Bristol City fan's view: City need more competition for places to mount a promotion challenge

City fan Matthew Withers: Bristol City can only have themselves to blame for their failure at Nottingham Forest and the end of their play-off chances.

They must ensure that they do not let the season peter out and should do all they can to win the remaining four games so that we can enter the summer break in good heart for the new season.

There is little doubt in my mind that we need to improve the quality in the side next season and make sure that we have competition all over the pitch.

It is quite likely that Chris Weale will move on for first-team football at the end of the season and so we need to know that Stephen Henderson is ready to fight for the No 1 jersey with Adriano Basso.

All players need to know that they have to perform to keep their first-team place. The lack of competition is a big reason why we have failed to get promotion this season. We have no real cover in either full-back position and this has to be addressed in the summer. We also need competition on the flanks and a quality central midfielder.

Up front I would expect to see Stern John return to Southampton and would be extremely surprised and disappointed if this was not the case.

It is important that City hold on to Dele Adebola and that John Akinde plays more. Akinde has shown some of the raw talent during his loan spell that Gary Johnson saw when signing him.

It will be a big summer for Lee Trundle and he must come back fitter and stronger than ever if he is to continue his stop-start City career.

I did call for youth to be given a chance but by all accounts Gary has said that the young players wont come in because they can't handle big-pressure games. Tell that to Sir Alex Ferguson and Federico Macheda.

So what should we do for the next four games? Well, I would play Henderson in goal and would also bring in James Wilson at centre-half, with Jamie McCombe making way. I would leave Akinde on loan at Wycombe, as a meaningful promotion battle will give him valuable experience.

I'm not sure if we can recall Frankie Artus from Cheltenham, but if we can then I would bring him back to the club and into the first-team squad.

I would also bring Tristan Plummer into the first-team squad.

For me seeing how Plummer fares will be more interesting that watching what Stern John can do.

The City Academy is cause for great debate. A lot of money is spent on the Academy and we haven't to date seen much of a return from it.

City can still have a say in the promotion battle with games against Swansea and Burnley, and they owe it to the fans to put in a spirited finish.