Ex-Bristol City defender opens up on ‘no-brainer’ transfer, Bristol Rovers signing ‘reflects’ on recent weeks

Bristol City will be looking to continue their impressive unbeaten run in the Championship that stretches back to Boxing Day this weekend. The Robins are set to host Hull City and could move into the top half of the table with a win.

While they haven’t been beaten since the home defeat to West Brom in December, Nigel Pearson’s side have also drawn five of their last eight league matches.

Meanwhile, Bristol Rovers are without a win since the start of the year and have lost all but one of their previous six matches in League One. The Gas will take on Oxford United this weekend.

Here are the latest headlines from the two clubs...

Ex-Robin opens up on transfer

Former Bristol City defender Ryley Towler has opened up on his ‘no-brainer’ move to Portsmouth. The 20-year-old left Bristol City in January after 12 years with his boyhood club.

Towler had struggled to retain a place in the Robins’ squad since making his debut in 2021 and had been sent out on four separate loan spells before he was snapped up by Pompey. Despite joining the club when they didn’t have a manager, Towler has enjoyed life on the south coast.

Speaking to The News, Towler said: “Joining a club without a manager didn’t bother me, not at all, there was a bigger picture. Being a football fan, I know how big a club Pompey is, so when you’ve got a bit of interest it’s a no-brainer to come down, even if there’s no manager. You don’t realise how good the crowd is until you get to Fratton Park, it’s an unbelievable ground, and it’s an ambitious club who want to get into the Championship.

“My dealings were with Rich Hughes and I knew a manager would be coming in. It doesn’t matter when that happens, you’ve still got to impress whoever’s in charge, whether he’s here before you or after. So not having a manager didn’t bother me, I just looked at the club, the great opportunity for me to play football, and couldn’t turn it down. To be fair, you just get on with it, keep training and keep focusing on games rather than worrying about a managerial appointment being made.”

Pompey currently sit tenth in League One and are 14 points below the play-off spots.

Bristol Rovers new boy impressed by Gas

Bristol Rovers’ new signing Calum Macdonald has so far been impressed by his new club and is convinced that they can turn their form around. The defender joined Joey Barton’s side from Stockport County on transfer deadline day and made his debut in their defeat to Burton Albion at the weekend.

Despite their poor form that has seen the club drop down to 16th in the league table, Macdonald believes he has seen enough to believe they can improve. As quoted by BristolLive, Macdonald said: “There’s a great group of players in there and they showed it before I came in, they can beat anyone in this league. When it’s going bad, you get bad luck, things feel like they’re always going against you and it’s hard for that to change but it’ll come because it’s a good group and we’re sticking together. The tide will turn.

“The club’s been great, the area seems great, I’ve really enjoyed my time here so far and I feel like I’ve settled in well. We’ve got to kick on, as a group, individually and as a team, we’ve got to get some results, play better and find a way to win, so on a personal and team level it’s the same.”