Bristol City announce new Sporting Director structure

Both Tinnion and Head Coach Gerhard Struber will report into the incumbent. Boss, who joined the club on March 2nd, announced the new structure in his first open letter to fans today.

He said the first priority for the new Sporting Director would be to “review every aspect of our football operations”. The Robins are 14th in the Championship and drew at Middlesbrough on Saturday, ending a run of three straight defeats.

Boss wrote: “We earned a hard-fought point at Middlesbrough on Saturday but that doesn’t change the fact that our recent run of results has been disappointing and I know you are frustrated.

“The Lansdown family and the Board have asked me to get Bristol City ready to play football at the highest level. Everyone here has a job to do and that is to get us into the Premier League.

“That means creating the conditions for the first team to succeed by attracting and retaining the best players, ensuring homegrown talent comes through our Academy, and inspiring fans across Bristol and the West Country.

“To help me lead those preparations on a day to day basis, we have started the search for a Sporting Director to oversee coaching, recruitment, performance, medical and the Academy.

“This change in structure is an important first step towards engraining Premier League standards throughout the club. Brian Tinnion and Gerhard Struber will report into the new Sporting Director, whose first priority will be to review every aspect of our football operations.”

Boss’s last job was as interim Group CEO of The Jockey Club and he has also been Chief Commercial Officer at Southampton, as well as running Disney’s sport businesses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Tinnion is a Bristol City legend who has spent more than 30 years with the club as a player, manager and senior executive. He was appointed Technical Director in November 2022, with a remit of overseeing recruitment and player pathways.