‘Best interest’ - Nigel Pearson explains why Bristol City sold Ryley Towler to Portsmouth

Nigel Pearson says that Ryley Towler’s imminent move to Portsmouth is the right decision for him and Bristol City. Towler was recalled from his season-long loan deal at AFC Wimbledon, after managerless Pompey showed an interest, which has quickly transpired into a permanent exit from Ashton Gate.

Towler is an academy graduate at City, and was given an opportunity to play under Dean Holden. The defender made a breakthrough in the 2020/21 season, making four senior appearances but has been unable to force his way in to Pearson’s plans.

He was loaned out to Grimsby Town for the first part of last season, but returned in December and was immediately put in the first-team picture. Towler then played one match against Millwall in the Championship but was substituted at half-time, and then spent the remainder of the campaign out injured.

"I think it's a fantastic opportunity for him and he deserves it," said Pearson about Towler's move to Hampshire. "He's done well for us but he also needed to go out and play games. It's a positive move for him.

"Ryley's flirted in between the Under-21s, the first team, been out on loan and it's a decision we've made as a club that we feel is in the best interest of us and in the best interest of Ryley. He would benefit massively from building his career elsewhere. Good for him.

"We have lots of players in the system now and Ryley needs to find his level. We're delighted for him because he's great lad and decent player. Because of our ability to develop players here, there are a lot of players here speaking to many coaches in the academy, believe we've got better in the system. It's quite straight forward really. We try to produce players for ourselves and we've been successful at doing that."

The Bristol-born defender has had a better time at AFC Wimbledon, who were keen to keep him at Plough Lane. As a softener for cancelling Towler's loan, striker Sam Pearson has joined after a spell at Yeovil Town earlier in the season. In an ideal world, Towler would have made it at the club, but the club did not want to stand in the way of him developing his career elsewhere.

At 21, Towler has had two loan moves, which is a different story for Cameron Pring, who was loaned out several times before making the grade. Pring was shipped out eight times, but returned to City last season and after biding his time, has become a certified first-team player.

City already have Duncan Idehen on their books who has come back from an unsuccessful loan at Carlisle United, whilst Joe Low was shipped out on loan to Walsall. Pearson did not want the club to stockpile younger players and instead wanted them to get first-team experience, whether that be a loan or a permanent.

The fee received for Towler is expected to be above £50,000 and there is a hope that the money will be reinvested back in to funding the academy. Towler may not have made the grade at City, unlike the likes of Antoine Semenyo and Zak Vyner, but at least has pocketed the club money to continue their good work.

"Ryley's had opportunities with the first team and done okay but we want to try and produce top end players for ourselves," added Pearson. "It's as simple as that so decisions have to be made and I think we've had quite long periods here of collecting players and keeping them in the building and re-loaning them out. Sometimes you just have to make decisions on players and it's in their interest as well to go go and play regular football.

"Somebody like Cam Pring, would be a good example of if you want to be really, really, patient but I'm not sure it was a lot patience, it was more he was just farmed out time after time.

"I don't think that's good for anybody. I've played with players who were serial loanees and I can tell you, talking to players who are that type of players, it's not particularly good for them.

"We make decisions that we feel are right for the football club. If that money can be reinvested back into the academy, then even better. “