Aaron Wilbraham has signed a new short-term deal at Bristol City which has seen him commit his future at the club until 2018.
A loyal servant to the Robins
Wilbraham has had an impressive career so far and has remained a loyal servant to the Robins for the last couple of years after joining the club in 2014. He joined the club from Crystal Palace and has since gone on to be a vital figure both on and off the pitch due to his vast experience in the game.
So far during his time at Ashton Gate, he has made 107 appearances and scored 30 goals. However, there is a lot more to Wilbraham's game than just finding the back of the net. His hold up play is superb and this has helped a number of strikers at the club flourish in the past. The likes of Jonathan Kodjia, Lee Tomlin and Tammy Abraham have all appreciated Wilbraham's contribution when playing alongside him.
When Wilbraham decided to make the move to Bristol City, they became the ninth club of what has been a long career for the forward. He has also played for Stockport County, Moss FK, Hull City, Oldham Athletic, Milton Keynes Dons, Bradford City, Norwich City and Palace. This has seen him rack up a huge amount of appearances at a range of different levels.
Johnson 'really pleased' to get deal done
The 37-year-old's contribution both on and off the pitch is valued highly by everyone connected by the club, most notably his manager Lee Johnson. He told Bristol City's official site: “I’m really pleased that Alby will remain with us for this season at least."
He added: ”His personality and positive influence, both on and off the pitch, is greatly valued."
It was a disappointing season for the Robins last time out, as they battled against a drop back down to League One throughout. Tammy Abraham was a key factor in their survival as he scored 23 goals in his 41 appearances for the club. However, he will not be returning for a second loan spell as his parent club, Chelsea, have now loaned him out to Swansea City so he can gain some top flight experience.
This could mean that Wilbraham has an even bigger role to play next season if the Robins are to avoid another battle against relegation. One man who will be expected to fill the void left by Abraham is new signing Famara Diedhiou who the club smashed their transfer record to sign from Angers in a £5.3 million deal. It will be interesting to see whether Diedhiou is yet another striker who feels the benefit of a partnership alongside Wilbraham.