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James Crawley writes

Posted Saturday, August 18th 2018 @CrawleyJames92

Well Red meets: Marlon Pack

Saturday, August 18th 2018

Fresh from signing a new contract, Marlon Pack sits down with the latest edition of Well Red to reflect on City's start to 2018/19, the return of his friend and family member Aden Flint and what the club can achieve this season.

We’ve seen some great football with two points from your first two games - it hasn’t been a bad start has it?

Absolutely. When you look at how we have started, we have put in dominant displays and have been unlucky not to win. The signs are good, we are playing good football and we need to start turning our chances into goals to make things a bit easier for ourselves.

And you’ve captained the side in those opening games with Bailey Wright missing through injury.

I’m enjoying that role and responsibility. It’s a big part of your career if you can captain a side so it’s great personally. I’ve taken the captaincy in my stride since Bailey picked up his injury. I think I am someone who, with or without the armband, is someone who the lads can look to for guidance or leadership. I am a senior member of this team now and I have to step into the role and take it on board.

Marlon Pack signed a new contract extension with the club back in July

Football being football, you sometimes have to say goodbye to fellow players and good friends, none other than Aden Flint this summer.

Unfortunately that’s the sport. We have been lucky enough to retain our core group for such a long time and that’s quite unheard of elsewhere.

But it’s the nature of the beast! Of course I will miss a few friends but I am happy for them to have got their respective moves. Bobby (Reid) and Joe (Bryan) have gone to the Premier League and that’s the pinnacle of any player’s career. Aden has gone on to another club in the Championship where hopefully he can go on to the next level someday as well so I am pleased for them, from a friend’s point of view.

I’ll see Aden on Saturday but it is business and we want to get the win. Over 90 minutes they’re not your friends, they’re the enemy but after the game we’ll be friends again…only if we win!

Is it strange to go up against someone who has been a good friend for a number of years?

Yes, especially Flinty who not only signed in the same season so we have been on the same journey together, but we are family too. This will be the first time I have played against him in five years but I am looking forward to it. We know his threats but we need to stand up to those tests and the threats he poses.

What is achievable for Bristol City this season?

Anything is achievable. We saw Leicester City win the league a few years ago but first and foremost we need to pick up consistent results and we showed that in the first half of last year.

We need to be consistently winning games and finding a way to get results when you’re not at your best. I’m one of the senior lads now so I have tried to learn from things before. You try to learn and make that step to get to where we’re trying to be. It’s early days, it’s a long season but it’s one we’re looking forward to.

There will be plenty of ups and downs but that’s football - I’m glad it’s back and I’m glad to be back amongst it, in the thick of it week in, week out.

Bristol City return to the Sky Bet Championship at home to Middlesbrough today (August 18th, 3pm).

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