Bristol City's head coach, Liam Manning, is taking a leave of absence following the tragic death of his newborn son, Theo. In Manning's absence, his assistant, Chris Hogg, will assume control of the Championship club. On Monday, the club issued a statement expressing their profound sorrow: “The entire Bristol City football club community is deeply grieved by the loss of Liam’s recently born son, Theo John Manning. We are confident that Bristol City’s supporters and the broader football community will join us in extending their condolences and deepest sympathies to Liam, his wife Fran, and their son Isaac during this incredibly challenging time. We respectfully request that Liam and his family’s privacy be honored during this period.”
Several clubs, including local rivals Bristol Rovers, responded to the social media announcement with messages of support. “Everyone at Bristol Rovers extends our love and most sincere condolences to Liam and the Manning family during this unbearably sad time.” The next event scheduled at Ashton Gate, Bristol City’s home stadium, is the England Under-21s match against Azerbaijan on Tuesday. The club, currently positioned 16th in the second tier, will resume their league campaign with a match against Middlesbrough on Saturday, followed by a visit to Stoke next Tuesday.
Manning, 39, was appointed as Bristol City’s manager in November last year on a four-year contract. Hogg, also 39, has worked alongside Manning at MK Dons, Oxford, and Bristol City. The two initially crossed paths while playing for Ipswich’s academy. Hogg’s father-in-law is the former Ipswich manager George Burley, who recently disclosed that he is undergoing cancer treatment.
