The Exiled Robin

A sometimes tired-looking defeat, followed by a determined, highly professional bounce back three days later. Whether this last week’s activities are to be replicated over the coming weeks remain to be seen, but the warning issued in last week’s blog about the number of games making it the most likely time our winning spell might end proved fateful against a well-organised and good quality Sheffield United side. By all accounts (I was unfortunately unable to make the game), Marlon Pack came in and did what you’d hope by a hungry young player on the fringes, and those who watch home and away are starting to come to the conclusion that we perhaps look a better all-round side with Pack, rather than skipper Wade Elliott, in the side. The base he provides alongside Korey Smith being potentially stronger allows the wing backs and Freeman to play with a touch more freedom than even they usually manage, and Tuesday night’s high quality team performance comes following the reverse ...

“Roses are red, Violets are blue, We are going up*, And might just win at Wembley too!” * - hopefully! Three months to go. Three months in which to seal the glory the first six months of the season would deserve. Of course, it won’t be that easy, but at the moment City are winning games comfortably despite not being at their absolute best, and are in one of those lovely grooves that come along all too rarely when you go to matches not just hoping, but actively expecting to win. Of course, usually with City it’s when you get this comfortable that things start going wrong, and if it’s going to, slap bang in the middle of a six week run of Tuesday – Saturday fixtures is both the possible time, and the worst possible time for it to happen. The squad will be put through a truly tough test, and whilst there are already signs of some rotation – Tavernier/Little now seem interchangeable whilst Greg Cunningham has given Joe Bryan occasional breaks – I was a touch surprise...

Last week  Easyodds.com   tipster and lifelong Bristol City fan Ross Casey continued his hot streak in the bookies corner with a 41/20 winning best bet. His City draw no bet tip proved correct as the Robins ran away   2-1 winners at Bramall Lane   against pre-season favourites Sheffield United. He returns here ahead of the first league game at the newly three-sided Ashton Gate as Colchester arrive following a draw and a loss from their opening games. Can Bristol City make it two league wins on the trot at the start of the season for the first time since the 2001/02 campaign? Keep reading below for Ross’ full betting preview… "The win at Sheffield United changed the betting and say it quietly, but the Robins are now the bookies’ favourites to win League One – with a best price of 6/1 available. This will bring with it a lot of added pressure – something our fringe players failed to handle   on Tuesday night   at Ashton Gate in the Capital One Cup whe...

Last season, easyodds.com tipster and lifelong Bristol City fan Ross Casey started his column the Bookies Corner on this blog. He finished in profit after tipping five correct tips in the final nine games of the season. He returns here ahead of the new season as we kick-off against League One favourites Sheffield United. Remember that if you can’t make the trip to Yorkshire, that the match is LIVE on Sky Sports this Saturday at midday. Read below for Ross’ full betting preview… There are parallels between the two sides in this opening day clash after seasons of two halves for both Bristol City and the Blades. Nigel Clough took over the helm at Sheffield United with little expected of the rest of the term after such a poor start to their campaign but he really turned them around finishing just one place behind the play-offs and even managing to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Whilst Robins fans could only dream of such a cup run, Steve Cotterill undoubtedly was th...

Welcome back to a new season's set of 'The Inside Line', a (usually) weekly view of the opposition. We may mix up the format a little more this week but if last season is anything to go by then there will be plenty of interest for you to keep coming back and checking it out each week. Stu Radnedge has also returned to The Exiled Robin to take you through this opening fixture. There could be no doubt, from anyone, that Saturday’s opening fixture between Bristol City and Sheffield United should be a classic encounter.  Both teams have been widely tipped by pundits, supporters, bookies and punte rs alike to be in the promotion race after all 46 league games have been played.  Both teams were around the bottom four at the festive period last time around but, obviously, beat the drop when they found their form – albeit United achieving this sooner than City. But the summer has been kind to us. City have cleared the books, letting many of the big earners go, and have m...

League One Betting Questions With just a few days to go until the start of the new football league season, Easyodds.com’s top football tipsters Simon Hopper and Tom Powell have joined forces with the blog to answer your betting questions about all things Bristol City and the upcoming League One season! Follow Simon and Tom on Twitter: Simon:                  @hopperfootball Tom:                      @tompowerpowell We start with the obvious question, how are Bristol City going to fare this season – Mat Hynds on Facebook asked if there was any point betting on anyone else to win the league! [ER: We haven’t won a league title in 50 (fifty) years!] Simon Hopper:  Given Bristol City never win leagues (!) their straight ‘To Be Promoted’ odds of 3/1 make much more appeal.  As for...

Those of you who have followed my blog for some time, or perhaps once-upon-a-time may have perused my ramblings in the City programme, may recall this week’s guest as I featured his Blades blog in this piece  a couple of years ago. Ian Rands, host of ‘A United View’  has had a highly successful couple of years, with a series of interviews with ex-Blades  and one particularly thoughtful post about his son’s exposure to the dark side of football  helping him to be shortlisted for the 2012 Football Supporters’ Federation Football Blogger of the Year award and going one better to take The Two Unfortunates award of the same distinction. Thus I’ve been looking forward to welcoming Ian to this feature since the fixtures were announced as I knew I’d get an insightful, balanced, thoughtful and detailed view of life at Bramall Lane – and he’s delivered just that. Sheffield United have suffered an even worse start to the season than City and new boss David Weir pai...