Claim: Jordan Spence plays football.

Bristol City Football Club is a professional association football club based in Bristol , England . Their ground is Ashton Gate , located in the southwest of the city . They currently play in the Championship , the second tier of English football , after winning League One during the 2014 -- 15 season . In sealing the League One title , Bristol City became only the second team to win both the third-tier championship and Football League Trophy double during the same season .   Bristol City won the Welsh Cup -- despite being an English club -- in 1934 . In 1907 they finished runners-up in Football League Division One , which is their highest ever final position . In 1909 they lost the FA Cup final to Manchester United , their only final . Since relegation in 1911 , however , they only returned to the top division from 1976 to 1980 and did not contend for any honours then . In 1982 , Bristol City became the first English club to suffer three consecutive relegations . They were promoted to the Football League Championship in the 2006 -- 07 season after finishing second in League One but failed to make a second consecutive promotion to the Premier League after they were defeated by Hull City in the 2008 Football League Championship play-off Final at Wembley Stadium . With victories in 1986 , 2003 and 2015 , Bristol City are now the most successful team in the Football League Trophy .   The club 's nickname is `` The Robins '' , and a robin featured on the club 's badge from 1976 to 1994 . Official club merchandise , including replica kits , still has a label showing a robin . An attempt by the club to alter the badge was abandoned after it was criticised fiercely by fans . The team 's main rivals are Bristol Rovers in the Bristol derby and Cardiff City in the Severnside derby , along with other regional teams in the West Country derby .   Bristol City 's current manager is Lee Johnson ; a former Bristol City player who made 199 appearances for the club . Coincidentally , he is the son of former City manager Gary Johnson , who took City to the Championship play-off final in 2008 , where they eventually lost 0 -- 1 to Hull City .