Braveheart Bristol City defender Jamie McAllister has declared his intention to make the Scotland left-back berth his own. Recalled to the national squad for the first time in four years, the City star is determined to get the nod ahead of Sheffield United stalwart Gary Naysmith when the Scots meet Norway in a crucial World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park on Saturday. And if selected to start, McAllister says playing for his country will represent the proudest moment of his career to date. His one and only cap came in a friendly win over Jamaica in 2004 and the 30-year-old Glaswegian is looking to make up for lost time. He said: "I'm a proud Scot and I'm very passionate about my country. Hopefully, I have a good chance of playing and, if that happens, it will be the pinnacle of my career. There is no bigger honour for a footballer than playing for his country and I'm delighted to be involved. My family are really excited and all want tickets for the game and I really want to get in the team for them."
Bristol Evening Post

Scotland defender Jamie McAllister believes new striker Chris Iwelumo can help the national side beat Norway at Hampden on Saturday - having seen and suffered at first hand the havoc the Wolves player can wreak. Bristol City full back McAllister was on the receiving end last season when Iwelumo struck in injury time for Charlton Athletic to dent Bristol's promotion hopes. Iwelumo is back among the goals with Wolves, having netted eight in seven games. Now Scotland manager George Burley is considering handing the forward his debut this weekend in the absence of Kenny Miller. The 30-year-old Iwelumo has been suspended for the last three English Champion-ship matches after being sent off after scoring a hat-trick against Preston North End two weeks ago. But former Aberdeen full back McAllister is convinced Iwelumo is the ideal player to cope with Norway's robust style of play.
Press and Journal

A glance at the statistics reveals fewer Bristol City fans are following Gary Johnson's team away from home this season. But it is an over-simplification to attribute falling numbers to the effects of the credit crunch. Even given the current parlous economic climate, it seems financial considerations have become secondary to the need to be entertained. In short, a significant number of City fans no longer feel they are being given value for money on the road. At a time when home games are being watched by a record number of season ticket holders, it seems hardcore fans are becoming increasingly selective when it comes to following their team away from Ashton Gate. Recent Coca-Cola Championship fixtures at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield United serve to illustrate the current trend perfectly.
Bristol Evening Post

Gary Johnson insists that Bristol City defender Jamie McCombe will not be rushed back into action after recovering from a fractured cheekbone. The giant centre-back has not featured for the Robins since August and Johnson is adamant that McCombe will be gradually reintroduced to the fray. He said: "Jamie's cheek is fine and he's ready to play. Now we just need to get the rest of him fit. He was back training as normal last week and joining in with the other lads and he's working very hard to get back."
Teamtalk