Steve Coppell was lured back into football management by the challenge of leading Bristol City to the Premier League's promised land. Unveiled as the long-term successor to Gary Johnson, the 54-year-old Liverpudlian spoke in terms of an "immense personal challenge" after signing a 12-month rolling contract, which commences on May 11. Coppell's return to Championship management, after an absence of nearly a year, was confirmed at an Ashton Gate press conference and the former Reading boss admitted: "I'm both nervous and excited by the prospect of managing this club. "I'm excited, because Bristol City have not been in the top flight for a very long time. People don't have that expectation and you are not going to have folk telling you that your team is not as good as the one five years ago. We said at Reading that we were making history and the challenge of getting Bristol City to the Premier League for the first time is the thing I find most appealing about this job."
Bristol Evening Post

Bristol City have confirmed that Steve Coppell is to succeed Gary Johnson as manager. Coppell was officially unveiled at a press conference in the Premier Lounge at Ashton Gate this morning after signing a 12-month rolling contract to take charge of team affairs from the end of the season. The former Reading manager returns to the game after an 11-month absence and has pledged to try and take the City into the top-flight for the first time since they were relegated 30 years ago. Coppell said: "This is a club that wants to move forward and be in the top division. It is every manager's ambition to do that and this is a great opportunity for me to try and achieve it. This club does have a bit of history with the top division but that was some time ago. It is my job to help realise the huge ambitions that the chairman holds for the future of this club by producing a winning football team."
Bristol Evening Post

Steve Coppell believes that Bristol City can follow in the footsteps of the Reading side that he led into the Barclays Premier League in 2006. The former Crystal Palace manager will replace Gary Johnson, who left Ashton Gate last month after 4½ years in charge, although Coppell will take only a watching brief for the final two Coca-Cola Championship games of the season. Keith Millen will continue as caretaker manager before the 54-year-old takes up the reins on a 12-month rolling contract. Coppell, who twice led Palace into the top tier of English football, helped Reading to set a record haul of 106 points as they won the Championship and he was named the League Managers Association's Manager of the Year. He retained the award 12 months later as Reading finished eighth in their inaugural season in the top division. After six years in charge, Coppell resigned last year. Now, at a club who have not played in the top flight for 30 years, he can see similar potential. "Every manager knows that promotion is his brief and I'm no different," he said. "I see this as a duplicate of the challenge I had at Reading and it has potential to go forward. No one person can do it by themselves and we will need to work as a team."
Times

Steve Coppell has been appointed Bristol City manager and set his sights on emulating the success he enjoyed at Reading by targeting what would be his fourth promotion to the top flight. The 54-year-old former England winger has been out of work since resigning as Reading's manager after defeat by Burnley in the play-off semi-finals last May. Although he has been linked with numerous jobs, he admitted he has received few offers to return to management. However, Bristol City have pursued Coppell and the Championship club said the former Manchester United player will take over at the end of the season after agreeing a 12-month rolling contract. Coppell replaces Gary Johnson, who left Ashton Gate last month after five years in charge, and hopes he can take the club into the top flight for the first time in 30 years. "This club has a history in the top division and the chairman [Steve Lansdown] has huge ambitions for the team and the stadium," said Coppell.
Guardian

Steve Coppell immediately set his sights on taking Bristol City to the Premier League after being officially unveiled as their new manager. The former England winger, 54, has signed a 12-month rolling contract to replace Gary Johnson at Ashton Gate. And he said: "Every manager knows that promotion is his brief and I'm no different. This is a club that wants to go forward and wants to be in the top division. It's my opportunity to take this club there and that is our challenge."
The Sun

Bristol City will unveil Steve Coppell as their new manager. Mirror Sport revealed on Tuesday that the Robins have lined up the former Reading manager to replace Gary Johnson, who left the club after five years last month. An announcement was delayed earlier in the week when City chairman Steve Lansdown instead chose to confirm caretaker boss Keith Millen would stay in charge for the last two games.
Mirror

Bristol City have confirmed the appointment of Steve Coppell as their new manager on a 12-month rolling contract. The 54-year-old former England international has been out of work since resigning from his post at Reading last summer. Coppell will replace Gary Johnson, who left Ashton Gate after five years in charge in March, although caretaker manager Keith Millen, who himself had been in the running for the post, will stay in charge for the last two games of the season.
PA Sport

New Bristol City manager Steve Coppell has confirmed he will be looking to strengthen his squad over the summer as he targets promotion to the Premier League. The Championship club confirmed Coppell's appointment on a 12-month rolling contract on Thursday, with the former Reading and Crystal Palace boss due to take up the role on 11th May. Keith Millen has been confirmed as his assistant, with the interim boss remaining at the helm for the final two games of the season having been in charge since the departure of Gary Johnson in March. Coppell is impressed with the squad that he has inherited at Ashton Gate but will spend the coming months pondering how to make the necessary improvements required to push for the top flight. "I think it is a club which has got huge potential. This is an area that is committed," he said.
Sky Sports

Steve Coppell has been revealed as the new manager of Bristol City. The former England and Man United player's been confirmed as the new boss at Ashton Gate. There had been speculation for the last couple of weeks, the former Reading boss could be taking over from Gary Johnson. At a press conference it was revealed after so many rumours going round, the management decided it was best to make it official.
Jack FM

Bristol City have appointed Steve Coppell as their new manager on a 12-month rolling contract. Coppell has been out of work since resigning as Reading boss at the end of last season. The 54-year-old replaces Gary Johnson, but will not take control of the team until next season, so caretaker boss Keith Millen will remain in charge of City's remaining games. "This is a club that wants to go forward and wants to be in the top division," Coppell said. "This club has a history in the top division and the chairman has huge ambitions for the team and the stadium."
City Talk

Steve Coppell has been appointed the new manager of Bristol City. The 54-year-old was unveiled at a press conference at Ashton Gate today and he replaces Gary Johnson, who has since taken over at Peterborough. The former Crystal Palace and Reading boss has already guided those two respective clubs to the Premier League and he hopes to take the Robins into the top flight for the first time since the 1970s. Coppell, who has signed a 12-month rolling contract, will take over at the end of the season and caretaker boss Keith Millen will stay at the club as his assistant.
PFA Official Website

Bristol City legend Scott Murray is excited by Steve Coppell's appointment as manager. And he said the former Reading boss has all the attributes needed to guide the club to the Premier League. Murray worked with Coppell for a short time after leaving Ashton Gate to join Championship club Reading in a deal worth £650,000 in July 2003. Although things turned sour for the winger once Alan Pardew was replaced as manager by Coppell, he said he has the utmost respect for the man who will take over as first-team boss at the end of this season. "I think Steve Coppell is a brilliant appointment," enthused Murray, who returned to Ashton Gate eight months after leaving.
Bristol Evening Post