James Ellis: Bristol City sporting director ‘happy’ with financial backing

Bristol City sporting director James Ellis says the team is being supported financially as it goes into the summer with a new leadership team and new head coach in Michael Skubala.

Former Lincoln City boss Skubala was appointed two weeks ago, less than a month after former Arsenal technical director Ellis also joined the club.

Ellis said he is “happy” with the financial support chief executive Charlie Boss – who himself has only been with the Robins since February – and the board have provided.

“Charlie and the board have supported us to attempt to start our project off really well,” Ellis told BBC Radio Bristol.

Bristol City finished 12th in the Championship last season, nine points off the play-offs and remain one of the longest-serving clubs in the second tier to have never reached the Premier League.

Under Ellis they have a three-year plan to reach the top flight and the 46-year-old said they will learn lessons from recently promoted rivals Coventry and Hull.

“We understand where we are currently and we’re going to make hopefully wise and smart decisions,” he said.

“Where we’ve got to find hope, solace, desire and motivation is Millwall, is Hull, is Coventry.

“Coventry is a really good example because that was a three-year plan and it’s a club that’s hovered around, done really well, new ownership with new drive, new structure, [they] didn’t chuck loads and loads of money at it in year one and two, [they] reviewed. I think we’re in a good place.”