PREVIEW

Steve Harris

@steveharris84

MATCH DETAILS

Match details: Bristol City vs Torquay United

Venue: BCD

Date: Saturday 15th July 2022

Kick-off: 3pm

BRISTOL CITY FACTFILE

Nickname: The Robins

Year Founded: 1894

Last season’s league finish: 14th in the Championship

Notable Honours:

FA Cup:

Runners-up: 1909

Division Two/Division One/Championship

Winners: 1904-05

Division Three/Division Two/League One

Winners: 1922-23, 1926-27, 1954-55, 2014-15

EFL Trophy:

Winners: 1986, 2013, 2015

MANAGER – NIGEL PEARSON

Nigel Pearson made his name as a central defender with Shrewsbury Town, Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesbrough. Highlights of his playing career include winning the League Cup with Sheffield Wednesday and he later captained Middlesbrough to two promotions to the top-flight under Bryan Robson (1994-95 & 1997-98).

His managerial started with Carlisle United in the 1998-99 season and was in charge of the Cumbrians when goalkeeper Jimmy Glass famously scored his last gasp winner on the final day of the campaign.

Caretaker spells with West Bromwich Albion, England Under 21 and Newcastle United (twice) followed before he had a brief spell in charge of Southampton in 2008, which only lasted for three months.

In the summer of 2008, Pearson was appointed as Leicester City manager for what would be his first spell in charge of the Foxes and led them to promotion from League One at the first attempt, following their relegation from the Championship in the 2007-08 campaign.

He left the Foxes in 2010 to take charge of Hull City, where he remained until he returned to Leicester midway through the 2011-12 season. Whilst at the King Stadium, he guided the Foxes to the Championship title in 2013-14 and signed a number of the players who would win the Premier League title in 2015-16 under his successor Claudio Ranieri, including Kasper Schmeichel, Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez.

Spells with Derby County, OH Leuven in Belgium and Watford followed for Pearson in the wake of his departure from Leicester in 2015 before he was unveiled as Bristol City manager in 2021.

PLAYER TO WATCH – ALEX SCOTT

One of the brightest talents outside the Premier League, Guernsey-born central midfielder Alex Scott has made nearly a century of appearances for the Robins and was named the EFL Young Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season. His performances have attracted a whole host of admirers including Manchester City Pep Guardiola.

Internationally, he was part of the England side who won the European Under-19 Championship in 2022.

SCOTT STATS

Position: Midfielder

Date of Birth: 21st August 2003 (19)

Birthplace: Guernsey

Height: 1.78m

League Stats 22-23: Appearances 42, Goals 1, Yellow/Red Cards 10/0

TUFC SUMMER TRANSFER BUSINESS

In: Kevin Dawson (Gloucester City), Jack Stobbs (Oldham Athletic), Bradley Ash (Weymouth), Lewis Collins (Newport County)

Out: Frank Nouble (Yeovil Town), Ali Omar (Larne), Olaf Koszela and Alex Moyse (Dorchester Town), Jack Winsor (Bideford), Lewis Brooks, Ben Wyatt, Jacob Mensah

LAST MEETING

24th July 2018: Torquay United 1 Bristol City U23s 3 – PSF

A brace from Opi Edwards helped a young City side to a 3-1 pre-season victory away to Torquay United.

City took the lead inside the first 10 minutes when Jake Andrews clipped in a free kick from the edge of the box. Edwards made it 2-0 after 36 minutes.

Brett Williams pulled a goal back for Torquay moments after the restart but Edwards made it 3-1 to the visitors with 20 minutes to go.

XI: MacDonald (Burton 79); Gowling (Essuman H-T), Keating (Niate H-T), Hall, Banton (Davis H-T), Bawling (Wynter 62), Nabi, Dickson, Cameron (Koszela 73), Pittman (Williams H-T), Roberts (Reid H-T).