Ex-Bristol Rovers star makes surprise transfer to Bristol City hero’s team

Former Bristol City star Cole Skuse has persuaded former Bristol Rovers midfielder to join him at Bury Town.

Skuse hung up his boots this summer, and has turned to football management, managing Bury who play in the Isthmian League North Division which is eighth tier of English football. He has been busy assembling a team capable of improving from their 11th placed finish.

Skuse has signed seven players so far, and now a former Bristol Rovers midfielder will be playing under him. Ed Upson - who was a Gas player only two years ago. Upson - born in Bury St Edmunds has joined his hometown team after leaving Stowmarket Town.

Skuse said: “We were alerted to Ed’s availability following his decision to leave Stowmarket and we were keen to bring him to the club and we are delighted that he has agreed to join us. “He has an excellent playing career in professional football behind him and I know from what I have been told that he was a stand-out player in this division last season.

“We were not sure if a deal could be possible but everyone has worked hard to make it happen and we are excited to have another quality player with us for what is a fresh start.”

Upson spent three seasons as a player at the Memorial Stadium, and made 121 appearances for the club, getting five goals. He joined Newport County in the 2021/22 season following the Gas relegation, but mid-way through the campaign left for Stevenage, and then after his one-year deal expired, dropped to the Isthmian League with Stowmarket Town.

In other news, former Bristol City midfielder Kevin Betsy has been appointed the assistant manager of League One club Cambridge United. Betsy was manager of Crawley Town last season, but was relieved of his duties, and has been looking for an opportunity ever since.

“I am very excited,” Betsy said to Cambridge’s official club website.

“It is a fantastic opportunity to join Mark, Ben and the football Club. “They are really clear with their ideas on how they have been working, but also how they would like to improve in certain areas and how I fit into the current staff.

“It was a really easy decision for me to come to work with fantastic people, at a really good Club.”

Betsy made 19 appearances in total for City, and helped the club to promotion in 2007, but after playing just one game in the Championship, was loaned out to Yeovil Town and later Walsall. He left permanently for Southend United, and then had spells at Wycombe Wanderers and Woking, going on to represent Seychelles at international level.

As for prospective new players for Bristol City, rumoured transfer target Jason Knight was named man-of-the-match for the Republic of Ireland. He featured in the 3-0 friendly win over Gibraltar at the Aviva Stadium, playing 85 minutes, in the role of wing-back. Current City star Mark Sykes was an unused substitute, and had the same fate as Joe Low, who didn’t come off the bench, having watched ten-man Wales lose 2-0 to Turkey, following ex-Robins midfielder Joe Morrell’s red card.