Meet the opposition | Bristol City
As Swansea City get set to take on Bristol City, we take a closer look at the Robins.
What's their story?
Established in 1894, Bristol City, affectionately known as the Robins, initially started out playing within the Southern and Western League, before being admitted to the Football League in 1901.
They have lifted silverware on three occasions in their history, winning the Football League Trophy in 1986, 2003 and, most recently, in 2015.
Their early Football League years coincided with the club's best-ever league finish as they ended the 1906-07 season in second place in the top-flight, behind only Newcastle United.
That came on the back of promotion to the First Division the previous season, while they were beaten FA Cup finalists in 1909 as they suffered defeat to Manchester United at Crystal Palace.
Having gone so close to Premier League promotion in 2008 - losing the play-off final to Hull - they are now in their 11th-consecutive season at Championship level having secured promotion from League One in 2015.
How's their form?
Up and down. Bristol City are still well within the play-off hunt, but have won just three of their last nine games, losing four.
They have the eighth-best away record in the division and won at Hull in the last game on their travels.
Who's the gaffer?
Gerhard Struber. The Austrian was appointed Bristol City head coach in the summer of 2025, replacing Liam Manning.
The former midfielder spent most of his playing days on the books of Austria Salzburg (now Red Bull Salzburg) and was capped by Austria at under-21 level.
After retiring he worked in the Salzburg academy from 2007 to 2017, aside from one brief spell away from the club, and was also assistant first-team coach.
He left to take up the reins of FC Liefering in the Austrian second tier before getting his move to Wolfsberger.
Struber had a great time at Wolfsberger, guiding the Austrian top division side to a third place finish, whilst also ensuring a place in the Europa League for the 2019-20 season.
The 49-year-old left to join Barnsley in November 2019, who at the time were bottom of the Championship and seven points from safety, and managed to keep the Tykes in the second tier for a second consecutive season.
Struber spent 11 months in Yorkshire before moving to America and joining the New York Red Bulls. During his time in New York, Struber guided his time to two successive play-off campaigns before departing the club in May 2023.
The Austrian returned to Europe having spells with Red Bull Salzburg and FC Koln before being leaving the German second-tier side in May.
Who's the captain?
Jason Knight. The midfielder took the armband at the start of last season, after the departures of Andi Weimann and Matty James.
The Republic of Ireland international came through the academy ranks at Pride Park – having started his career in his homeland with Cabinteely – to make the breakthrough at senior level.
He made his debut while still a teenager in 2017, and his maturity and impressive performances were such that he would go on to captain the Rams.
Knight won plenty of plaudits for his showings during a turbulent time for the Midlands club, making over 150 appearances in total before his switch to Bristol City after Derby just missed out on the League One play-offs in 2023.
Knight has won 41 senior caps for the Republic of Ireland, having previously featured at under-17, under-18, under-19 and under-21 level.
Who are the key men?
Scott Twine has been in fine form during his second season with the Robins, scoring eight goals and providing six assists to lead their attacking efforts.
The forward began his career at Swindon Town in 2013, spending eight years with the club after progressing through their academy. During that time, he enjoyed loan spells at Chippenham Town, Waterford, and Newport County - where he first gained a reputation for spectacular long-range goals.
Despite only spending half a season in south Wales, Twine’s impact was recognised as he picked up Newport’s 2020–21 Young Player of the Season award.
Twine then joined Milton Keynes Dons, where he continued to thrive under former Swans manager Russell Martin. The 26-year-old netted 20 goals in 44 league appearances, earning the 2021–22 EFL League One Player of the Season award and a place in the League One Team of the Season.
He then secured a big-money move to recently relegated Premier League side Burnley, but found regular minutes hard to come by. Loan spells at Hull City and Bristol City followed before completing a permanent move to the Robins in 2024.
At the other end of the pitch, Rob Atkinson has been a stalwart in the Robins’ defence, while also contributing in attack with three goals and an assist so far this season.
The defender spent part of his youth in France before beginning his senior career with Basingstoke Town, where he made 30 league appearances in his debut season before joining Fulham’s under-23 side.
Atkinson spent two years with the Cottagers, including a brief loan spell at Eastleigh, before making the move to League One side Oxford United in January 2020.
The 27-year-old enjoyed a successful spell with the U’s, helping them to a sixth-place finish in League One before a 6-3 defeat in the play-off semi-finals, and was named in the League One team of the season.
Atkinson’s impressive spell with Oxford earned him a move to Bristol City, where he has spent the past four years and made more than 80 league appearances. After a short loan spell at Portsmouth in the second half of last season, he has now firmly established himself as a key figure in the Robins’ backline.
Ross McCrorie has been another impressive figure for the Ashton Gate outfit, providing three goals and six assists in the campaign to date.
The Scotland international is approaching the end of his third season with the Robins, having joined them from Aberdeen in the summer of 2023.
A Rangers youth product, McCrorie was on the books of the Ibrox club for nine years and made over 50 appearances for them.
He had loan spells with Ayr United, Dumbarton, Portsmouth and Aberdeen, before making a full-time switch to the Dons.
McCrorie captained Scotland at under-21 level and he won his solitary cap to date in a 2024 friendly against Gibraltar.