Steve Coppell has won promotion to the Premier League three times - Crystal Palace (twice) and Reading - and reached an FA Cup final in his 22-year career as manager.
He also took Palace to third place in the top-flight, and guided the Royals to eighth position in their first season; as well as unearthing the likes of England and Arsenal legend Ian Wright and Irish international striker Kevin Doyle from non-league football.
But as the new City boss looks forward to the release of the 2010/11 npower Championship fixtures tomorrow morning - 9am on bcfc.co.uk - he says his record as manager "means nothing" in the face of what he calls the most "open" league season in recent years.
He told bcfc.co.uk: "When I first got the job the fixtures seemed a long way away and there wasn't much urgency.
"But now the fixtures are around the corner I am fully aware that the full stop is coming and we will have to get ourselves going.
"There is an expectation level here and I have got to try and function in the way, which brings out the best in the personnel around me."
"There are not many teams with 'L' plates on ... I would like to think I have a good record but it means nothing now. Every week is a reproving exercise."
He added: "I would like to think I have a good record but it means nothing now. Every week is a reproving exercise.
"I have been looking at the league the past few days and I think it will be one of the most open leagues before a ball is kicked in recent years.
"There are not many teams with 'L' plates on, there are a lot of managers who are coming into the second season and they have had a season to look at their players, re-tune, re-direct and bring their own people in.
"These are established managers who are in their second season and that for me is dangerous, because they know what they have got, they can use the transfer window to bring more of their own people in, and that is a little head start."
The new npower Championship fixtures will be revealed at 9am tomorrow (Thu) exclusively on bcfc.co.uk.
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