Bristol City's season has derailed after such a promising start.

Any hopes of reaching the play-offs were heavily dented last weekend when Middlesbrough fought from behind to win 2-1 against Bristol City.

The Robins now find themselves down in 11th place having spent most of the season in the play-offs and it is unlikely that they will finish in the top six now as they are four points and five places outside of the play-off zone.

This means that Bristol City are now playing for pride and many of their players are playing for their futures after a disappointing second half of the season.

This is now the time of the year where players are playing for a contract or trying to attract attention from other clubs with little to play for in terms of promotion hopes.

Here are four players who are fighting for their future at Bristol City in the closing stages of this season.

Niclas Eliasson joined from IFK Norrkoping in the summer but he has failed to make much of an impact this season.

The 23-year-old has scored one goal and has no assists to his name after 22 games in the Championship for the Robins, suggesting that this is not really his level.

With little to play for, Lee Johnson might give Eliasson a run out to see if he can impress in the last few games of the Championship season and if not, then he might be sold or loaned out.

Eliasson's fellow countryman Gustav Engvall has always impressed in Sweden but has failed to transfer that form to England.

The 21-year-old striker has failed to score in any of his nine appearances for Bristol City, although most of them have come from the bench.

Currently out on loan at IFK Goteborg, Engvall needs to impress and score lots of goals or risk losing his chance of making it at Bristol City.

Jens Hegeler has played just seven times for Bristol City this season amid injury problems and being out of favour.

The 30-year-old has been moved around by Johnson, sometimes playing in midfield and sometimes in defence, which has not helped either.

But perhaps the German should move abroad again as his future at Bristol City looks uncertain.

Veteran Gary O'Neil has hardly had a look-in this season and he is unlikely to stay beyond the end of the season.

The 34-year-old has plenty of experience at the top level of English football and he would be a handy acquisition for a League One club.

But unfortunately he is not quite Championship standard anymore, although Johnson may let him play the last game or two to put him in the shop window ahead of a free move this summer.