• The Championship

Bristol City appoint O'Driscoll

ESPN staff
January 14, 2013
Sean O'Driscoll is back in football © Getty Images
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Sean O'Driscoll has been named as the new manager of Bristol City, returning to management only weeks after his surprise dismissal from Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day.

O'Driscoll faces a tough challenge to galvanise a Robins side currently at the bottom of the Championship table after winning only six league games this season.

The 52-year-old, who rejected an approach to take over at Barnsley last week, replaces Derek McInnes, who was sacked in the aftermath of a dispiriting 4-0 home defeat to Leicester on Saturday.

He said he was looking forward to the task ahead at Ashton Gate, telling reporters: "Sometimes, you have to go with your gut instinct. It just feels right.

"I think it needs a concerted effort from everyone [to avoid relegation]. I'll get all the credit or blame, but everyone needs to be moving in the same direction.

"We need to hit the ground running and, in this topsy-turvy Championship, anything is possible. If we put a run together we can soon be in a different position in the league."

He said he believed the Robins had enough quality in their squad to steer clear of trouble and added: "I like the way the club is being developed. This has always been a well-run football club, and that is never going to change."

John Lansdown, City's football managing director, said the board had moved swiftly to appoint O'Driscoll because he "has got a really good record at clubs and a record of being there for the long term, and we believe he has the ability to keep us up this season".

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