Sub
Well-Known Member
BRISTOL City are keen on bringing Richard Keogh back to Ashton Gate – four years after he walked out on the club to join Carlisle United.
Signed by former boss Brian Tinnion in 2005, the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international defender turned down the offer of a new contract with the Robins and left to join the Cumbrians after three seasons in the West.
But he could return to Bristol for a second spell if City push ahead with plans to lure Keogh away from relegated Coventry.
Robins boss Derek McInnes is on the lookout for a right-sided centre-back and has made overtures to the Sky Blues, who were demoted to League One at the end of last season.
Coventry's player of the year for the past two seasons, Keogh is under contract for another 12 months at the Ricoh Arena and Sky Blues manager Andy Thorn values the 25-year-old at close to £1 million.
Although City are not prepared to meet Coventry's valuation, they have already held informal talks with the Midlands club and are now considering whether to firm up their interest by lodging a formal bid, probably in the region of £500,000.
After moving to Coventry from Carlisle as a free agent in July 2010, Keogh quickly established himself as one of the most reliable centre-backs in the Championship.
An ever-present during the 2010-11 campaign, he made 91 consecutive appearances for the Sky Blues, a remarkable sequence that only came to an end after he was sent off in a game against Doncaster Rovers last month.
Although Coventry boss Thorn does not want to lose his inspirational captain, the Sky Blues are saddled with crippling debts and are under pressure to cut the wage bill now that they are back in League One.
As for Keogh, a return to Ashton Gate may be an attractive proposition given that it would enable him to retain his Championship status at a club that appears to be going places under McInnes.
City's manager already has left-sided centre-backs in the form of Liam Fontaine and Lewin Nyatanga, but wants Keogh to provide competition for young starlet James Wilson, pictured, and seasoned campaigner Louis Carey, who is expected to sign a new one-year deal any day now.
A young player of considerable promise when he first joined the Robins in 2005, Keogh was named the club's young player of the year in the 2006-07 season. Equally at home at right-back or centre half, he made 40 appearances for the Robins.
With more than 200 senior appearances behind him, almost half of them in the Championship, Keogh is now the finished article and City could face competition from rival clubs.
But he is familiar with the set-up at Ashton Gate, knows his way around Bristol and is on friendly terms with a number of City's longer-serving players.
Keogh left City under a cloud after refusing to sign a new contract and being frozen out by then-manager Gary Johnson. He spent loan spells with Cheltenham Town, Huddersfield and Carlisle before joining the Cumbrians on a permanent basis as a free agent in July 2008.
He became somewhat of a cult hero at Brunton Park, with one group of supporters carrying a giant 'In Keogh We Trust' banner across the country in support of Carlisle. In his final season at Carlisle, Keogh won the 2009-10 player of the year award.
Having made 73 starts for the Cumbrians, he left the club in 2010 after turning down the offer of a new contract and signed for Coventry, who paid an undisclosed amount in compensation to Carlisle.
Keogh played every minute of every game in his first season at the Ricoh Arena and was voted players' player of the year at the end of the campaign.
Football League highlights will continue to be shown on terrestrial television after a new three-year deal was agreed with the BBC. The deal means The Football League Show will continue to be broadcast until 2015.
Signed by former boss Brian Tinnion in 2005, the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international defender turned down the offer of a new contract with the Robins and left to join the Cumbrians after three seasons in the West.
-
But he could return to Bristol for a second spell if City push ahead with plans to lure Keogh away from relegated Coventry.
Robins boss Derek McInnes is on the lookout for a right-sided centre-back and has made overtures to the Sky Blues, who were demoted to League One at the end of last season.
Coventry's player of the year for the past two seasons, Keogh is under contract for another 12 months at the Ricoh Arena and Sky Blues manager Andy Thorn values the 25-year-old at close to £1 million.
Although City are not prepared to meet Coventry's valuation, they have already held informal talks with the Midlands club and are now considering whether to firm up their interest by lodging a formal bid, probably in the region of £500,000.
After moving to Coventry from Carlisle as a free agent in July 2010, Keogh quickly established himself as one of the most reliable centre-backs in the Championship.
An ever-present during the 2010-11 campaign, he made 91 consecutive appearances for the Sky Blues, a remarkable sequence that only came to an end after he was sent off in a game against Doncaster Rovers last month.
Although Coventry boss Thorn does not want to lose his inspirational captain, the Sky Blues are saddled with crippling debts and are under pressure to cut the wage bill now that they are back in League One.
As for Keogh, a return to Ashton Gate may be an attractive proposition given that it would enable him to retain his Championship status at a club that appears to be going places under McInnes.
City's manager already has left-sided centre-backs in the form of Liam Fontaine and Lewin Nyatanga, but wants Keogh to provide competition for young starlet James Wilson, pictured, and seasoned campaigner Louis Carey, who is expected to sign a new one-year deal any day now.
A young player of considerable promise when he first joined the Robins in 2005, Keogh was named the club's young player of the year in the 2006-07 season. Equally at home at right-back or centre half, he made 40 appearances for the Robins.
With more than 200 senior appearances behind him, almost half of them in the Championship, Keogh is now the finished article and City could face competition from rival clubs.
But he is familiar with the set-up at Ashton Gate, knows his way around Bristol and is on friendly terms with a number of City's longer-serving players.
Keogh left City under a cloud after refusing to sign a new contract and being frozen out by then-manager Gary Johnson. He spent loan spells with Cheltenham Town, Huddersfield and Carlisle before joining the Cumbrians on a permanent basis as a free agent in July 2008.
He became somewhat of a cult hero at Brunton Park, with one group of supporters carrying a giant 'In Keogh We Trust' banner across the country in support of Carlisle. In his final season at Carlisle, Keogh won the 2009-10 player of the year award.
Having made 73 starts for the Cumbrians, he left the club in 2010 after turning down the offer of a new contract and signed for Coventry, who paid an undisclosed amount in compensation to Carlisle.
Keogh played every minute of every game in his first season at the Ricoh Arena and was voted players' player of the year at the end of the campaign.
Football League highlights will continue to be shown on terrestrial television after a new three-year deal was agreed with the BBC. The deal means The Football League Show will continue to be broadcast until 2015.
