Bristol City and Gerhard Struber start the new Championship season with a trip to Bramall Lane to face Sheffield United

16:00, 06 Aug 2025Updated 16:04, 06 Aug 2025

Joe Williams and Max Bird have missed parts of Bristol City’s pre-season(Image: Getty Images)

Gerhard Struber has confirmed that Bristol City’s season-opener against Sheffield United will come too soon for either Joe Williams or Max Bird to feature, with both midfielders set to sit out the trip to Bramall Lane.

The Robins travel to the Steel City for their first game of the 2025/26 campaign on Saturday evening and will face Ruben Selles’ Blades in front of the Sky Sports Cameras. It will be the Reds’ third meeting with United in as many competitive matches after they were beaten in the play-offs last term by Chris Wilder’s side.

Williams missed the second leg of that semi-final clash with an ankle ligament injury he sustained in the first leg at Ashton Gate. Bird, on the other hand, started both matches but was replaced on the hour mark at Bramall Lane as City looked to find a way back into the tie.

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Neither player featured in any of the Robins’ pre-season friendly fixtures, with Williams continuing his recovery from his existing injury, and Bird picking up a calf injury before the warm-weather camp in Portugal. While the Reds were originally hopeful both midfielders would be ready to feature on the opening weekend, fans will have to wait a little longer to see them take to the field.

“No, they’re not involved in the roster,” Struber told Bristol Live on Wednesday lunchtime. “This game is a little bit too early.

“This game looks different to when we go on Tuesday in our Carabao [Cup] game. I think, maybe Birdy could take some minutes on Tuesday. This looks good.”

“I think so,” Struber continued when asked if the meeting with MK Dons would come too soon for Williams to return. “Joe, maybe Charlton. We will see.”

Because of each of their injuries, Struber and his coaching staff’s time on the training ground with Williams and Bird will have been limited since his appointment in June. Both players travelled with the rest of the squad to Portugal for the pre-season training camp, but followed their own training programmes.

Joe Williams picked up an injury in Bristol City’s defeat to Sheffield United last season(Image: EFL)

As has been visible over the course of this summer’s friendlies, the new head coach has brought a different style of play to Ashton Gate, with the Reds aiming to play a front-foot, pressing game. Although the formation has looked similar to the one utilised by Liam Manning, the way in which the players have played has been noticeably different.

Pre-season has given the bulk of Struber’s squad the chance to adapt to such changes. While the head coach admits Williams and Bird’s injuries mean they may not be as physically prepared, he is confident they will be able to slot back in once fit and available.

“Of course, this is a challenge that in the end, they do have not as much training in their legs,” Struber explained. “What they have had, nevertheless, are many meetings with us together and the team.

“I think they have an understanding of what we want, and in the end, it’s always a football game; it’s not a special one. It’s more about how they can stay on the field with a high intensity, and at the same time, they don’t drop out with a new injury. In this direction, we have to find a good load plan with them for the next two weeks, a clear individual periodisation for them.

“But right now, I have a good feeling that they can step, very early, back into the team.”

On top of Williams and Bird, Struber will be without Rob Dickie, who continues to serve his suspension following his sending off in last season’s play-off clash, and longer-term absentees Cam Pring, Max O’Leary, and Luke McNally.

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McNally is continuing his recovery from an ACL injury sustained in February, while both O’Leary and Pring underwent surgery on ankle issues in July. Neither player was expected to feature at the start of the new campaign, but Struber is adamant they’re progressing in the right direction.

“They’re a little bit out of my timeline,” the City boss admitted when asked about O’Leary and Pring. “Of course, they need a longer time, but I would say with both players, they make good steps in the recovery room.

“Of course, we know these are key players, and also, I realise in the time with Cam Pring in Portugal, I know how important he can be in his actions for the team and his attitude. In more directions, he is a very interesting player. It is what it is, and we have to do the best with both players so that they come quickly back.

“But at the moment, they have different topics, like our games.”

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