![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1_Injuries-1.jpg\")
Bristol City players Joe Williams, Jason Knight, Max Bird, Cam Pring are all currently injured(Image: Getty Images and EFl)<\/p>\nBristol Live brings you the latest Bristol City injury news from Gerhard Struber’s pre-Norwich City press conferenceBristol City players Joe Williams, Jason Knight, Max Bird, Cam Pring are all currently injured(Image: Getty Images and EFl)<\/p>\n
Gerhard Struber has provided an update on Bristol City\u2019s<\/a> long-term injury absentees, with the Reds boss admitting Joe Williams is unlikely to feature this calendar year, but hopeful that Jason Knight, Max Bird, and Cam Pring will return sooner.<\/p>\n The Robins return from the international break with a trip to Carrow Road to face their former boss, Liam Manning<\/a>, and Norwich City this Saturday. After nine matches, the Canaries find themselves 19th in the Championship, having failed to win any of their first five home games in all competitions this term.<\/p>\n City will be boosted by the return of Max O’Leary<\/a> to the first team squad for their trip to East Anglia, with the goalkeeper confirmed to be fit and available for selection for the first time this season, having recovered from the ankle surgery he underwent this summer.<\/p>\n READ MORE: ‘Little to cling to’ – What Bristol City can expect from Liam Manning and Norwich at Carrow Road<\/a>READ MORE: Bristol City U21s 4-0 Bournemouth U21s recap: Thomas, Skinner, Ali and Ferguson score in win<\/a><\/p>\n However, Struber and supporters will have to wait a fair bit longer to see Williams make his first competitive appearance of the campaign. The midfielder suffered a setback in his recovery from an ankle injury<\/a> in August, which was initially expected to keep him sidelined until mid-October, but now isn’t likely to be involved until 2026.<\/p>\n “With Joe Williams, it\u2019s a long-term project,” the Robins head coach explained in his press conference on Wednesday. “I think he\u2019s not back in this year; we won\u2019t see him on the field. He needs, of course, more time.<\/p>\n “It\u2019s very tough for him at the moment, and he\u2019s not always with the best mood on the way,” Struber added to Bristol Live<\/a>. “But we do everything so that we support him very closely so that he can jump back as soon as possible.<\/p>\n “The reality at the moment shows us that he will not be back this year; that\u2019s the reality, and we have to deal with that. Our strong togetherness in these moments, our help, our support, gives him, in the end, a good outlook.”<\/p>\n Bristol City looking to build on last season’s play-off finish under Gerhard Struber and you won’t miss a beat with our free newsletter.<\/p>\n All the latest news, views, interviews, gossip and analysis concerning the Robins, delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n It’s completely free and you can sign up HERE<\/a><\/p>\n Williams isn’t the only midfielder currently ruled out, as both Knight and Bird<\/a> missed City’s final few matches prior to the October international break as a result of a groin and calf injury, respectively.<\/p>\n In the lead-up to this month’s international fixtures, Struber was reluctant to place a timeframe on either former Derby County player’s recovery. Instead, the Austrian simply insisted the Reds would have to be patient with both players<\/a>, whilst suggesting they would be absent for a matter of weeks, rather than months.<\/p>\n Now, having had the best part of a fortnight to get to the bottom of both players’ issues, the Reds head coach has been able to shed a bit more light on when they could potentially return to the fold.<\/p>\n “With Knighty, I would say the healing is really good with what we saw in the scan right now, but we have to also be patient with him,” said the City boss. “I think [in] between six and eight weeks, he will be out.<\/p>\n “With Birdy, this could be a quick comeback. We hope that, for the next few weeks, he will be back, but we have to also be patient as this was the second time that he had something in his calf.<\/p>\n “The situation looks good, but for me, in the end, as a manager, it\u2019s always important I have the players available for the next game, and we have, of course, at the moment a little of a challenge.”<\/p>\n As well as both Williams, O’Leary, and long-term absentee Luke McNally<\/a> – who isn’t expected to return until the new year – Pring is yet to make a competitive appearance under Struber in BS3 after sustaining an ankle injury during the Robins’ pre-season training camp in the Algarve.<\/p>\n Pring’s issue also required surgery, and the original expectation was that he would be out of action for around 12 weeks. Had that timeframe been met, the 27-year-old – who penned a new deal this summer – would be close to, if he hadn’t already, returning to the fold now.<\/p>\n On the left-sided defender’s recovery, however, Struber said, “Also, with Cam Pring, it\u2019s not an easy situation. Here, the situation could be [that he] needs more weeks.<\/p>\n Join Bristol City Live’s Whatsapp community for all the biggest Bristol City stories sent straight to your phone<\/strong><\/p>\n Bristol City Live<\/a> is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.<\/p>\n Through the app, we\u2019ll send the Bristol City news, live match coverage, team news, transfers, fixtures, analysis and more straight to your phone.<\/p>\n To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select \u2018Join Community\u2019.<\/a><\/p>\n No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Bristol Live<\/a> team.<\/p>\n We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you don\u2019t like our community, you can check out at any time you like.<\/p>\n To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose \u2018Exit group\u2019.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.<\/a><\/p>\n Click here to join our WhatsApp community.<\/a><\/p>\n “This is a challenge for him, but also for me and for the team, that he\u2019s not available. We have to be patient with him, and I hope we see him back this year.”<\/p>\n While it seems like it will be a little while before Struber’s ranks are boosted by reinforcements beyond O’Leary, the head coach was able to provide a slightly more positive update when asked about Josh Stokes’ recovery.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1758015353_222_0_GettyImages-2232406771.jpg\")
Sign up for our City newsletter<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2_JS378500141.jpg\")
Max Bird missed the bulk of Bristol City’s pre-season(Image: EFL)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/1744476931_129_0_WhatsApp-Phone.jpg\")
Bristol City Live on Whatsapp<\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1760583325_146_0_Signings-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n