NafisaBristol City will be hoping to recover strongly in the 2025/26 campaign after missing out in the Championship play-offs. The Robins impressed by achieving a top-six spot, but their promotion dreams were ended by Sheffield United.
City were outclassed in both legs of the semi-final with back-to-back 3-0 defeats, resulting in a 6-0 aggregate loss. Despite that, the Blades will remain in the Championship alongside Bristol City after being beaten by Sunderland in the play-off final.
However, changes may be looming at Ashton Gate, with head coach Liam Manning being eyed for the vacant Norwich City position. Bristol City appear set for another setback, as one of their promising young players is heading to the Premier League.
Wolves have had a bid accepted by the Robins for 16-year-old Ashton Williams, according to Football Insider. Multiple clubs have shown interest in Williams, but Wolves have acted quickly.
He has yet to make a senior appearance at Ashton Gate despite being highly rated.
Limited belief in academy players? Under Manning, Bristol City have not shown significant belief in their academy products throughout the season. The only players in their squad who came through the youth ranks are Sam Bell, Max O’Leary and Cam Pring.
Of those three, only O’Leary has been a consistent presence throughout the campaign. It would be interesting to determine whether the relatively scarce first-team chances for young talent have directly influenced decisions to depart.
This is an issue Bristol City should really look to address following Manning’s exit. Their next manager needs to place greater trust in emerging talent to avoid another situation like Williams’.
Disappointing opening to the summer at Bristol City:
Losing a highly-rated prospect along with their manager in the opening stages of the off-season isn’t an ideal beginning. It’s a crucial period ahead for Bristol City, following a very encouraging campaign.
The Robins are also attracting interest in some of their standout performers, including Jason Knight. Losing additional key personnel could seriously hurt the club’s prospects.
Once Manning’s future is resolved and official, the attention may then shift to preparing for the new season.
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