Swansea City manager Luke Williams believes that Bristol City can become genuine play-off contenders under their “brilliant” head coach Liam Manning.
Following the Swans’ smash and grab 1-0 win at Ashton Gate on Sunday, the Robins’ former academy boss (2017-2019) praised the progress that the club have made since Manning was appointed as head coach in late 2023.
“I do,” Williams responded when asked whether he believed the Reds could record a top six finish in the Championship this season.
“I think he’s a brilliant manager, it was a very smart appointment from the club, and I think he has steadily shown his identity on the pitch.
“He has a team that are very motivated, and very difficult to play against and I can see why they’ve been on such a good run and why they’re in such good form. I think they have every chance.”
The BS3 side sit ninth in the Championship, after Sunday’s defeat, three points away from Blackburn Rovers in sixth, and would have moved into the play-off positions for the first time since the second game of the season with a victory.
📹 #BristolCity boss Liam Manning insists that the Robins are improving, despite a poor offensive performance in Swansea loss 🔴⚪️https://t.co/M7vxFGkHjU pic.twitter.com/rpOPyro5rC
— Park Life Sport (@ParkLife_Sport) February 10, 2025
A successful Christmas period, dropping just two points between Boxing Day and the first weekend of January saw Manning’s side narrow the gap in-between them and the play-off spots; providing their fans with plenty of optimism as the January window opened.
However, alongside Leeds United, the Robins were one of only two Championship clubs to not sign a player in the winter transfer window – despite the exits of three first-team players on loan.
Many fans were unhappy to see the club show a lack of ambition in the transfer window; not strengthening at the top of the pitch, an area of need, and losing depth in defensive areas.
Going nowhere under manning, just mid table mediocrity as always
— liam fowler (@liam_fowler) February 9, 2025
While City are still within touching distance of the play-off places, they have won just one of their last five Championship fixtures, and unless they start to pick up form over the next few weeks, they look destined for another mid-table finish this season.
The Reds achieved promotion to the English second tier a decade ago in the 2014/15 season under Steve Cotterill, making them the joint-longest serving Championship club alongside Preston North End and Queens Park Rangers. But, in that decade City haven’t once made the play-offs, finishing somewhere between eighth and 19th every season.
Frustration is now starting to grow again within the fan base, who are not satisfied at the prospect of the West Country club remaining a mid-table second-tier side for another season.
Nevertheless, Williams believes that Manning is the right man to take the football club to the top division of English football for the first time since 1980, and that the Robins could achieve that this season.
“It’s nothing to do with me, but my suggestion would be to completely back this manager over a long period of time and allow him to try and build a squad that can compete in the top six. I think they’re very close to that already so I think the future is very bright for Bristol City,” he said.
Manning’s side are back at Ashton Gate on Wednesday night, where they will host Stoke City at 19:45, before heading to Cardiff City for the Severnside Derby on Saturday lunchtime.
