Match Preview - Bristol City v Aston Villa

by Dek Hogan

Who are we playing?
Derby County on Saturday 27th August.

Where are we playing?
Ashton Gate Stadium. Bristol BS3 2EJ

Can I go? Away end sold out. Increasingly difficult to get away tickets now without a) having a decent booking history and b) being quick enough off the mark.

Easy to get to?
The trains are running but as it's a bank holiday weekend, they are being piddled about with due to "engineering works". The M5 is never a good idea at thios time of year either. Basically, leave early.

Can I watch it on telly
Nope and a stream is highly unlikely. Someone might film it on their phone for Periscope/Facebook, you never know. Ticketless fans might just have to listen to the radio.

Big game?
HUGE.

Things may be looking up, but if we are to have any chance of being in the promotion shake up, we've got to convert performances into points.

Three points away at places like Bristol are exactly what is required if we are to challenge at the top.

Most of us are well happy with the new arrivals but we've got to expect the odd setback while they gel.

City, like many other clubs in this league, will no doubt be excited that a team of Villa's stature is paying them a visit and will surely raise there game accordingly.

Gestede's hobbling off at Pride Park illustrated just how short we still are up front. Still having nightmares about Kozak's poor performance.

Do Bristol City boast any famous fans?

There's Baldrick from The Black Adder.

We've got fiddle playing scruffbox Nigel Kennedy off of the classical music.

So we win.

Who's playing for us?
We'd expect to see Jedinak and De Laet stroll straight into the starting line up. Who makes way for them is the interesting question.

Who's playing for them?
Our old mate Derrick Williams gave a penalty away at Scunthorpe. Be nice if he could do that for us. (except he won't be because we've just learned he's buggered off to Blackburn).

Any useless stats?

Of course, here you go:

• We last faced Bristol City at their place in the FA Cup in 1982. Gary Shaw got the only goal.

• We have 19 wins over them while they've beaten us on 10 occasions. There has been 9 draws.

• Our last match with City in the league was in December 1979. Gary Shaw netted a hatrick.

• Our last match in the second tier of English football with The Robins was way back in 1975. Goals from Chico Hamilton and Brian Little saw us win 2-0.

Prediction
A 3-1 win for Villa