Football Robins boss Manning acknowledges work done by his predecessor

LIAM Manning has credited Nigel Pearson for ensuring he and Chris Hogg inherited a “group of great lads” while discussing how he and his coaching staff have tried to dismiss the “softness” associated with Bristol City in their time at Ashton Gate.

- Daniel CARTER

Manning was appointed as the Robins' boss on a three-and-a-half-year contract in November of 2023 after Pearson was sacked following a Severnside derby defeat at the hands of Cardiff City. The then 60-year-old had spent two-and-a-half years in charge at Ashton Gate, helping the Reds avoid relegation from the Championship, stabilise following the pandemic and lower the wage bill, all while bringing through young talents such as Alex Scott, Tommy Conway and Sam Bell.

Although Pearson never had an awful lot of money to spend during his time in BS3, several of the key members of Manning's current side were signed during his tenure, such as Jason Knight, Rob Dickie, Ross McCrorie, George Tanner, Anis Mehmeti and Mark Sykes.