I have had an idea to keep a little blog on here of what City means to me as a fan. Most of my writing on this website is on a professional side giving the latest news and goings on and is of quite a formal note. However, I would also like to give a bit of a personal touch as well and share the ups and downs of following City and this will be done in the form of a blog. Here is my first blog of the season, hope you enjoy it

Blog Entry 1: Wednesday 21st July 2010

It may seem like just a normal Wednesday to most people reading this but it means a lot to me. At 7:45 tonight City will start the domestic friendly campaign at Torquay United's Plainmoor ground. Many will say your excited about going to Torquay and Plainmoor?. The answer to that question would be an emphatic yes!. I have been really looking forward to the start of the domestic friendlies. Due to work commitments, I missed the last couple of home games and my last experience of watching City was a 3-0 defeat at Glanford Park as Gary Hooper scored a hat-trick. I have been keeping track of the Sweden tour through the Player service which I found to be top class and it is a real credit to Adam Baker and the rest of his team at Ashton Gate. The tour had a bit of everything with City winning, losing and drawing whilst in Sweden. The 11-1 victory against Vallens was a good way to end the tour but do we really want to be playing Swedish Division 4 sides where there is really such a gulf in class? I imagine this would be the equivalent of coming back here and putting a first team out against Yate Town. On the positive side it gives a chance for the team to get fitter and get minutes under their belts.

I would personally like to welcome Albert Adomah and Kalifa Cisse to Ashton Gate. Adomah inparticularly excites me as the wing position is somewhere I feel we have really struggled with. Since Scott Murray in his prime we haven't had a true winger who will burst through the defence and get bums off of seats. Early indications show that Albert could be that missing link that we have been missing consistently for 5 years or so. It will also give Ivan Sproule food for thought as well in my opinion as previous to this he hasn't really had any proper competition for the wing role and Adomah brings similar skills to Sproule.

I don't know much about Kalifa Cisse other than the emphatic strike he put past Adriano Basso in Reading's 4 -1 victory against City at Ashton Gate in the 08/09 season. I am looking forward to seeing him in action though.

It will also be the first time I would of seen a few of my friends since last season so will be nice to catch up with what everybody has been up to over a couple of ciders. The social side of football is almost as good as the football itself. I have many good friends mostly from the East End but also some who I have known for years through the coaches etc. It may only be a friendly, but I am keen to get an atmosphere going to show that right from the word go that we are behind the lads and that Steve Coppell. I also have at least 1 new catchy song that I would like to give a debut to as well.

A good result would be a good way to start my love affair with City for this season. Although at this stage of pre-season I understand that we may not be firing on all cylinders but hopefully we have enough to defeat League Two Torquay, it will make a great start to a night which I expect will end up in an Exeter nightclub!

Come On You Reds

DanFormer City winger and club legend Scott Murray has completed a move to Blue Square Premier league side Bath City. Murray had been on trial with League Two side Aldershot and took part in this weeks friendly against Almondsbury Town along with another former City winger Aaron Brown who is on trial with The Shots. However, Scott has signed a one year deal at Bath and is expected to play in their friendly tonight against Exeter City at Twerton Park.

Trialist John O'Flynn has left Ashton Gate. The former Irish Under-21 and Barnet striker had been on trial since July 1st. Injuries to last seasons top scorer Nicky Maynard and Danny Haynes had left City short of striking options. O'Flynn travelled with the squad to Sweden playing in all 3 tour games. He scored in the 11-1 capitualtion of Vallens IF on Saturday. He also missed from the penalty spot as City went down 4-0 to Helsingborgs on Thursday. John also was the runner up in the Kungsbacka Open table tournament at the team hotel, losing to David Clarkson 21-12 in the final. With the injuries to Nicky Maynard and Danny Haynes not as serious as first feared, it was decided that there would be a lack of opportunities for O'Flynn and as a result the club have let him go.

The chase for O'Flynn hots up as League Two side Gillingham seem now the likely destination for John to start the season at.

Bristol City completed their pre-season tour of Sweden with a crushing 11-1 victory. Fourth division part-timers Vallens IF could not contain City as this game was over as a contest by half time. City went into the break 4-0 up following goals from John O'Flynn, Jamal Campbell-Ryce and a quickfire David Clarkson double. The second half would see City add another 7 to the total. John Akinde scoring his first senior hat-trick, Ivan Sproule with 2, Marlon Jackson and Albert Adomah, rounding up the score to 11.

City travel back to Bristol today before they take on Torquay United on Wednesday in the first domestic City friendly under Steve Coppell at Plainmoor.A provisional team has been announced for Bristol City's final Swedish Tour game, against 4th division side Vallens IF. More senior players are in the starting lineup than were in for the 4-0 defeat against Helsingborgs. Dean Gerken keeps his place in the City goal. The back 4 consists of Bradley Orr, new signing Kalifa Cisse, Lewin Nyatanga and Jamie McAllister. The midfield sees starting roles for Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Gavin Williams, Lee Johnson and Marvin Elliott. David Clarkson and trialist John O'Flynn lead the City attack.

Joe Lennox and Louis Carey are the only 2 players unavailable with Lennox struck down with illness whilst Louis Carey still recovers from his heel injury. Kick off is at 3:00.City striker David Clarkson has won The Kungsbacka Open with a 21-12 victory over trialist John O'Flynn. The Kungsbacka Open was a table tennis tournament set up at the team hotel, for the players to unwind and as a team building exercise. Pre tournament favourite Albert Adomah was knocked out early whilst youngster Danny Ball eliminated captain Louis Carey, who was also thought to be a contender. Clarkson got to the final by defeating Ball whilst O'Flynn had to beat Lee Johnson to seal his place in the final.

The Sweden tour continued today as City lost 4-0 to Sweden's top side Helsingborgs. Helsingborgs hit 3 past City in 25 first half minutes to see them comfortable 3-0 leaders at the break. Christoffer Andersson, Ardian Gashi and Mattias Lindstrom with the goals. John O'Flynn also saw his penalty saved after Marlon Jackson was brought down with the score at 2-0. The second half saw Helsingborgs grab a 4th in injury time when Rene Makondeld sealed a 4-0 victory. Jamie McAllister and David Clarkson saw goals disallowed with Clarkson keen to celebrate his Kungsbacka Open success with a goal!Former City striker Lee Trundle has made a shock move to Welsh Premier League side Neath. Trundle is reported to have signed a 3 year deal worth £2,500 a week to see out his playing career.

Trundle was signed for £1,000,000 by then City boss Gary Johnson in the summer of 2007 following City's promotion to the Championship. For whatever reason things did not work out for Trundle at City and his spell at the club involved loan moves to Leeds and Swansea. Trundle was hoping for a move back to Swansea, where he was idolised by the fans following his profitable first spell at the club. Hhowever, he was only offered a coaching role which was rejected as Trundle stated he wished to continue his playing career. Trundle became one of the hottest free agents in the Football League and Yeovil along with ex Premier League sides Swindon and Charlton had expressed an interest in the striker.

The move is by far the biggest transfer that the Welsh Premier League has ever seen, Trundle has said that a dream to play European football was a factor in the decision to join a club whose average attendance last season was just 221. For a player nearing the end of his career it is understandable that Trundle would want to fulfill the achievement of playing in Europe. Trundle is not the only high profile signing to come to Neath as former Swansea player Kristian O'Leary has also signed during the summer.

Bristol City Online would like to wish Lee good luck and thank him for his service during his time at the club. 

City could have a chance to lock horns with club legend Scott Murray during pre-season. I can reveal that Scotty is currently on trial with League Two side Aldershot Town who entertain City on the 24th of July at the EBB Stadium. However Scott would like to play for Fraserburgh on the same day for his former manager Charlie Duncan's testimonial. Murray, 36 was one of the, if not most iconic Bristol City player of the 2000's with may memorable moments over the period. This included a quickfire double against Cardiff at Ninian Park in 2001, a huge part in City's extraordinary 5-4 victory over Mansfield, a highly profitable 02/03 season which saw him the top goal scorer at the club. Murray was also hugely popular with the fans during his spell at the club with his humour and fun loving personality. He endured a tough spell at Yeovil last season before being released at the end of the season.

2 of City's young Welsh defenders could find themselves with a frustrating pre-season on the sidelines. As reported on Thursday, Christian Ribiero and James Wilson missed the first day of training and it seems they will not be back in the near future. Christian is struggling with a back injury which could of been further damaged when he represented Wales at the end of last season. James is also on the sidelines but with a knee tendon injury which the club are keen for him to be fully recovered from before he goes back to training. There is some good news with Jamie McAllister expected to take some part in training next week. Whilst Louis Carey is due to start his pre-season on Monday following a bizzare injury in which he dropped a BBQ on his heel and received a cut for his troubles, lets hope the sausages were worth it!

City signed young Barnet winger Albert Adomah for an undisclosed fee on Thursday as the players returned for training. Adomah becomes the first signing of the Steve Coppell era at Ashton Gate. Adomah started his career at Harrow Borough, before moving onto Barnet in January 2008, scoring on his debut. Lets hope that if he is involved against Millwall that lightning can striker twice! Albert has signed a 3 year deal at BS3 and has already stated he wants to learn off of former winger Steve Coppell. Jamie McCombe has also completed his move to Huddersfield for an undisclosed fee, which was widely expected earlier in the week. Bristol City Online would like to wish ' Boom Boom ' good luck with his future career.