Bristol City have received a huge boost at the start of the international break with the news that assistant head coach Paul Simpson has returned to work at the Robins High Performance Centre after undergoing cancer treatment.
Simpson temporarily stood down from his position as one of Nigel Pearson's assistants at the start of July after being diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma - a type of kidney cancer - but has now been given the all-clear by doctors and is back in a full-time capacity.
The former Derby County, Manchester City and Oxford United midfielder, who received a flood of well-wishes once news of his diagnoses emerged, was back in training on Monday and Tuesday before City players are given the second half of this week off due to the international break.
"I'm delighted to be back," Simpson said. It's been a tough couple of months but I'm glad to put it behind me and get back to work."
Simpson first arrived at City last summer after Dean Holden's appointment as head coach, with the 55-year-old having previously managed the England Under-20 team.
He served as co-caretaker manager alongside Keith Downing after Holden's dismissal in February with Pearson then appointed and keeping hold of both assistant coaches.
His return bolsters Pearson's backroom team as he rejoins Downing as one of the manager's two assistants but does now raise questions of Curtis Fleming's position at the club.
The former Middlesbrough defender was hired on a "short-term basis" at the end of July to support former teammate Pearson and has been alongside Downing in the dugout and technical area over the opening six games of the season.
Bristol City now have a 11-day wait until their next Championship fixture, at home to Preston on September 11, with three first-team players on international duty: Tomas Kalas (Czech Republic), Alex Scott (England Under-20s) and Sam Pearson (Wales Under-21s).
