Home is where the Hearts are for Bristol City’s defensive recruit Andy Webster who could end 18 months of injury heartache with a start at Coventry today.
The 26-year-old centre-back, recruited as a temporary replacement for the injured Jamie McCombe, admitted he had other offers for his services, but his friendship with former Hearts colleagues Jamie McAllister and Lee Johnson clinched his decision to move to the South West.
Webster comes from Glasgow Rangers with a fine CV including 22 international caps for Scotland and four Premiership appearances for Wigan, three of which resulted in clean sheets and all four of which were victories.
More than 150 starts for Hearts brought him to the attention of the Premiership side and it was at Tyncastle where he met McAllister and Johnson.
He said: “Bristol did exceptionally well last season getting to the play-offs. They’re a big club and a very good football team and are obviously looking to improve on last season.
“I had a few offers but this appealed to me the most. I know a couple of the players I played with at Hearts which made the decision a bit easier. It helps you settle in a bit quicker when you know people.
“Both Jamie and Lee are really good friends and I was still in touch with them before any of this came about.”
The six foot centre-back barely featured for Rangers during two loan spells from Wigan due to a succession of injuries. The Scottish Premier club signed him permanently at the start of the summer and Webster is looking to get back into manager Walter Smith’s plans by excelling at Ashton Gate and helping the Robins go one better than last season.
He said: “I’ve struggled with injuries so this is a fresh opportunity and one I’m looking forward to. (The injuries) were just one thing after another. You start getting back fit and then something else happens and you feel you’re banging your head against a brick wall - but I’m fully fit now. I’ve done a whole pre-season and played a few friendlies.”
“The reason I’m here is on a short term loan and I’ve come to realise over the past two years that you don’t always get what you want in football so I’m just going to do the best I can for Bristol.”The Scotsman admitted English football is generally of a higher standard than North of the border and he is looking forward to the competitive nature of the Championship.
He said: “You’ve got 10, 12, 14 teams all looking to get automatic promotion or in the play-offs. Every game is a big one. Even if my match fitness is not quite there, the adrenalin will get me through.”
McCombe went under the surgeon’s knife on Thursday to repair his cheekbone. Scans showed the bone was fractured in three places in the draw against Derby last weekend and the 6ft 5in defender will be out of action for up to six weeks.
Marvin Elliott is expected to be out of action for another fortnight while he regains match fitness.
City face Coventry today at the Ricoh Arena (3pm).
City: (from) Basso, Weale, B Wilson, Orr, Fontaine, Webster, Carey, McAllister, Murray, Noble, McIndoe, Sproule, L Johnson, Skuse, Williams, Brooker, Adebola, Maynard, Trundle.
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