'Everyone is stepping up' in play-off push

BBC News

11-04-2025

Nahki Wells believes everyone at Bristol City is united and "stepping up" and that has played a big role in the Robins' rise into the Championship play-off places.Wells scored City's opening goal as they beat West Brom 2-1 on Tuesday night to move up to fifth in the table with five games to go.The Bermuda striker - who now has 10 goals this campaign - said the success is down to the whole squad pulling together. "It's all 18, 19 men. It's everyone. We're not solely relying on one individual to get the goals or make a huge difference," Wells told BBC Radio Bristol."Every week there's consistent performance but in the big moments everyone's stepping up and that's what a team really is and that's what we are as a team. "No big egos, no big names, just a team that's hungry to try and grow and the manager's done well to keep us humble and bring this squad of players and group together to perform at this high level."
Wells said the celebrations in the changing room at Ashton Gate following the win over the Baggies - which followed Saturday's victory against another play-off rival Watford - was up there with the "best moments" during his time at the club. The 34-year-old is the most senior player on the squad and is out of contract this summer although talks have taken place about extending his deal. Wells joined the club in 2020 from Burnley and Liam Manning is the fourth manager he has played under during that time. He said Manning's influence in helping the players shut out external pressure and focus on the game at hand has been crucial as the team's progression has accelerated."The continuity in the group has been growing. We're becoming tighter and tighter as time goes on and that same connection with the fans and everyone affiliated with the football club is all coming together nicely at a good time," Wells added."I think the manager's done well to try to block out the external noise and try to find a strategy to be as present as we can to put a small block of a run together and focus on that."
A top-six finish would mark a huge step forward for City, who last finished in the play-off places in 2007-08 when they were beaten in the Wembley final by Hull City and last were in contention for the play-offs at this stage of a season when they finished eighth in 2019."We know exactly where we're at and what's the cherry at the end of it," Wells said."It's no certainty that we'll be in those play-off positions come 90 minutes at the end of the Preston game but we're doing what it takes to give ourselves the best chance to get there."