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2017–18 Bristol City F.C. season

Bristol City 2017–18 football season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2017–18 season was Bristol City's 120th season as a professional football club and their third consecutive season back in the Championship. Along with competing in the Championship, the club also participated in the FA Cup and EFL Cup, reaching the semi-finals of the latter competition. The season covered the period from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.

OwnerSteve Lansdown
ChairmanKeith Dawe
Head CoachLee Johnson
StadiumAshton Gate
Quick facts Owner, Chairman ...
Bristol City
2017–18 season
OwnerSteve Lansdown
ChairmanKeith Dawe
Head CoachLee Johnson
StadiumAshton Gate
Championship11th
FA CupThird round
EFL CupSemi-final
Highest home attendance26,088
vs. Manchester United (20 December 2017)
Lowest home attendance17,203
vs. Bolton (26 September 2017)
Average home league attendance20,952[1]
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Month by month review

June

On 27 June, Bristol City agreed to sign right-back Eros Pisano on a two-year deal, with it being officially confirmed on 1 July when his contract with Hellas Verona expired.[2] On 28 June, City broke their transfer record to sign striker Famara Diédhiou from Angers for a £5.3 million transfer fee.[3]

July

On 7 July, Aaron Wilbraham signed a one-year contract with the club.[4] On 13 July, attacking midfielder Lee Tomlin transferred to Cardiff City for an undisclosed fee.[5] On 28 July, defender Nathan Baker, having previously spent the 2015–16 season on loan from Aston Villa, signed for City on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[6]

December

After beating three other Premier League sides, Bristol City were drawn against holders Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup. The game was played at Ashton Gate on 20 December and marked the first time City and United had met competitively since 1980, when City were last in the top flight.[7] City took the lead through a thunderous Joe Bryan strike just after the second half began. Zlatan Ibrahimović equalised only seven minutes later. City sealed a dramatic and famous win as Korey Smith beat goalkeeper Sergio Romero with a 93rd-minute strike to make it 2–1 to the Robins.[8] At the final whistle, fans invaded the pitch and lifted City players onto their shoulders.

After the match, City manager Lee Johnson said the result was "a historic occasion" and Smith's winner would "live in the memory for many generations".[8] In defeating United, Bristol City became only the second side from a lower division to eliminate four top-flight teams in one League Cup campaign, after Sheffield Wednesday in 1990-91.[8] City were drawn against United's city rivals Manchester City in the semi-finals of the competition, with the first leg at the Etihad Stadium.

On 26 December, Bristol City finished the day second in the Championship table as they defeated Reading 2–0 at home. Jamie Paterson scored the first, before Lloyd Kelly's first goal for City in stoppage time sealed the win.[9] On 28 December, Bristol City lost at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

January

On 9 January, Bristol City travelled to the Premier League leaders to take on Manchester City in the semi-final first leg of the EFL Cup. The 7,680 Bristol City fans who arrived set a record for the most away fans in the Etihad Stadium's history.[10] Manchester City were overwhelming favourites, unbeaten in the Premier League and having won 20 of their 22 matches so far. Bristol City played well and took a shock lead after Bobby Reid won and scored a penalty just before half-time. Kevin De Bruyne scored ten minutes into the second half and Bristol City looked to have secured a memorable draw before substitute Sergio Agüero scored with a 92nd-minute header to seal a 2–1 win.[11]

The return leg was another entertaining affair at a sold out and noisy Ashton Gate, although Manchester City were comfortable for the most part. Leroy Sané scored just before half-time and Agüero scored just after to give Manchester City a 4–1 aggregate lead. Marlon Pack reduced the deficit before Aden Flint scored in injury time to give Bristol City hope. De Bruyne scored shortly after to kill the game, make it 3–2 on the night and 5–3 on aggregate.[12]

After the game, Lee Johnson said Bristol City were a "Premier League club in training."[13] Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola praised Bristol City and Lee Johnson after the two-legged affair: "It was a nice game, beautiful game, and all my credit to Bristol City. Big congratulations. He [Johnson] came here to try to play. They arrived, they created chances".[14]

April

After a goalless draw against Nottingham Forest, Bristol City could no longer mathematically reach the playoffs, ending their chances of promotion.

A 3–2 home loss to fellow mid-table side Sheffield United[15] on the last day of the season saw City eventually finish 11th. While this was disappointing after being 2nd on Boxing Day, this was the club's highest finish for eight years since 2009-10, when Lee Johnson was playing for the club and his father, Gary Johnson, was manager.

Transfers

In

More information Date, Name ...
Date Name From Fee Ref
1 July 2017 Famara Diédhiou Angers £5,300,000 [3]
1 July 2017 Eros Pisano Hellas Verona Free [2]
28 July 2017 Nathan Baker Aston Villa Undisclosed [6]
8 August 2017 Niclas Eliasson IFK Norrköping £1,800,000 [16]
31 August 2017 Luke Steele Panathinaikos Free [17]
31 August 2017 Tyreeq Bakinson Luton Town Undisclosed [17]
31 August 2017 Rory Holden Derry City Undisclosed [17]
20 September 2017 Antoine Semenyo SGS Free [18]
5 January 2018 Liam Walsh Everton Undisclosed [19]
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Out

More information Date, Name ...
Date Name To Fee Ref
30 June 2017 Mark Little Bolton Wanderers Released [20]
13 July 2017 Lee Tomlin Cardiff City Undisclosed (~ £2,900,000) [5]
3 August 2017 Aaron Wilbraham Bolton Wanderers Undisclosed [21]
31 January 2018 Diego De Girolamo Unattached Contract terminated by mutual consent [22]
31 January 2018 Ivan Lučić Unattached Contract terminated by mutual consent [23]
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Loan in

More information Date, Name ...
Date Name From End date Ref
17 August 2017 Cauley Woodrow Fulham 6 May 2018 [24]
28 August 2017 Jonathan Leko West Bromwich Albion 2 January 2018 [25][26]
12 January 2018 Ryan Kent Liverpool 6 May 2018 [27]
25 January 2018 Loïs Diony Saint-Étienne 30 June 2018 [28]
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Loan out

More information Date, Name ...
Date Name To End date Ref
28 July 2017 Jake Andrews Chippenham Town 28 September 2017 [29]
28 July 2017 Aden Baldwin Weston-super-Mare 28 September 2017 [29]
28 July 2017 Ashley Harper Weston-super-Mare 29 April 2018 [29]
28 July 2017 Connor Lemonheigh-Evans Bath City 28 September 2017 [29]
28 July 2017 Shawn McCoulsky Newport County 6 May 2018 [30]
5 August 2017 Jonny Smith Solihull Moors 29 April 2018 [31]
10 August 2017 Gustav Engvall Djurgårdens IF 6 November 2017 [32]
11 August 2017 Cameron Pring Merthyr Town 11 October 2017 [33]
25 August 2017 Joe Wollacott Bath City 24 October 2017 [34]
30 August 2017 Diego De Girolamo Chesterfield 31 January 2018 [35]
30 August 2017 Freddie Hinds Cheltenham Town 3 January 2018 [36]
30 August 2017 Taylor Moore Cheltenham Town 6 May 2018 [36]
30 August 2017 Joe Morrell Cheltenham Town 6 May 2018 [36]
31 August 2017 George Dowling Torquay United 29 April 2018 [37]
31 August 2017 Scott Golbourne Milton Keynes Dons 14 January 2018 [38]
28 September 2017 Harvey Smith Weston-super-Mare 23 November 2017 [39]
19 October 2017 Cameron Pring Aldershot Town 16 November 2017 [40]
20 October 2017 Cameron Allen Mangotsfield United 6 January 2018 [41]
24 October 2017 Opi Edwards Bath City 19 December 2017 [42]
24 October 2017 James Morton Chippenham Town 1 December 2017 [42]
24 October 2017 Alhaji Sesay Paulton Rovers 23 November 2017 [42]
16 November 2017 Cameron Pring Hereford 29 April 2017 [43]
23 November 2017 Max O'Leary Solihull Moors 1 January 2018 [44]
1 December 2017 James Morton Bath City 13 January 2018 [45]
1 December 2017 Lochlan Robertson Cribbs 1 February 2018 [45]
8 December 2017 Joe Wollacott Woking 8 January 2018 [46]
5 January 2018 Max O'Leary Solihull Moors 29 April 2018 [47]
18 January 2018 Zak Vyner Plymouth Argyle 6 May 2018 [48]
19 January 2018 Opi Edwards Solihull Moors 29 April 2018 [49]
20 January 2018 Antoine Semenyo Bath City 20 February 2018 [50]
30 January 2018 Kel Akpobire Guernsey 28 February 2018 [51]
31 January 2018 Jake Andrews Cheltenham Town 6 May 2018 [52]
31 January 2018 Scott Golbourne Milton Keynes Dons 6 May 2018 [53]
31 January 2018 Connor Lemonheigh-Evans Torquay United 29 April 2018 [54]
31 January 2018 Tin Plavotic Barnet 6 May 2018 [55]
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Pre-season

Friendlies

More information Date, Opponents ...
Pre-season match details
Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A		 Scorers Attendance Ref
8 July 2017 GuernseyA W1–0Reid 933 [56]
9 July 2017 Bristol Manor FarmA W11–0Hinds, Pisano, Reid, Brownhill, Morrell,
O'Dowda (2), De Girolamo (2), McCoulsky (2)		 1,400 [57]
11 July 2017 Bath CityA W3–0Paterson (pen), Reid, Bryan 963 [58]
12 July 2017 Torquay UnitedA L0–2 1,258 [59]
15 July 2017 Yeovil TownA W3–1Reid (2), Magnússon 2,636 [60]
22 July 2017 Atlético Unión de GüímarA W6–0Pisano, Diédhiou, Reid (2), Wright, Hinds — [61]
25 July 2017 Cheltenham TownA W3–0Engvall (2), Reid 1,883 [62]
28 July 2017 FC TwenteH W2–0Pack, Bryan 5,330 [63]
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Competitions

Championship

Main article: 2017–18 EFL Championship
More information Date, League position ...
Championship match details
Date League
position		 Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A		 Scorers Attendance Ref
5 August 2017 1stBarnsleyH W3–1Reid (2), Diédhiou 18,742 [64]
12 August 2017 9thBirmingham CityA L1–2Reid 21,269 [65]
15 August 2017 10thBrentfordA D2–2Brownhill, Reid 9,811 [66]
19 August 2017 11thMillwallH D0–0 18,230 [67]
25 August 2017 10thAston VillaH D1–1Paterson 21,542 [68]
9 September 2017 9thReadingA W1–0Flint 18,650 [69]
12 September 2017 12thWolverhampton WanderersA D3–3Flint, Diédhiou (pen), Reid 23,045 [70]
16 September 2017 8thDerby CountyH W4–1Woodrow, Reid (pen), Paterson, Diédhiou 19,473 [71]
23 September 2017 8thNorwich CityA D0–0 25,715 [72]
26 September 2017 7thBolton WanderersH W2–0Diédhiou, Flint 17,203 [73]
30 September 2017 5thIpswich TownA W3–1Brownhill, Diédhiou, Reid 15,256 [74]
13 October 2017 3rdBurton AlbionH D0–0 18,212 [75]
21 October 2017 6thLeeds UnitedH L0–3 24,435 [76]
28 October 2017 4thSunderlandA W2–1Reid, Đurić 27,317 [77]
31 October 2017 4thFulhamA W2–0Reid, Smith 17,634 [78]
4 November 2017 4thCardiff CityH W2–1O'Dowda, Flint 21,692 [79]
18 November 2017 4thSheffield WednesdayA D0–0 25,916 [80]
22 November 2017 5thPreston North EndH L1–2Woodrow 17,355 [81]
25 November 2017 5thHull CityA W3–2Flint, Reid, Brownhill 14,762 [82]
3 December 2017 3rdMiddlesbroughH W2–1Bryan, Paterson 18,752 [83]
8 December 2017 3rdSheffield UnitedA W2–1Paterson, Flint 24,409 [84]
16 December 2017 3rdNottingham ForestH W2–1Pack, Bryan 20,128 [85]
23 December 2017 4thQueens Park RangersA D1–1Reid (pen) 13,683 [86]
26 December 2017 2ndReadingH W2–0Paterson, Kelly 23,116 [87]
30 December 2017 3rdWolverhampton WanderersH L1–2Reid 25,540 [88]
1 January 2018 4thAston VillaA L0–5 32,604 [89]
13 January 2018 5thNorwich CityH L0–1 21,282 [90]
19 January 2018 4thDerby CountyA D0–0 26,525 [91]
27 January 2018 4thQueens Park RangersH W2–0Diédhiou, Bryan 21,492 [92]
2 February 2018 5thBolton WanderersA L0–1 14,172 [93]
10 February 2018 6thSunderlandH D3–3Flint, Diédhiou (2) 22,580 [94]
18 February 2018 6thLeeds UnitedA D2-2Diédhiou, Reid 28,004 [95]
21 February 2018 6thFulhamH D1–1Reid 21,236 [96]
25 February 2018 6thCardiff CityA L0–1 21,018 [97]
3 March 2018 6thSheffield WednesdayH W4–0Reid (3), Brownhill 22,022 [98]
6 March 2018 7thPreston North EndA L1–2Diédhiou 11,264 [99]
10 March 2018 7thBurton AlbionA D0–0 4,575 [100]
17 March 2018 7thIpswich TownH W1–0Đurić 21,509 [101]
30 March 2018 7thBarnsleyA D2–2Diédhiou, Brownhill 12,236 [102]
2 April 2018 7thBrentfordH L0–1 22,049 [103]
7 April 2018 8thMillwallA L0–2 16,081 [104]
10 April 2018 8thBirmingham CityH W3–1Pack, Reid, Taylor 20,288 [105]
14 April 2018 11thMiddlesbroughA L1–2Đurić 24,812 [106]
21 April 2018 10thHull CityH D5–5Pack, Diédhiou (2), Reid, Bryan 21,136 [107]
28 April 2018 10thNottingham ForestA D0–0 24,722 [108]
6 May 2018 11thSheffield UnitedH L2–3Flint, Bryan 23,902 [109]
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League table

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
9 Brentford 46 18 15 13 62 52 +10 69
10 Sheffield United 46 20 9 17 62 55 +7 69
11 Bristol City 46 17 16 13 67 58 +9 67
12 Ipswich Town 46 17 9 20 57 60 −3 60
13 Leeds United 46 17 9 20 59 64 −5 60
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Source: English Football League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored

FA Cup

More information Round, Date ...
FA Cup match details
Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A		 Scorers Attendance Ref
Third round 6 January 2018 WatfordA L0–3 13,269 [110]
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EFL Cup

Main article: 2017–18 EFL Cup
More information Round, Date ...
EFL Cup match details
Round Date Opponents Venue Result Score
F–A		 Scorers Attendance Ref
First round 8 August 2017 Plymouth ArgyleH W5–0Hegeler, Baker, Smith, Hinds, Paterson 9,838 [111]
Second round 22 August 2017 WatfordA W3–2Hinds, Reid, Eliasson 9,003 [112]
Third round 19 September 2017 Stoke CityH W2–0Diédhiou, Taylor 13,826 [113]
Fourth round 24 October 2017 Crystal PalaceH W4–1Taylor, Đurić, Bryan, O'Dowda 21,901 [114]
Quarter-finals 20 December 2017 Manchester UnitedH W2–1Bryan, Smith 26,088 [115]
Semi-final first leg 9 January 2018 Manchester CityA L1–2Reid (pen) 43,426 [116]
Semi-final second leg 23 January 2018 Manchester CityH L2–3Pack, Flint 26,003 [117]
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Squad statistics

Source:[118][119]
Numbers in parentheses denote appearances as substitute.
Players with squad numbers struck through and marked † left the club during the playing season.
Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Bristol City.
Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes.
Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward
More information No., Pos. ...
No. Pos. Nat. Name Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
League FA Cup EFL Cup Total Discipline
1GK ENG Frank Fielding 430003044011
2DF ITA Eros Pisano 13 (3)0001014 (3)020
3DF ENG Joe Bryan 42 (1)5004 (1)246 (2)7120
4DF ENG Aden Flint 38 (1)8106145 (1)971
5DF AUS Bailey Wright 360004040070
6DF ENG Nathan Baker 340003 (1)137 (1)171
7MF ENG Korey Smith 44 (1)1104 (2)249 (3)350
8MF ENG Josh Brownhill 41 (4)5006047 (4)580
9FW SEN Famara Diédhiou 28 (4)13003 (1)131 (5)1440
10FW ENG Matty Taylor 4 (14)1102 (2)27 (16)311
11MF IRE Callum O'Dowda 13 (11)1004117 (11)200
12MF ENG Liam Walsh 3 (3)0001 (1)04 (4)000
13DF ENG Scott Golbourne 0000000000
14MF ENG Bobby Reid 4619004 (2)250 (2)2190
15GK ENG Luke Steele 3 (2)010408 (2)000
16FW SWE Gustav Engvall 0 (2)00 (1)0000 (3)000
18FW ENG Cauley Woodrow * 3 (11)210004 (11)230
19FW SWE Niclas Eliasson 3 (11)0102 (1)16 (12)100
20MF ENG Jamie Paterson 34 (7)5003 (2)137 (9)630
21MF ENG Marlon Pack 36 (6)30 (1)05141 (7)4120
22FW BIH Milan Đurić 4 (12)3000 (1)14 (13)420
23DF ISL Hörður Björgvin Magnússon 15 (9)0107023 (9)000
24GK ENG Max O'Leary 0000000000
25DF ENG Lloyd Kelly 7 (4)1101 (1)09 (5)100
26DF ENG Zak Vyner 1010305000
27FW CMR Paul Garita 0000000000
28MF ENG Gary O'Neil 0 (4)000202 (4)010
29 †GK AUT Ivan Lučić 0000000000
30MF ENG Tyreeq Bakinson 00000 (1)00 (1)000
31MF GER Jens Hegeler 3 (1)000316 (1)110
32MF WAL Joe Morrell 00000 (1)00 (1)000
33FW ENG Freddie Hinds 0 (1)00 (1)0222 (2)200
34MF WAL Connor Lemonheigh-Evans 0010001000
35MF ENG Jake Andrews 0000000000
36FW NIR Rory Holden 0000000000
37MF ENG Opi Edwards 0010001000
38GK ENG Joe Wollacott 0000000000
39FW FRA Loïs Diony * 1 (6)000001 (6)000
40MF ENG Ryan Kent * 6 (4)0000 (1)06 (5)010
42FW ENG Antoine Semenyo 0 (1)000000 (1)000
45 †FW ENG Jonathan Leko * 5 (6)000005 (6)010
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More information No., Pos. ...
Players not included in matchday squads
No. Pos. Nat. Name
17DF ENG Taylor Moore
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References

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