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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Sport
Richard Forrester

Nigel Pearson explains why Bristol City have awarded striker contract extension

Bristol City striker Chris Martin has been rewarded for his form with a new one-year extension to his contract until the summer of June 2023.

The 33-year-old has been a hugely prominent figure in Nigel Pearson's side this season as a central striker, having made 37 Championship appearances across the campaign, including 35 starts.

His season has returned nine goals and four assists and he has played an instrumental part in City's impressive attacking force alongside teammates Andi Weimann and Antoine Semenyo.

Martin's previous deal was due to expire this summer, and he had previously spoken about his desire to extend beyond June, and the club held a 12-month option which they have now activated.

Speaking of his delight of signing a new deal, Martin said: "I’ve really enjoyed my time here and am excited about staying for at least another year. I’m keen to continue contributing so we finish as high up the table as possible so we head into next season with some momentum.”

Manager Pearson was also hugely complimentary about his performances this season, also highlighting his ability to defend inside his own box from set-pieces.

"You look at a lot of our goals and he's involved in them. Hopefully he'll continue with his contribution in term of scoring goals because that's what he really wants to do," he added.

"He's also a very reliable defender and we've needed that because we have not been as reliable as I would like and the players would like themselves. He's had a decent season when you consider how long he was out for last season.

"Chris has good availability and, when he has played, he has performed well, I think it's important to recognise the players that have contributed consistently well for the team."

Martin joined City in 2020 on a free transfer following a spell at Derby and scored twice in 26 league appearances in his debut season in BS3 after suffering a calf injury in the second half of the campaign.

He has dramatically improved those figures this time around having also increased the number of minutes he has featured on the field. His 35 starts remain the second-most during his career and only Andi Weimann (3404) has seen more game time having racked up 3105 minutes in total.

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