Bristol CITY SNAP UP CHRIS WOOD

[brightonmark1234]

City have completed the loan signing of West Brom forward Chris Wood for the remainder of the season.

The 20-year-old New Zealander arrives following a recent loan stint with Championship rivals Birmingham City, where he netted ten times in 28 appearances, including Europa League games.

The deal is subject to Football League clearance and a medical.

Manager Derek McInnes told bcfc.co.uk: "Chris is someone I have been aware of for some time and I tried to sign him on a couple of occasions at St Johnstone. In the end he went to Barnsley and Brighton due to the restrictions on cross-border loans.

"I'm delighted we've been able to add him to our squad for the rest of the season and he will be a real asset. He's a big lad, with good feet and he's already shown himself to be a proven goalscorer at Championship level.

"I'm sure he will prove a valuable addition to the squad. I've seen him play a number of times; he's young and hungry and I'm sure he will enjoy his time with us."

Originally from Auckland, Chris played football in the lower leagues in his home country before joining West Brom's youth set-up in 2008.

Impressive form for the under-18s and then reserves saw Chris earn a debut for the first team in a Premier League clash at Portsmouth in April 2009.

Loan spells at Barnsley and Brighton & Hove Albion followed, the latter during the early stages of the Seagulls' promotion campaign last term. He bagged eight goals in 29 outings for the Sussex club.

On the eve of the current campaign, Chris got the call to join Birmingham on loan and he remained there until the turn of the year.

A 17-cap international for New Zealand - and World Cup 2010 squad member - with one goal to his name, Chris now looks to boost his football experience further at Ashton Gate.

He links up with the City squad ahead of Saturday's trip to one of his former loan clubs, Brighton.

 

[Left Footer]

bound to score on saturday lets hope it means maynard`s on his way out

 

[Oscar]

Should make Saturday interesting.

Would have been ideal for us but I would have thought we put pay to his return when we snubbed him in the summer.

 

[lichfield seagulls]

Houghton was only saying they wanted him for the rest of the season.

 

[Max Paper]

Well he's gonna bang a hat trick on sat

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Anyone know why he didn't go back to Birmingham? City offered them a better %?

 

[JBizzleBeard]

Lump on him scoring saturday then!

 

[scooter1]

Should make Saturday interesting.

Would have been ideal for us but I would have thought we put pay to his return when we snubbed him in the summer.

Did we snub him in the summer then? I spoke to him at the sponsors dinner before the end of the season and it was always his intention to return to WBA for pre-season and fight for a place in their first team. Obviously Hodgson doesn't think he's ready for the Premier League yet.
I think he would have been good back here with CMS, but Gus no doubt has something lined up....

 

[severnside gull]

amazed we didn't go for him as he has shown he can score at this level, knows our style of play, and has some hope of contributing. Contrast this to Billy Paynter! Still sure Gus will bring someone useful in - I would certainly settle for Vokes or Kitson but sooner rather than later would be good before we let more games slip because we can't score.

More critically to me is that no midfield creator type has been mentioned although the main issue currently is that we are not giving the ball to our strikers in positions that they can score from.................................... interesting couple of weeks ahead

 

[lichfield seagulls]

Havent got a pot to piss in bless em

 

[Acker79]

Did we snub him in the summer then? I spoke to him at the sponsors dinner before the end of the season and it was always his intention to return to WBA for pre-season and fight for a place in their first team. Obviously Hodgson doesn't think he's ready for the Premier League yet.
I think he would have been good back here with CMS, but Gus no doubt has something lined up....

As I understand it, from comments from gus in the argus, gus saw him as a fall back option - he was hoping to sign others, but if not he would go back to Wood, but Gus was also fully aware of the risk that someone else would take him before we had the chance, and that happened with birmingham taking him on before gus gave up on his other options.

 

[Diego Napier]

amazed we didn't go for him as he has shown he can score at this level, knows our style of play, and has some hope of contributing. Contrast this to Billy Paynter! Still sure Gus will bring someone useful in - I would certainly settle for Vokes or Kitson but sooner rather than later would be good before we let more games slip because we can't score.

More critically to me is that no midfield creator type has been mentioned although the main issue currently is that we are not giving the ball to our strikers in positions that they can score from.................................... interesting couple of weeks ahead

apart from the 3 against the league leaders!

 

[severnside gull]

apart from the 3 against the league leaders!

indeed and most welcome too, as were the three at Cardiff but we are still only managing a goal a game average and, no matter how optimistic, that limits our potential to achieve in either the league or the cup. In truth I am happy that we are pretty close to being a side that can compete at the top of this division and with just a few quality additions allowing an injection of pace into our passing we could be there or thereabouts next season. However in a very competitive league it is just as easy to lose direction if confidence and luck were to fail and although I don't think we will have any real problems you cannot entirely rule out the danger of sliding down the table unless we rediscover the knack of scoring goals and winning games more consistently. Very fine margins and without a couple of additions it could still get a little stormy. With the right additionsI think a continuing interest in the lower play-off places and an ultimate top ten finish are not beyond us. Whichever way I have a feeling that this season is not destined to be a quiet one with nothing to play for by the end of it.