Experienced Bristol City striker Marley Watkins hasn't had the best of times while at Ashton Gate since signing from Norwich City in the summer of 2018 for £1 million.

The former Barnsley front-man has only appeared 19 times in a Robins shirt, scoring two goals last season, as he continues to warm the bench and more often than not, struggle to make the bench under Lee Johnson.

For Watkins, his spell in the south of Bristol has all gone wrong and he will be feeling frustrated as he watches his team-mates most weeks while he has to settle with being fourth or fifth choice striker.

The 29-year-old can be a physical presence up front and he isn't afraid of throwing his weight around by getting into physical battles with the opposing defenders.

However, Watkins doesn't appear to fit into the style of play that Johnson prefers to play, with the striker being more like a target man and in the same mould of Famara Diedhiou rather than a nippy striker like new signing Rodri or Andreas Weimann whose job it is to pressure defenders into making rushed decisions.

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But for the forgotten Bristol City striker, he will be weighing up his options with January just around the corner on whether he chooses to jump ship early or see out the season with the Robins and then move on next summer when the time would be more right.

The striker definitely has a part to play this season as the likely back-up to Diedhiou and with the Senegal international suspended, Watkins was handed his chance in the 2-2 draw against Barnsley last Friday night.

Watkins can provide another option for Bristol City when they need him, his physicality and tough approach to the game being something that might throw opposing defenders off when they come up against him.

As seen against Barnsley, the experienced forward can be a nuisance and a handful for the opposition, his height from set pieces causing some a worry.

Watkins isn't somebody that seems the type to back down from a challenge easily, and he will see this as an opportunity more than a challenge to stake a claim for the Robins shirt.

Being on the fringes of the Bristol City first-team, he will be more determined than ever to fight for his spot in the City side rather than depart the club in January without kicking up much of a fuss.

Johnson's side are currently on for a good season if the first third of the campaign are anything to go by, and fighting for a spot in a team that are desperate for promotion to the Premier League will be something that Watkins won't want to miss out on.