We'll come back better next year, says Bristol City's Fontaine

Liam Fontaine believes Bristol City will eradicate the problems that conspired to end their play-off bid prematurely and come back stronger next season.

City's slim hopes of earning a top-six place were mathematically ended with defeat at Swansea on Saturday.

Manager Gary Johnson is already looking to next season and has promised supporters that he and chairman Steve Lansdown will look at things in a 'progressive' way over the summer.

And defender Fontaine reckons that any changes that do occur will help the team eliminate the problems of closing out home games and the missed chances in recent weeks that ultimately proved costly in Bristol City's ambitions.

He said: "If you look at our clean sheet record this year it is one of the best in the league.

"If we can start putting away our chances then it will be a totally different season. We just couldn't put our chances away, and that has been the story of our season.

"That is something we will have to work on for next season, I think."

Fontaine also admitted that City's home form needed to be improved after drawing over half of their games at Ashton Gate.

They have, however, lost only three of their games on their own patch – a record comparable to that of already-promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers and promotion-chasing Birmingham City and Cardiff.

When asked whether City were a side far away from securing a top six spot next season, Fontaine replied: "No. We have had a few games where we have conceded late goals and lost 1-0 leads and that's what killed us. We have had too many draws at home and we need to put that right next season. We had a great home record last season and if we could have done the same this year we would have been up there – it is as simple as that."

Fontaine capped an impressive individual display at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday by taking the captain's armband after Jamie McCombe was replaced at half-time.

"Milly (Keith Millen) passed the armband to me and it felt great to be leading out Bristol City," Fontaine said. "It is a great club and I love being here."

City play their final home game of the season against Sheffield Wednesday at Ashton Gate on Saturday before completing the campaign at Burnley eight days later and Fontaine added: "You motivate yourself by setting your sights on next season. We have to be looking to go out on a high by winning the final two games."

City, meanwhile, will play the final of the Gloucestershire Senior Cup at Ashton Gate on May 6. Their opponents will be Southern League Premier Division side Gloucester City.

● A City reserve side played out a goalless draw with a Swindon second-string at the County Ground yesterday.