News / Bristol City
New mural pays tribute to former Bristol City captains
A new mural of two legendary Bristol City captains, Geoff Merrick and Louis Carey, has been unveiled near Ashton Gate.
Called ‘Captains Fantastic’, the tribute artwork has been created on the side of the Rising Sun pub on Ashton Road in Bedminster.
Artist Spike Clark said he wanted to capture the Bristol City legends in the style of the classic comic strip, Roy of the Rovers.
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Merrick, who grew up round the corner from Ashton Gate, is best known for leading Bristol City into the First Division as captain in 1976, in what is still regarded as City’s “Glory days”.
The centre back was one of the Ashton Gate Eight, who in 1982 tore up their contracts to save the club from financial ruin.
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Speaking at the unveiling, Geoff Merrick made an emotional tribute to Bedminster and the club.
“Bedminster as a whole has always been a fascinating place for me. When I was a kid I thought it was the best place in the world.
“Probably now after travelling a fair bit, it’s probably the second best place in the world. But it’s got wonderful people and a football club that is absolutely wonderful.
“It’s had its bad times. I’ve been there when it had its bad times, and I’ve been there when it had probably its best time, when we were promoted to the first division alongside all the other lads who are still here in Bristol.
“It was probably one of the best moments of my life.”
Louis Carey, former Bristol City captain said he was “honoured” to be represented next to the football club captain and a football club “that we all love”.
A Bristol City supporter since he was a kid, Carey quickly came up through the ranks at Bristol City, making his debut in October 1995, and was a regular in the first team for nine seasons.
He was part of the team which won promotion to the Championships in 1997/1998, and was part of the side that won the 2003 Football League Trophy Final.
Carey became the club’s record holder when he made his 646th appearance for Bristol City, before leaving the club at the end of the 2013-14 season.
“I’m hugely honoured to be stood next to Sit Geoff on a wall now, and hugely honoured to be on a wall in a city that we all love,” he said.
Geoff Merrick and Louis Carey join a mural a stone’s throw away of Bristol City legend Chris Garland on the side of Coopers Arms pub on Ashton Road, unveiled last October.
Main photo: Sydney Vallance
Read next:
- Tributes paid to former Bristol City striker Chris Garland
- The 40th anniversary of the Ashton Gate Eight
- Celebrating Bristol’s oldest junior football club
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