Bristol’s festive sporting fixtures 2022

Bristol’s festive sporting fixtures 2022

Posted on: 21 Dec 2022

With Christmas well and truly underway we thought we'd take a comprehensive look at Bristol's sporting calendar over the festive period so whether you're City, Rovers, Bears or Flyers, there is plenty of action to get your teeth stuck into.

 

The Christmas period is a busy one for sports teams up and down the country and it can often be difficult to keep on top of it all so here's your festive run-down of games involving all city's sports clubs...

 

 

Bristol City:

 

We begin our guide with The Robins; the only Bristol sports club to have a Boxing Day fixture this year. Inconsistent results, a slew of bizarre tactical decisions (including veteran midfielder Andy King being played at centre back) and a frustrating approach to press conferences have led to a vocal section of supporters calling for the head of manager Nigel Pearson.

 

With this in mind, Pearson and his players will be hoping for a Christmas miracle to stem the club’s plummet towards the relegation zone and keep the Ashton Gate faithful off their back.

 

City’s Christmas schedule begins in BS3 with a clash with in-form West Brom on Monday 26 December. The Baggies were in the relegation zone when they parted company with Steve Bruce in October but, since ex-Huddersfield boss Carlos Corberan took over, they are on an unbeaten streak of five games meaning The Robins will have their work cut out on Boxing Day.

 

Thursday 29 December sees City hop over to South-East London and Millwall’s The Den stadium. Currently sitting in ninth place, Gary Rowett’s side have stuttered recently after a strong start but remains dangerous and new frontman Zian Flemming is a particular threat with 9 league goals to his name.

 

The Robins conclude their festive schedule with a trip to Coventry City on New Year’s Day. Despite a number of off-field issues, The Sky Blues have once more impressed this season under the stewardship of well-respected manager Mark Robins.

 

West Brom (H) Monday 26 December

Millwall (A) Thursday 29 December

Coventry City (A) Sunday 1 January

Bristol Rovers:

 

Despite struggling early on this season, Joey Barton’s Bristol Rovers are well in the swing of things now and fans are beginning to look up rather than down. After a dramatic and well-documented promotion from League Two last time out, The Gas have adjusted well to life in the third tier with just one loss in their last twelve.

 

Rovers’ fans would maybe be advised to hold off dreaming of doing battle with their rivals from across the river next season just for now, however, if the busy Christmas schedule goes their way, then it’ll be impossible to deny their playoff credentials!

 

Boxing Day sees an important clash with fellow promotion hopefuls Wycombe Wanderers. After an unsuccessful playoff campaign last year, second longest-serving EFL manager Gareth Ainsworth is planning yet another Championship charge – they currently sit seventh, two places above Rovers.

 

On Thursday 29 December The Pirates host Exeter City in the first of a home doubleheader. After popular manager Matt Taylor was nabbed by Rotherham in October, The Grecians appointed ex-Wigan boss Gary Caldwell as head coach – a change that it seems the club are still getting adjusted to.

 

New Year’s Day sees Rovers host ex-City captain Wade Elliott’s Cheltenham Town. Elliott replaced much-loved boss Michael Duff earlier in the season and early results saw fans calling for his head, but a run of improved results has seen his job safe for now.

 

Wycombe Wanderers (A) Monday 26 December

Exeter City (H) Thursday 29 December

Cheltenham Town (H) Sunday 1 January

Bristol Bears:

 

After a tenth-place finish last season and exciting signings including homecoming hero Ellis Genge, however, so far things haven’t gone exactly to plan but after a couple of promising performances, things are starting to look up. Indeed, not long ago, back-rower Steven Luauta outlined that the Bears’ ambitions were still to finish in the playoffs.

 

To do that they need to start winning games and they can start with their only match of this festive period, versus Harlequins in Twickenham on Tuesday 27 December. Flying high this season in third place, it would be a real sign of intent if the Bears could beat a side who have scored the second most points in the division.

 

Harlequins (A) Tuesday 27 December

Bristol Flyers:

 

Bristol Flyers are currently sitting in third place in the BBL Championship table, two points behind league leaders London Lions. However, the Flyers have lost twice to The Lions in the past week first with a 95-60 away in the league and then they were knocked out of the BBL Cup following a 79-97 defeat at the SGS College Arena. 

 

Head coach Andreas Kapoulas will be hoping to bounce back from these defeats with two matches against bottom-placed Scorchers and a midweek fixture with fellow highflyers Plymouth.

 

Scorchers (A) Friday 23 December

Plymouth (A) Wednesday 28 December

Scorchers (H) Sunday 1 January

The women’s sporting fixtures are few and far between over the Christmas period with in-form Bristol City WFC not playing until Tuesday 10 January and The Gas Girls having to wait until Sunday 8 January. Third-placed Bristol Bears Women are playing once with a trip to Harlequins on Tuesday 27 December.


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Article by:

Stanley Gray

Stan is a born and bred Bristolian, recently graduated from studying English Literature in Sheffield. His passions are music and literature and he spends the majority of his time in venues all over the city, immersing himself in Bristol’s alternative music scene. A lifelong Bristol City fan, Stan’s Saturdays are spent watching his team both home and away.