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‘You’ll want to kill me’ – Ian Holloway puts rivalry aside to back bitter rivals for Premier League promotion
Ian Holloway has risked the wrath of Bristol Rovers fans by pledging his support to Bristol City in the Championship play-offs. The Robins earned a shot at Premier League promotion for the first time in 17 years after a 2-2 draw with Preston on Saturday saw them clinch sixth place. Bristol City are targeting promotion to the Premier League for the first time in their history after securing the Championship’s last play-off place City’s delight came on the same weekend that bitter rivals Rovers suffered heartbreak, who were relegated to League Two following their 22nd place finish in League One. With Holloway a lifelong Pirates fan, and having enjoyed three separate stints at the club as a player before a five-year spell as manager, you might expect him to be less than pleased at this turn of events. But this couldn’t be further from the truth, with the current Swindon boss admitting he was thrilled for his old adversaries. Joining Ally McCoist and Gabby Agbonlahor on talkSPORT Breakfast ahead of the release of his book ‘The (mostly) Football World according to Ollie’, Holloway was asked for his thoughts on City’s achievement. The 62-year-old laughed as he replied: “You’ve just got me killed, I won’t be able to go out, you realise that you two – because I’m going to have to tell the truth! “My team who I’ve supported all my life, Bristol Rovers, got relegated. And Bristol City our nemesis – I can’t tell you how proud I am.” Despite his personal loyalties, Holloway hailed the work of City technical director and former player Brian Tinnion, once his direct opponent during his playing days. He then reserved special praise for head coach, Liam Manning, who has guided the club to the play-offs after taking a leave of absence in October following the tragic passing of his newborn son. Holloway went on: “I know Brian Tinnion really well now. Me and him, we were cat and dogs with each other all the time. “But I’m so proud of how well Liam Manning’s done. He had to have some private leave, he had a terrible mess up in his family, he lost a child, it was unbelievable. GettyLiam Manning has been in charge of Bristol City since November 2023[/caption] Ian Holloway played 476 times for Bristol Rovers across three separate spellsGetty He then managed his boyhood club from 1996 until 2001, first taking charge as player-manager, before retiring from football in 1999Getty “So what they’ve done, how they’re building, how they’re growing, it’s a credit to our city, and I hope they get there, I really do.” City are now gearing up to face Sheffield United in the play-off semi-finals, who finished third after missing out on automatic promotion. And Holloway was quick to praise the Blades, who began the season with minus points after being handed a two-point deduction by the EFL last April. He added: “It’s a huge achievement [for Bristol City] to be sixth. “Sheffield United, what a season they’ve had, absolutely outstanding, points deducted and all of that. “It is still one heck of a thing to pick yourself up with the disappointment that you haven’t got over the line, due to the two most outstanding teams I’ve seen in the Championship for a long, long time, Leeds United, what a team, and Burnley, so I can’t believe how great it is.” Ian Holloway laughed as he admitted he was at risk of angering Bristol Rovers’ fans with his comments GettyBristol City’s fans were in a jubilant mood after their draw with Preston on Saturday[/caption] Since their promotion to the second-tier in 2015, City have spent the joint-longest unbroken stint in the Championship, alongside Preston, during which time they have largely been a mid-table side. But now with a shot at reaching English football’s top-flight, Holloway backed his old rivals to create a special atmosphere for their semi-final first leg at Ashton Gate on Thursday. “I’m expecting the City fans to do what they did on Saturday, they’ve been sold out the last six or seven weeks, an absolute giant of a football club. “It’s been so quiet, they’ve been so patient, the ground’s been built up, the atmosphere down there is fantastic.” As he gave City his full support heading into their huge clash, Holloway had a parting message for Bristol Rovers’ fans, as he begged them to ignore his risky comments. He said: “I’m wishing them [City] all the best. “But please, if you’re a Bristol Rovers fan, turn off, change the channel and come back in a minute when I’m off, because you’ll want to kill me, I know you will!” Listen to live and exclusive coverage of the first leg between Bristol City and Sheffield United on the talkSPORT app!
Ian Holloway has risked the wrath of Bristol Rovers fans by pledging his support to Bristol City in the Championship play-offs.
The Robins earned a shot at Premier League promotion for the first time in 17 years after a 2-2 draw with Preston on Saturday saw them clinch sixth place.
City’s delight came on the same weekend that bitter rivals Rovers suffered heartbreak, who were relegated to League Two following their 22nd place finish in League One.
With Holloway a lifelong Pirates fan, and having enjoyed three separate stints at the club as a player before a five-year spell as manager, you might expect him to be less than pleased at this turn of events.
But this couldn’t be further from the truth, with the current Swindon boss admitting he was thrilled for his old adversaries.
Joining Ally McCoist and Gabby Agbonlahor on talkSPORT Breakfast ahead of the release of his book ‘The (mostly) Football World according to Ollie’, Holloway was asked for his thoughts on City’s achievement.
The 62-year-old laughed as he replied: “You’ve just got me killed, I won’t be able to go out, you realise that you two – because I’m going to have to tell the truth!
“My team who I’ve supported all my life, Bristol Rovers, got relegated. And Bristol City our nemesis – I can’t tell you how proud I am.”
Despite his personal loyalties, Holloway hailed the work of City technical director and former player Brian Tinnion, once his direct opponent during his playing days.
He then reserved special praise for head coach, Liam Manning, who has guided the club to the play-offs after taking a leave of absence in October following the tragic passing of his newborn son.
Holloway went on: “I know Brian Tinnion really well now. Me and him, we were cat and dogs with each other all the time.
“But I’m so proud of how well Liam Manning’s done. He had to have some private leave, he had a terrible mess up in his family, he lost a child, it was unbelievable.
“So what they’ve done, how they’re building, how they’re growing, it’s a credit to our city, and I hope they get there, I really do.”
City are now gearing up to face Sheffield United in the play-off semi-finals, who finished third after missing out on automatic promotion.
And Holloway was quick to praise the Blades, who began the season with minus points after being handed a two-point deduction by the EFL last April.
He added: “It’s a huge achievement [for Bristol City] to be sixth.
“Sheffield United, what a season they’ve had, absolutely outstanding, points deducted and all of that.
“It is still one heck of a thing to pick yourself up with the disappointment that you haven’t got over the line, due to the two most outstanding teams I’ve seen in the Championship for a long, long time, Leeds United, what a team, and Burnley, so I can’t believe how great it is.”
Since their promotion to the second-tier in 2015, City have spent the joint-longest unbroken stint in the Championship, alongside Preston, during which time they have largely been a mid-table side.
But now with a shot at reaching English football’s top-flight, Holloway backed his old rivals to create a special atmosphere for their semi-final first leg at Ashton Gate on Thursday.
“I’m expecting the City fans to do what they did on Saturday, they’ve been sold out the last six or seven weeks, an absolute giant of a football club.
“It’s been so quiet, they’ve been so patient, the ground’s been built up, the atmosphere down there is fantastic.”
As he gave City his full support heading into their huge clash, Holloway had a parting message for Bristol Rovers’ fans, as he begged them to ignore his risky comments.
He said: “I’m wishing them [City] all the best.
“But please, if you’re a Bristol Rovers fan, turn off, change the channel and come back in a minute when I’m off, because you’ll want to kill me, I know you will!”
Listen to live and exclusive coverage of the first leg between Bristol City and Sheffield United on the talkSPORT app!
