LOUIS Carey admits he and his Bristol City team-mates will

have to contend with heightened expectation next season.

City enjoyed an outstanding first campaign back in the

Championship, finishing fourth and reaching the play-off final

at Wembley in May.

Although they lost to Hull and missed out on promotion to

the Premier League, Gary Johnson's team has set its standards

and supporters will expect City to challenge once again when

the new season kicks off next month.

Carey acknowledged: “It will be harder this time around.

After what we achieved last season, everyone knows what we are

about.

“A lot of people were saying we exceeded expectations, but

we always believed we could challenge. The difference now is

that our supporters will expect us to do it again.

“I'm sure there will be a few moans if we don't start the

season well and that's something we'll just have to deal with

if it happens.”

Despite last season's startling success, Carey insists he

and his team-mates are taking nothing for granted.

He warned: “We cannot afford to look back to last season,

think we've made it and rest on our laurels. If we do that,

we'll be found out very quickly in this league.

“Personally, I think the Championship will be a lot tougher

next season. The clubs that have come down from the Premiership

and up from League One are all big clubs and will make sure of

that. We have to make sure we're ready for the challenge and

that we stay strong as a group, just as we did last

season.”

Given that a majority of clubs are still to strengthen their

squads in the transfer market, Carey believes it is too early

to be making predictions.

He said: “There's still a lot of comings and goings to be

sorted out and we'll have to see where the main competition

comes from.

“I know we're trying to sign players and we'll have to trust

the gaffer (Johnson). He's signed players in the past and

they've proved the right ones and we'll have to wait and

see.

“Once he has his squad together, we'll have a better idea of

where we'll be.”

Carey is set to lead City into action when they take on

Portuguese Second Division side Sporting Olhanense in a

friendly fixture at the Etsadio Jose Arjanco tonight

(5.30pm).

Manager Johnson and his first-team squad flew out to

Portugal yesterday and will spend the next six days at a

training camp on the Algarve.

They are scheduled to play Blue Square Premier side Rushden

and Diamonds on Friday.