Bristol City 'close' but Robins must keep picking up points, says Rob Dickie (2025)

Rob Dickie and Bristol City boosted their hopes of a top six finish with a 2-1 win over Sunderland at Ashton Gate

Whatever happens between now and the end of the Championship season, Bristol City supporters have been treated to some special moments at Ashton Gate this season. Of course, football is a results game and securing a place in the top six is the ultimate goal, but there have been a handful of days this term that will live long in the memory of fans.

George Earthy's brace to secure the comeback win over Middlesbrough, an electric night against Norwich City before the March international break and likely the champagne moment of the campaign, Haydon Roberts' late winner against West Brom all stand out as hinge points in what has been a rollercoaster of a season.

Rob Dickie added his name to that list in impressive fashion as City came from behind to beat 10-man Sunderland 2-1 on Good Friday. Having had a sighter or two from long range in the first half, the 28-year-old left the capacity crowd in BS3 stunned as he smashed a right-footed effort past Anthony Patterson and into the top right corner of the Black Cats' net from some 25 yards out.

Few of a red persuasion would have known the defender had it in him but as soon as the ball left his boot, the former QPR man had no doubts of what was coming.

"It came out to me and we wanted to keep them in their half, wanted to kind of suffocate them, especially when they only had 10 men," Dickie told Bristol Live in his post-match press conference. "I've taken a good touch and as soon as I hit it, I knew it was going in.

"It felt so sweet off of the boot. I'm so pleased with it but more importantly, pleased with the three points.

"Honestly I was so locked in that I just wanted to get the ball back in play and get going for another one," he continued. "I was obviously buzzing with the goal but I just wanted to get going, keep the momentum high and the energy in the stadium was so good today.

"To be honest, since I've joined City, it's always been great. Obviously, now we're up the top end of the table, the atmosphere has even really picked up another notch so credit to the fans, I feel they've got us over the line."

Having made the move to the West Country in the summer of 2023, Dickie couldn't have had a much better first season in City colours last term. Although it was a year of transition for the Robins on and off the pitch, the 29-year-old scored five goals from defence and formed a solid partnership with Zak Vyner to win both the Supporters Club and Trust's Men's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year awards in his debut campaign.

The vice-captain picked up where he left off at the start of this season but a hamstring injury sustained in the Reds' 1-1 draw with Coventry City saw him sidelined for the best part of two months. After an impressive return to the fold, Manning, and many supporters, felt the defender suffered a slight dip in performance level during the middle third of the campaign.

Although Dickie agrees with his head coach's verdict, he feels he is getting closer to matching his own high standards again, thanks in part to those in and around him, particularly in the Robins' new-look backline.

"Post-injury, I had a bit of a high and then not so much a lull but I was not quite back to my best," the centre-back explained. "I definitely feel I'm getting somewhere near the form I showed last season in a City shirt so, I feel like I'm getting there.

"But to be honest, the performances from the team have been amazing, the best we've performed since I've been here so that's the most important thing.

"I mentioned when we spoke earlier this season about how we have players who are very adaptable like Pringy," Dickie continued when asked about how he and his teammates have coped without Luke McNally. "You see today, he plays left wing-back and centre-back.

"George Tanner can do that, Ross, and Haydon, they can all move across the backline. Zak can play right and left, so we're still well-equipped."

With just three games remaining of the regular league season, Manning's side find themselves in pole position in the race for the two places up for grabs in the top six of the Championship. After their win over Sunderland, the Reds sit fifth in the table, one point clear of sixth-placed Coventry City and four ahead of seventh-placed Middlesbrough. Although nothing is confirmed at this stage, a spot in the play-offs, for the first time in 17 years, is now within City's grasp.

The fixtures don't get any easier for the Reds, however. Easter Monday brings with it a trip to Kenilworth Road to face Luton Town and that is followed a week later by a meeting with automatic promotion hopefuls Leeds United at Elland Road. Then, just a matter of days later, everything that has unfolded over the last nine months comes to a head against Preston North End at Ashton Gate on May 3.

Like both his head coach and captain Jason Knight, Dickie is by no means getting ahead of himself with so much still to play for. However, the 29-year-old admits he made the move to BS3 for a particular reason almost two years ago and is under no illusion of just how close he and his teammates are to realising their ultimate goal.

"When I moved I saw it as a club that was maybe not quite ready last year but a club that was building towards something," the defender recounted. "I said at the start of this season, I think we're ready now to be pushing the top six and we're certainly pushing them.

"We need to keep picking up points. There are three games left and we're close, but we have to keep picking up points because, at this end of the table, the likelihood is that teams around you are picking up points as well. So it's very important that we stay level-headed, keep locked in and push for more points.

"I think the fact we play again on Monday, I think that makes it easier," he continued. "I think we're really strong at rolling into games.

"That will be a new challenge for us on Monday. Hopefully, we come out with points but, we're just focused. Whatever comes our way, we're focused on that."