Liam Manning may depart Ashton Gate after leading his side to the Championship play-offs.

For Bristol City, the 2024/25 season was one of great improvement. Often seen in recent years as the quintessential mid-table Championship side, this year the Robins went one better and qualified for the second-tier play-offs for only the second time ever, the first since 2008.

The Robins were well beaten by Sheffield United in the semi-finals with 3-0 defeats in both legs, but that takes nothing away from their achievements considering the financial disparities between the two squads and where the two clubs have been in recent years.

For Bristol City, this was potentially the start of something special under exciting up-and-coming manager Liam Manning, with a young squad hoping to learn and improve after getting this first play-off experience under their belt. But according to recent reports, the Robins could be dealt a major blow if Manning decides to depart for a fellow Championship side this summer.

Liam Manning could take a trip to East Anglia to take over at faltering giant

According to Ben Jacobs on X, Liam Manning is “close” to joining Norwich City with an official approach expected in the next 24 hours. Manning has a release clause of £800,000 which Norwich are reportedly prepared to pay to bring in the 39-year-old as their new manager at Carrow Road. Interest was reported with Alex Crook on talkSPORT on May 16, and Crook now reports that a deal is “as good as done”.

Manning has been given time to assess his options since the Robins’ play-off defeat earlier this month, and it has been a “tough call” for him to make to consider leaving behind the South West outfit after everything the club did to support him during a family emergency earlier this season.

The way Manning returned from his leave of absence to propel the club into the play-offs was outstanding, but that may have been his final act as EFL Analysis also reveal that sources say Manning will soon be on his way to Norwich.

How Liam Manning has transformed Bristol City

If Manning were to leave Bristol City now, he would be leaving the club in a very good place after their best season in recent years. Since arriving at Ashton Gate in November 2023 it has been a rapid rise for the club under Manning, a quick transition from mid-table mediocrity to play-off qualification at the first challenge.

Having guided the club to an 11th-place finish in 2023/24 - at the time their highest finish since 2018/19 - Manning’s Robins stepped it up a gear this campaign, hovering around the top half for the majority of the campaign before making a late charge for the play-offs. Outstanding home form made the difference, big victories against Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion in April giving the club a four-point buffer over seventh before they got over the line against Preston North End on the final day.

In his 82 games in charge of the club Manning has overseen 28 wins, 25 draws and 29 defeats with a points-per-game ratio of 1.33 at the club which significantly improves to 1.46 this season alone. He would certainly be missed by the club if he were to depart now, and the Ashton Gate faithful will hope that his successor will be able to carry on from where he left off, continuing to take the Robins in the right direction as they dream of reaching the Premier League.