More than 10,000 flag-waving football Bristol City fans injected a taste of World Cup fever into Ashton Gate.

Bristol City's friendly against Dutch giants Ajax on Wednesday night gave the club's fans a chance to show their support for Bristol's bid to be a host city of the World Cup in 2018.

The presence of the four-times European champions, with a host of internationals in their squad and managed by former Tottenham boss Martin Jol, added a touch of glamour to the match billed as a World Cup bid event.

Before the match a sea of fans waving "Back Bristol 2018" flags headed into the grounds where a giant flag took pride of place in the centre circle.

City mascot the Rockin Robin also performed his pre-match dance waving the flags.

Stoney Garnett, 62, who lives in Whitchurch, has supported Bristol City for 57 years and said he was supporting the bid "150 per cent".

He said: "I'll be waving the flag for the bid. I'd be over the moon if we got it, in fact the excitement would probably kill me."

Ben Plumber, 24, a graphic designer from Radstock, said: The World Cup would be good for Bristol, for getting people and trade into the city."

Mark Carter, 39, a train driver from Cornwall, travelled more than 150 miles to see the friendly with his daughter, Sam.

He said: "We try to come to as many games as we can. We're here tonight to support the bid.

"Bristol City is known as the sleeping giant, the time has come to wake up. I think winning the World Cup is the way to do it. We'll be waving our flags during the game and hoping that Bristol is chosen. Tonight's match will show the level of players we could get if we were hosting international teams."

City chairman Steve Lansdown urged fans to get behind the bid.

He said: "It's great to have a club with such a distinguished record as Ajax – with four European Cups to their name – as our opponents.

"With all the attention surrounding Bristol's bid as a Candidate Host City for the FA's bid to bring the World Cup to England in 2018, it's appropriate to have a side of international repute playing here.

"I remember watching England win the World Cup in 1966. How great would it be to repeat that feat in 2018?

"On Monday, the FA made its first of two visits to Bristol and it will be interesting to discover their feedback to see what we need to do to make sure Bristol's bid to become a host city succeeds.

"Tonight offers Bristol City fans their first real chance to show their support for the bid and I'd urge everyone to get behind it with real gusto."

City manager Gary Johnson added: "I very much hope Bristol becomes a host city if England and the FA win the right to host the tournament.

"Although it seems a long way off, it will soon come around and for our city to play a major role in a World Cup would be absolutely fantastic and would certainly live on long in the memory."