The Exiled Robin

Easter is so often a critical time in the shake-up for key issues, with two games in three or four days, but with so much of 2015 being that way for City, and the lead at the top remaining in double-digits for now, it’s probably more a case of not having a disaster than needing two wins. Saying that, wouldn't it be fantastic to grab a pair of victories, and all but seal promotion back to the Championship in the first week of April?! But at this stage of the season anyone still remotely involved in the shake-up for any positions fits the bill as tough opposition, and Oldham won’t be wanting to roll over. They’re five points off the top six, and defeat in this game would probably destroy their hopes of making the end-of-season jamboree once and for all. Josh Bowker gave Stu Radnedge a Latics view of what’s been an eventful time at Boundary Park since we last met... “It’s been a crazy few months since our last fixture, way back at the start of November. Latics went into ...

Comparisons with Chelsea and Jose Mourinho, articles on his lucky pants and an obsessive search for magpies and brief links to jobs at a higher level.  It’s been an interesting week for Bristol City manager, Steve Cotterill. And that’s all because it’s November and City are STILL unbeaten. Being nearly one-third of the way through the season and still to register a ‘L’ in the results column is a remarkable achievement.  Yet in the last couple of weeks – as Preston North End maintain their own outstanding winning run and close the gap – more and more questions have been raised about the conceding of soft goals, the carelessness of protecting leads, and dropped points in recent games. Is this unfair criticism of a team who are taking all before them and remain, for now, in the highest possible position they can attain? Or is it justifiable concern of what might lie ahead, should these shortcoming not be addressed?  Probably a bit of both. I have seen some peopl...

Just when you thought a manic week of signings was over, Bristol City pulled another surprise out of the bag with Friday evening's capture of Oldham Athletic captain Korey Smith, the 23-year old moving to Ashton Gate with Liam Kelly moving the other way. Kelly was seen by many as a hot prospect at City but his injury last season clearly hampered both his progress and his chances of establishing himself. Much as he could turn out to be a huge loss, I find it personally difficult to reconcile a couple of decent performances in pre-season friendlies with the 'great white hope' some fans seemed to be associating. He may have made some difference last season, but I think it was certainly one of those cases where he was better off well away from the firing line and his stature only grew with inept performance after inept performance. So he leaves with many well-wishers hoping he can put his injuries behind him and establish himself in English football's third tier, w...

As Oldham Athletic become the latest side to try and end Bristol City's remarkable unbeaten start to the season (in November!!!), here's a reminder of the exclusive interview I carried out with Latics boss Lee Johnson earlier in the year: An extra-special 'Inside Line' feature this week as Lee Johnson, the manager of Saturday's opponents Oldham Athletic, speaks exclusively to The Exiled Robin. Lee was a virtual ever present in the City side that settled and then got promoted from league one last time around, and then continued to play a significant role in helping us reach the play-off final at Wembley, coming so close to reaching the promised land of the Premier League. However his time in BS3 wasn't always smooth. Accusations of favouritism from his manager - and Dad - Gary and the lack of the all-action throwing-himself-into-tackles displays that some fans see as essential led to Lee receiving a fair amount of stick and his name was an almost const...