Pearson: I must prove my worth

City manager unconcerned by apparent delay in agreeing his long-term future

NIGEL Pearson accepts that he is still on trial as Bristol City manager and is relaxed and realistic over the fact face-to-face meetings to decide his future at the club are yet to take place.

Speaking to a fans’ podcast last week, City owner Steve Lansdown revealed Pearson’s contract cannot be extended beyond this summer until he can meet the 57-year-old face-to-face. With Lansdown at home in Guernsey, the two have only ‘met’ via online calls. Travel restrictions in

Guernsey, where a positive Covid test has not been identified for the last 40 days, means Lansdown is permitted to fly to the UK, and does not need to quarantine, but must self-isolate upon his return to the Channel Islands.

Pearson and Lansdown do have regular contact, but with just six games of the season remaining there has been growing unease within the City fanbase that Pearson, who joined the club in February on a deal until the summer, may not be retained.

Supporters have long-craved an established and experienced figurehead at the club to help build a real

Premier League promotion bid, but the longer the wait the goes on with a lack of clarity regarding Pearson’s future, so the anxiety increases.

Pearson, who last week said that any discussions in the summer “will be too late”, insists his focus in on Nottingham Forest this afternoon and improving a poor run of results – three defeats and a draw from their last four games – that could impact decisions as much as anything.

“I think one of the frustrations at the moment is, I don’t want to be evasive about it, I’ve got nothing to

Tim Goode/PA Espoir De Romay leads the field in the Betway Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree Racecourse yesterday afternoon – Horse Racing Pages 54-59