Bristol Festive Fixture Lists 2018/19 - City within reach of playoff places
Posted on: 04 Dec 2018The festive period is a crucial time of year in any sport, none more so than in the Football League Championship as Bristol City will be looking to climb up the table and put more pressure on the sides in and around the playoff places. They've had a mixed bag of a season so far but with six games to be played in December and one on New Year's Day there are some serious points up for grabs between now and 2019.
After the highs of last season - famously knocking four Premier League sides out of the League Cup in Watford, Stoke, Crystal Palace and Jose Mourinho's holders Manchester United - and one of their best league campaigns to date in which they spent most of the season in the automatic promotion places before a disappointing drop in form, much was to be expected from The Robins in 2018/19.
In reality they've struggled for form so far this season, picking up 26 points from 20 games and currently sat 14th in the table. This is, of course, not the ideal situation for them to be in considering they were in second place at this point last year, but as we all know the Championship is a massively competitive league and there are just 13 points between 8th and 23rd. As it stands now City are just 8 points away from Nottingham Forest in 5th.
The festive period can make all the difference, however, and there's no reason why we couldn't see City occupying one of those playoff places when our New Year's hangovers clear up at the start of January. A couple of tricky fixtures lay in amongst their September schedule - including a visit of league leaders Norwich City to Ashton Gate on Saturday 15th December - but there are a few matches in there that Lee Johnson's side will certainly see as winnable.
Having started December with a disappointing draw at home to strugglers Millwall in which the visitors snatched a last-gasp point, City visit fellow mid-table side Birmingham City this weekend before the aforementioned Norwich fixture and a visit to playoff-chasing Derby County on Saturday 22nd December.
From there City are facing a grind as they play three matches in seven days. Brentford travel to Ashton Gate on Boxing Day for a match that The Robins will surely be expecting to win before a second consecutive home game against strugglers Rotherham on Saturday 29th. Stoke City will be City's last opponents of the festive period as they face off on New Year's Day. See City's full festive fixture list below:
Millwall (H) Saturday 1st December 1-1
Birmingham City (A) Saturday 8th December
Norwich City (H) Saturday 15th December
Derby County (A) Saturday 22nd December
Brentford (H) Wednesday 26th December/Boxing Day
Rotherham United (H) Saturday 29th December
Stoke City (A) Tuesday 1st January/New Year's Day
The December/January schedule always becomes a good indicator of how well a team's season is likely to go, with so many points up for grabs in such a short time. Bristol City could either use this time to mount a real challenge for the 2018/19 playoff places or cement their mid-table obscurity for another season - all will become clear once the dust settles in early 2019.
For more information on Bristol City's season so far, to see a complete 2018/19 fixture list or to buy your tickets for upcoming matches, visit their official website or check out their Facebook page.
Article by:
Editor - 365Bristol.com & LOUD Magazine
Matt is a Journalism graduate and writer, passionate about supporting Bristol music, art and independent business. Get in touch via email at matt@365bristol.com.
