Bristol City signing Brett Pitman wants to follow in Nicky Maynard's footsteps and become the Championship's next big thing. Recruited from Crewe Alexandra for a club-record fee of £2.25 million two years ago, Cheshire-born hit-man Maynard took a while to establish himself before taking the English second tier by storm last season, when he netted 20 league goals to finish joint top scorer with Cardiff City ace Peter Whittingham. There are similarities between the pair, Pitman having also learned his trade in the lower leagues with Bournemouth before making the step-up to the Championship. Like Maynard it was Pitman's prolific scoring record that eventually persuaded a bigger club to invest hard cash in his potential. City have cut a deal which could eventually see them pay up to £800,000 for the 22-year-old Jersey-born striker.
Bristol Evening Post

Kalifa Cisse has given Bristol City some much-needed good news by declaring himself fit to return to Championship action. Sidelined since he suffered a recurrence of a thigh strain at Yeovil on July 28, the 26-year-old Mali international made his comeback in a behind-closed-practice match against Aldershot Town at Failand yesterday. And after completing 60 minutes of City's 4-1 win, the midfielder said he is ready to face Roy Keane's Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday if called upon. Cole Skuse remains extremely doubtful for the trip to East Anglia after he sustained a knee injury during last weekend's 3-3 draw against Barnsley at Ashton Gate.
Bristol Evening Post

Bristol City manager Keith Millen has finished his summer shopping spree after declaring himself happy with the squad he has assembled. Millen this week brought in strikers Jon Stead and Brett Pitman and then declared himself satisfied with his squad.
Teamtalk

Eddie Mitchell is hoping Cherries can ward off further interest in Eddie Howe's squad after it emerged the club had rejected an 11th-hour bid for Brett Pitman from Portsmouth. The Championship strugglers, who are managed by former Cherries star Steve Cotterill, tried to hijack Pitman's move to Bristol City earlier this week. But the striker, who turned down the chance to join Premier League new boys Blackpool, was eventually sold to the West Country outfit for a fee which has yet to be disclosed.
Bournemouth Echo