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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Sport
Richard Forrester

Bristol City captain looking ahead with optimism after reaching significant club milestone

Given his experience in the game, Andi Weimann knows not to look too far ahead when it comes to football due to how quickly things can change.

Although the Bristol City captain couldn't help but feel excited when discussing the prospect of the Robins building on the progress made this season and using it to mount a play-off push heading into the next campaign.

On Saturday, the Austrian joined an illustrious list of former City players by becoming the 28th to score 50 goals for the club. As the clock ticked into stoppage time, Weimann was in the right place at the right time to finish from close range to ensure the Robins remain undefeated at home in the Championship in 2023.

It also meant City surpassed their points tally from last season with two games to spare, with a home match against Burnley to come before travelling to QPR on the final day of 2022/23. That incentive was used as a source of motivation from the manager to the players before kick-off but for Weimann, the progress has been evident both on and off the pitch.

"The points tally, the manager said it before the game that we could break it if we won but it's not just the points," he said after the game. "I think you can see from the way we're playing, if you look at the squad and the bench how strong it was, you can tell the progress - not just the points.

"It's more than that - how the squad is together, you can tell for example like myself - I wasn't playing but I was still behind the lads and Anis (Mehmeti), who hasn't had the minutes he would have wanted over the last few games, he's still right there so we're all together and you can definitely tell we're moving in the right direction.

"(The top six) is what we're thriving for. As I said earlier, you can see the progress happening. I think the manager has said this before - it's not happening as quickly as we wanted it to happen but definitely the last five or six months you can tell we've got that identity to how we play.

"We play like that with our energy every game, maybe on the counter-attack but we also getting really comfortable on the ball when we're in possession, and the young lads are going to be another year older next year, they will have more games in their body and more experience.

Andi Weimann pictured with Alex Scott (Rogan/Fever Pitch)

"Hopefully, players like Kal (Naismith) who has missed parts this season will stay fit, Joe (Williams) obviously, so we are all excited. It's just a good feeling around the training ground at the moment even though in the last two games we lost, we know what we're trying to do and it's a good feeling.

"If you look at the squad now and the starting XI, we've probably got five really young players in the squad, and that obviously bodes well for the future. If you look at our bench, everyone could have started the game easily. When everyone is fit, and that's the next challenge to keep everyone fit, hopefully, we can really attack it."

On a personal level, Weimann hasn't hidden behind the fact that it's been a frustrating season at times. He came into it on the back of 22 goals and while hitting that remarkable career-high target again was always going to be a tall order, his goal against the Millers took his tally to six for the campaign.

Nevertheless, reaching 50 goals, the third player to do so in 14 years after Famara Diedhiou and Scott Murray, caps a wonderful achievement. "Very proud," Weimann added, reflecting on the achievement.

"I knew I was on 49 and I knew I was running out of games this season so I really wanted to do it before the end of the season and luckily it dropped in front of me and somehow I just poked it in and obviously, being a last-minute winner makes it even better."

City will have a new player holding the golden boot at the end of the season, although that has yet to be decided. Tommy Conway's brilliant header on Saturday lifted him to number 11 for the season, alongside his close mate Nahki Wells.

Weimann admitted that the duo may have a friendly wager between them on who comes out on top, but knows they'll be looking at the bigger picture and that is finishing the season with momentum. He said: "I'm sure between them they'll want to beat each other but knowing Tommy and Nahki I don't think it doesn't matter as much if they win the golden boot - they just want to score in every game.

"If they don't score, I think they're disappointed. I'm sure with two games left, they're going to have a little wager on who's going to win the golden boot. Even if both of them win it, it will be good for them."

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