Cheltenham Town loanee Artus hoping for new Bristol City contract

Cheltenham Town loan star Frankie Artus is still hoping to earn a new contract at Bristol City.

The 20-year-old has been with his hometown club since the age of seven, but is yet to appear for the first team and boss Gary Johnson allowed him to leave the Championship side to link up with Cheltenham for the rest of this season.

The midfielder has scored in each of the first two appearances of his loan spell, including a stunning 30-yard strike in the 1-1 draw at Walsall on Saturday.

Artus said: "I want to persuade the gaffer at Bristol City that I am worth a new contract. All my family are City fans and I live near Ashton Gate, so it'd be nice to make my debut for them one day.

"City have some very good midfielders so it's hard to get a chance, but it looks good when I am putting performances in and scoring goals, so the manager at Bristol City can see that.

"But if I don't get a contract back at Bristol I am in the shop window to get a contract somewhere else."

Artus says he cannot believe Cheltenham are bottom of the table and heading for relegation to League Two.

He added: "I am surprised Cheltenham are bottom of the league because there are a lot of good players here, even young lads who have been coming in and doing really well.

"It's hard to understand, especially when you look at where the sides we have been playing are in the table, and we have been the better team.

"When you are playing with no pressure on your shoulders everyone seems to perform and in the last couple of games, the lads have been terrific. We have been unlucky not to have won games, but everyone is enjoying it."

Artus admitted his third-minute wonder strike against Walsall will take some beating.

"That's the best goal I have scored. It was a peach and I can't think of many better than that, even when I was a kid," he said.

"It was a free-kick and he (Michael Townsend) gave it to me short and there was nobody around me so my eyes lit up. I thought it was going over, but it started to dip massively and I am delighted with it. I couldn't believe it, especially in the first couple of minutes.

"I am very happy with myself and it's good to be able to get a bit of form going, especially when you bag a couple of goals, which always looks good."