Town’s FA Youth Cup tie at Bristol City tonight is quite literally a trip home for Blues U18 coach Russell Osman, who has lived in the West Country since the early 1990s and has had a variety of jobs at Ashton Gate.

Osman, 53, joined Bristol City while a player with Southampton: “I went on loan for a month in 1991, and I’m still living there!

“I went as a player under the management of Jimmy Lumsden. Jimmy ended up moving on, Denis Smith came in as the next manager and I was his first team coach, a player-coach.

“Then Denis Smith left and I was given the job as manager. It was for almost two years, but the problem was that we had a takeover battle going on.”

As so often happens in those circumstances the new owners brought in a new boss: “We had a new board of directors come in and as soon as they came in they wanted to bring their own man in, which was fine, there’s not a lot you can do about that. They brought Joe Jordan in, I think it was the November of 1994.

“We were about seventh in the league, I’d got no money to spend, but we were doing all right. We’d knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup at Anfield the year before.

“And they came in and they got relegated that year unfortunately. I’d gone in the November when we were about seventh.”

He returned to Ashton Gate in the late nineties, working with their youngsters: “I came back under Dave Burnside when the academy set-up started.

“It was going to be an U19 age-group and an U21 age-group and I was going to do the U21s, which ended up being a mixture of the reserves and the youth team, a little bit like it is with us at the moment.

“I did that for a couple of years. So, I’ve coached, I’ve managed, I’ve played and I’ve been in the academy.”

Given his history, Osman admits that he probably welcomed the draw more than most at Portman Road: “It gives me a chance to go home for a day!”

Photo: Action Images

BillBlue added 08:04 - Dec 4 I had not realised that Russell still lived down that way so it wouldn't appear possible to get the Town players to live locally (which IMO they should) if the Management team don't bother to move. Not good! COYB
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50yearsablue added 08:14 - Dec 4 He's not travelling here every day BillBlue!
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BillBlue added 08:41 - Dec 4 Ah!
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cornishnick added 08:51 - Dec 4 I agree with BillBlue. How can you coach at a side and live 200 odd miles away?
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Fatcatevans added 18:20 - Dec 4 Wow we really have some thick fans on here!
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