Brooker's Bristol City quest
STEVE Brooker is adopting a single-minded approach in his
quest for regular first team football at Bristol City.
-
Steve Brooker
Not content to sit on the substitutes' bench, the
27-year-old striker is hell-bent on forcing his way into
manager Gary Johnson's starting XI.
And having scored twice in as many games already this
season, Brooker is making a compelling case for inclusion in
Saturday's Sky-televised Championship showdown with Derby
County at Ashton Gate (5.20pm).
Linked with a possible move to Cheltenham Town earlier this
summer, Brooker was expected to play second fiddle to City's
other strikers after failing to break into the squad towards
the end of last term. But the former Port Vale man, who spent
two months on loan at Cheltenham earlier this year, says he is
only interested in playing for City.
He declared: "Last year was last year. The idea of going to
Cheltenham was to get fit to come back and play for Bristol
City.
"Of course, I'm going to be linked with them, but it was
just a stage of my career where I needed to go somewhere to get
fit, and I was grateful to Cheltenham for giving me the
opportunity.
"But it was all about coming back to Bristol and getting my
place back in the team. I want to be playing first-team
football in the Championship."
Fully recovered from the chronic knee problem which kept him
on the sidelines for much of the past two seasons, Brooker is
determined to push himself up the pecking order.
Preferred to Lee Trundle at Blackpool last weekend, Brooker
came off the bench to volley a dramatic last-gasp winner.
Promoted to the starting line-up for Tuesday's Carling Cup
first-round tie with Peterborough United, the striker scored
another late goal, this time with his head, to deliver a 2-1
success at Ashton Gate.
He has now set his sights on challenging record signing
Nicky Maynard and experienced target man Dele Adebola for a
starting berth.
"I feel I've done well enough to be in the first-team
squad," claimed Brooker.
"It's all about individuals. You look at yourself rather
than everyone else and, when you get the nod, you try and take
your chance.
"Obviously I don't pick the team and I've had to bide my
time, but I'd like to think I've done well enough to be
considered."
He added: "My injury problems are behind me and I just want
to draw a line under that. I've come through a full pre-season
and, apart from a three-week hamstring problem, have been fit
for eight months. That's as good as anyone else in the
squad."
5 Comments
by Steve, Hanham
Thursday, August 14 2008, 5:06PM
“Captain Gas, you make me laugh louder & longer!! Your start - 2 games 2 defeats, City start - 2 wins out of 2 !!The only division you will be going to will be the basement division. Keep on taking the delusion tablets- great for those who think they are going to get a new stadium & promotion to the Championship.
Hahahahahahahahaha!”
by Esmond Million's Dropped One, France
Thursday, August 14 2008, 5:01PM
“What's so funny Captain Gas, No new stadium, No reserve's, No 2nd round of the league cup or NO points.
Perhap's it's your comedy goalkeeper.”
by Captain gas, North of the River
Thursday, August 14 2008, 4:15PM
“Steve, Hanham....hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha....you makes I laugh.”
by MendipMan, Wurzel Country
Thursday, August 14 2008, 12:14PM
“Steve Brooker certainly looked grimly determined when he scored the last minute winner at Blackpool. No smile on his face and a very muted celebration.”
by Steve, Hanham
Thursday, August 14 2008, 8:32AM
“Who knows - A fully fit Steve Brooker with Nicky Maynard could be the combination to push us to the Premiership!”