on the laurels of last season's success, the club wants to push onwards and upwards, striving for automatic promotion and the acquisition of Meteb will go some way to achieving that objective.

The transfer activity will not stop here with Johnson claiming Bristol City had placed 3 bids for players after the Gavin Williams deal was finalised, so the squad will be improved still, even after the addition of a club record signing. Our club is on the up, and captures of this calibre prove it.

"Here We Go Again" - Forest Green Rovers Preview

After the amazing story of last season's unexpected success in The Coca Cola Championship and the subsequent play-off highs and lows, the pre-season calendar begins this afternoon with a match away to Blue Square Premier side Forest Green Rovers. So, Here We Go Again! The Bristol City annual Latvian Tour has been replaced with a trip to Portugal - a sign of player power if ever I saw one, and a series of away matches against Hereford, Yeovil, Weymouth, Cheltenham and Bournemouth precede the only home fixture against Belgian side Royal Antwerp on August the 1st.

The pre-season aims to give the team match practice whilst improving individual fitness and team chemistry, the results are fairly secondary. Last season saw some heavy losses, including the corresponding fixture against Forest Green Rovers and some uninspiring draws against Yeovil and Bournemouth at home, but we went on to be unbeaten in the first 8 games of the season, proving the results are nothing to worry about early doors.

Forest Green Rovers, who are based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire are coming off the back of their highest placed finish in history, having finished 8th in the Blue Square Premier Division, previously known as The Conference. Their manager, Jim Harvey had spells at Bristol City as a player and was assistant manager to Northern Ireland under Sammy McIlroy. He took over from former Bristol City Captain Gary Owers as manager in September 2006, with the team struggling at the bottom of the league and has turned things around at The New Lawn. The side features ex Bristol City players Darren Jones and Simon Clist, but not goal machine Stuart Fleetwood who has joined our Championship rivals Charlton Athletic.

City News

Bristol City look set to play two sides, one in the first half and one in the second. With Marvin Elliott (Toe), Gavin Williams (Fitness), and Goalkeepers Stephen Henderson and Adriano Basso (Knocks) all out of the squad this afternoon, Chris Weale will be the only player to play all 90 minutes. Gary Johnson explained that "Everyone has the same chance in pre season and when it comes to the real stuff I won't pick teams on birth certificates." This comes as good news to youngsters such as Frankie Artus and Tristan Plummer and experienced players such as Scotty Murray. One player who won't be playing is Richard Keogh, who has turned down a contract offer from the club and will be looking for a new club. It is unlikely that Johnson will start with a 'full strength' side, but each half will see a mixture of experienced and youth team players.

As Bristol City look to begin the season playing well and feeling match fit, you can see the team make their first step this afternoon at The New Lawn, with prices at £10 for adults, £5 for senior citizens and £2 for under 16s. Catch highlights on BCFC World from later this evening.

Ross Verbals