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Johnson: Skuse Could Have Future Back at Bristol City - Ipswich Town News

Bristol City boss Lee Johnson says he can see former Robins midfielder Cole Skuse having a role to play back at Ashton Gate once he hangs up his boots. On Saturday, Skuse, 30, will return to his hometown club, where he spent 17 years until joining the Blues in the summer of 2013, for the first time with Town.

"Obviously, that's a long way off and Cole is the sort who can probably play until he's at least 35,” Johnson told the Bristol Post.

"But put it this way, if we fast-forwarded 10 years and I was still head coach at the club and Cole Skuse retired, he'd be the perfect candidate to come back in a management capacity.

"I say that because of his personality, his values and the fact he is local and is a Bristol City supporter with the club's best interests at heart. The more coaches and people with that mindset we can get involved in the club, the better."

Johnson, who remains in regular contact with his former team-mate, added: ”As a player, Skuse is very consistent in his levels of performance and that is why managers like him.

"Now that I'm a coach, I can see how important it is to have certain players you can trust to go out there and implement the game plan.

"Skuse is one of those generals and he has turned into a really good communicator and a trustworthy Championship player with experience, fitness and height. He ticks a lot of the boxes you need to be a player at this level.

"This will be a big game for him and I'm sure he will be begging and borrowing as many of the Ipswich complementary tickets as he can for friends and family.

"We have to make sure the Cole Skuse Appreciation Society is in the Ipswich end of the ground and not in the Bristol City sections."

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