Danny Wilson reveals the four main men of memorable Bristol City era

Danny Wilson has listed four players that were the most influential and talented during his time as Bristol City manager.

Wilson was in charge for a four-year spell and nearly got the Robins over the line but suffered many near misses and was sacked after a play-off defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.

Despite his sides lack of league success, the older generation of fans look back fondly on Wilson’s style of play with some describing it as the best they have seen.

The 62-year-old was blessed with some talented players during his tenure and was put on the spot by Geoff Twentyman on a radio interview as to who his most talented and influential players were during his time at Ashton Gate.

“Everybody has got different characters and everyone brings something to the table,” he said to BBC Radio Bristol.

“I think if you look at Tommy Doherty, Tommy was a young boy who I had a great admiration for. He could do anything with the ball, he wasn’t blessed with great pace and he won’t mind me saying that.

“He was a great passer of the ball and he was very much in there, a tough lad as well. He would go through a brick wall for you.”

Doherty was a long-serving player at City and began his career in 1996 and didn’t depart until 2005 having made over 189 appearances with seven goals to his name. He was part of the EFL Trophy winning side in 2003 and only departed when Queens Park Rangers came calling.

Two other players also earned a mention and they hold roles with the club today, which shows the influence of playing under Wilson at that spell.

Scott Murray - working today as the kit-man - at the had two spells and was their top scorer in the season that City won the trophy and in total, he scored 46 goals in 230 games in his first spell as a player. He was sold to Reading for £650,000 but later returned after Wilson’s departure.

“You’ve got Scotty Murray who was sensational for the time I was there,” he said. Considering the goals he scored and the amount of assists he had, it was just incredible for a winger. He was daft as a brush and he still is, I love him to death.

“Even in the dressing room he was absolutely brilliant, I loved to listen to him. He always had a smile on his face and was always laughing.”

His return to City was under the stewardship of Brian Tinnion, who works in the role as academy director, which is important given the first-teams needs for quality players.

Tinnion has been influential in his role by bringing in Alex Scott to the club, who has become a pivotal first-team player. Tinnion like Scott was a midfielder and had plenty of joy down his left-flank.

His playing career lasted from 1986 to 2005 after a three-year spell with Newcastle United and Premier League outfit Bradford City before joining the ambitious City. Tinnion made 458 appearances and scored 46 goals and made the transition into a centre midfielder under Wilson, before later succeeding him as manager.

“Brian Tinnion obviously with his ability and putting the ball on a sixpence for the likes of Scotty Murray was there to keep us over all the time,” he said.

He added: “When Scotty and Brian Tinnion were on the ball in particular you knew something was going to happen. I think the fans sussed that as well.

“As soon as he was ready to receive the ball, Scotty was on his way and he knew it’d be on a sixpence for him. Whether he scored himself or he created something for someone else, we always knew something was going to happen.

“There was always something that got you off your seat if you were sat in the stands. Very rarely let you down and there was always an end product which was great for my point of view. It never fizzled out very often, there was always something positive at the end of it.”

City’s all-time appearance maker Louis Carey was also included as one of the most influential players during Wilson’s tenure and was important to have around given his association to the club.

Carey was City through-and-through, living the dream of many supporters by graduating through the academy and in to the first-team, making his debut in October 1995. He was long at City before Wilson arrived and departed when Wilson was given his marching orders after being signed by Coventry City, however returned when his contract with the Sky Blues was cancelled. In total he made 646 appearances, one more than John Atyeo.

The former Sheffield Wednesday manager however wanted to see the Bristol-born defender play at a higher level of his career, given he never got to experience the top flight.

The now 45-year-old would mainly play in League One or the Championship throughout his 20-year playing career and now works as an academy coach at Southampton.

He said: “They are backed up by the likes of Louis Carey who was an exceptional player. I was very surprised he didn’t go to the top in fairness and for a longer period.

“I loved the time working with the lads in general but one or two of them were special players.  I felt sorry that we didn’t push on to the next level to see how far we could have gone.”