Posted by Football round-up
BRISTOL CITY
Manager Gary Johnson has praised City chairman Steve Lansdown for the support he has received following the 6-0 humiliation at home to Cardiff City on Tuesday.
Johnson said Lansdown was the first “official face” he saw after he and his side were booed off the pitch, and told BBC Radio Bristol: “I think he’s a very good man manager and I think he does a great job with me. You can see why he’s very successful in his business and with this football club.”
The boss added it was how the players would react away to Middlesbrough on Saturday that would determine how damaging the defeat would be.
Yesterday, Lansdown said everyone associated with Bristol City “must stick together” following the defeat.
“I can’t say anything that will appease the supporters,” he told the club website. “I can apologise but I don’t feel I need to do that. This football club has done a lot in the last few years and one bad result doesn’t undo all that.
“We all must stick together. It’s hard to take but sometimes it makes you stronger. We must let this make us stronger and work on this.”
- Meanwhile, Johnson has dismissed speculation suggesting City are on the verge of signing Watford’s Jon Harley. He confirmed he did enquire about the former Chelsea left-sided player’s availability several weeks ago, but any interest was dropped once he completed a deal with Barnsley to sign Jamal Campbell-Ryce.
- Stephen Henderson has returned to Ashton Gate after Wycombe Wanderers failed to guarantee the goalkeeper regular match practice. The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international travelled to Buckinghamshire on Monday to train with the League One club, with a view to agreeing a loan move – but was told he was likely to be on the bench.
BRISTOL ROVERS
Goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen has had his loan extended to cover this weekend’s game with Wycombe, with Rovers’ boss Paul Trollope still hopeful of tying up a loan deal on Monday to keep him at the Memorial until the end of the season.
Trollope said there was still a possibility of new faces arriving before the end of the transfer window on Sunday.
Speaking of Andersen, who has performed well in recent weeks, he told the club website: “Mikkel is very keen to stay and we are of a similar mind set, so hopefully we can get the paper work done on Monday and he can continue in our goal.”
The emergency transfer window opens a week later – allowing clubs to sign players on loan for the rest of the season – which has allowed the club breathing space, he added.
“We would very much like to bring people in before the Monday deadline, but we will wait and see.
“Sometime the end of the window brings that feeling of panic, but when you look logically, a week later you can loan someone for the rest of the season anyway.
“You don’t want to be forced into a mistake. We want to bring players in who are going to make us better and add to the squad, give us different qualities and help us progress.”
- Meanwhile, fans raised more than £2,000 for the Haiti earthquake appeal last weekend. Volunteers carried buckets in and around the ground to collect cash from supporters as they made their way to the match. Rovers chairman Nick Higgs said it was “heartwarming” to see the fans’ generosity.
- Rovers’ match at home to high-flying Charlton on Monday, February 15 has been made a ‘quid-a-kid’ fixture – allowing children in to watch the game for £1. Higgs hopes the match, which will be screened live by Sky, will allow families to bring along new, young fans to the Memorial.
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