While City's players were narrowly beaten in the 2007/08 Championship play-off final, work was already underway back at Ashton Gate in preparation for the new campaign.

The club's lauded playing surface was stripped last Thursday after the players' final training session in Bristol, and the tractors were brought in to re-seed the pitch.

The new grass is already peeking through and will continue growing throughout the summer, including during the Bon Jovi concert on June 25th which will see the entire pitch covered up.

Head groundsman Craig Richardson said: "The pitch base remains the same fibrelastic mix of sand, grass and elastic-fibre that we have been using all season.

"What we have done is stripped the top of any remaining grass and vegetation, deposited 60 tons of sand and re-seeded and fertilised the surface.

"The grass is already coming through now, and the entire pitch will be ready for the start of the new season."