'No point' in City getting ahead of themselves with four to play, says Knight (2025)

Bristol City captain Jason Knight has featured in every Championship match the Reds have played so far this season

Bristol City fans are beginning to get excited and rightly so. For the first time in some supporters' lifetimes, the Robins find themselves in with a shot of a top six finish and in turn, an opportunity to secure that coveted first promotion to the Premier League.

With just four matches remaining of the regular season, Liam Manning's side find themselves fifth in the Championship table and four points clear of seventh-placed West Brom. Although nothing has been secured, a win over already play-off-bound Sunderland on Good Friday would be a massive step in the right direction for the Reds.

At this stage, City's destiny is in their own hands. Some fans think six more points would be enough, some have already run out of fingernails to chew, while others are starting to map out their potential route to Wembley. For City skipper Jason Knight, however, the champagne remains well and truly on ice at this stage.

"Look, we've put ourselves in a good position but classic Championship, there's probably about five or six teams who still fancy themselves as well," the Ireland international told the press at the HPC on Thursday afternoon. "There's still four games to go so we've got to take it individually and that's a big game against Sunderland on Friday.

"As soon as you stand still in this game, you'll be found wanting so we know we've got to keep our standard, keep up the level we've shown in games and ultimately get the results we need. That's what we're going to try and do on Friday and Monday as well.

"There's no point in saying we've had a good season now when there are still four games to go.

"We've got to keep ourselves on a level, just try to roll into games and try and do the best we can. There's no point in getting ahead of ourselves, we've just got to go out there, perform and get a result each game."

Just under four months ago, City supporters packed into the away end at The Hawthorns could be heard singing chants of '12th place again ole, ole,' as the Robins slipped to a 2-0 defeat to West Brom in their final game before the festive period. That loss against the Baggies left Manning's side stranded in midtable at Christmas, eight points and six places away from the top six. For those who made the trip up the M5 that day, it felt like the season had once again petered out before the turn of the new year.

However, since that December day in the Midlands, City have lost just three of their following 20 league matches. While performances had been fairly consistent in the first half of the campaign, Knight and his teammates didn't always get the results they deserved. That has changed over the last few months and the former Derby County man believes there is a simple factor behind that upturn in form.

"Time tells," Knight explained. "We've had more time now with the gaffer and the staff and I think everyone's starting to see the way we want to play and the characteristics of this team.

"It's just doing that on a more consistent basis that we probably haven't done previously so it's good to see the results backing that up as well. Ultimately, that's what's important so I think we're showing some good progress in all aspects of our game but there's definitely loads to improve as well.

"There are always days where you're not at the level and there have been days [like that] this season," he continued. "But more often than not, we're going to make sure our standard is at a certain level and to be fair, the crowd have helped us with that.

"Especially the last few games at home, they've been really, really behind us and we're going to need them now for a big end to the season."

In the past, Ashton Gate hasn't always been the happiest of hunting grounds for City. Countless managers have taken to the BS3 touchline and promised to make the West Country 'a fortress' to varying degrees of success since the Robins returned to the Championship.

Until this term, no side had managed to secure more than the 11 wins and 39 points Lee Johnson's team managed in the 2017/18 season. With two home games still to be played, Manning's Reds have 12 Ashton Gate wins to their name and have claimed 42 points on their patch.

Of course, as the head coach and Knight have pointed out on more than one occasion, statistics like that will matter very little if the Robins miss out come the end of the year. However, results over the last few months, including last week's stoppage-time win over West Brom, have changed not only the way supporters but also the players feel about playing at home.

"It's definitely a place we enjoy playing now," Knight explained. "We're certainly used to it and the pitch suits us well.

"For the fans, they're games and moments you don't really forget," he continued when asked about the win over Albion. "It was great to score one of those last-minute winners because we've been on the wrong side of those a few times so it was nice to get that."

Though there will be a feeling of 'what-if?' in and around Ashton Gate should City come up short come May 3, it is hard to argue this hasn't been a season of progression for the Robins. Few would have expected Manning's side to be sitting in the top six come the Easter weekend and if they match their recent standards, they could potentially have a foot in the play-offs in just a matter of days.

On an individual basis, it has been a campaign of growth for Knight off and on the pitch. Having been named Reds' captain following the departures of both Andi Weimann and Matty James at the end of last season, the 24-year-old has started every Championship game so far this term and set the standard in all but a handful of those matches.

Like his manager, the Irishman is not one to search for praise, instead focusing on those around him and the areas in which he can continue to develop.

"I've got to give the staff and the manager some credit with that, they've helped me improve massively more behind the scenes tactically and how to view the game from maybe a deeper position this season," Knight said.

"I've definitely had more of an impact on games which I'm happy with but there's still more to come. My goals and assists and really adding that to my game as well.

"It's obviously a huge honour to captain the club and it's a position I've had before," he continued. "I know it quite well and I've got a big help from the senior lads here as well, Rob [Dickie], Nahki [Wells] and other lads as well.

"It's not been seamless, but it's been good. I've enjoyed the challenge and hopefully, it's more about me performing as well - try and lead by example."

As it was on that special evening against West Brom, Ashton Gate will be full for the visit of Sunderland on Good Friday. The connection between the supporters, the players and Manning has been something which has grown stronger as the campaign has worn on. At times, the fans have dragged the 11 men on the pitch over the line and on other occasions, the playing squad have done the same with the supporters.

With just two home games to play this season, for now, at least, Knight's message for those heading through the BS3 turnstiles on Friday is simple.

"Just continue what they've been doing," said the skipper. "We're going to try and do our bit obviously but continue getting behind the lads, supporting and driving us on because it's a massive help and something we're going to need going forward."