Former Bristol City striker Leroy Lita has claimed that it is brilliant for the Robins that Brian Tinnion is still at the club, speaking in an exclusive interview with Football League World. 

Tinnion was recently appointed to a new role as the club's Player Pathway Manager but he has been involved in the development of City's young players for nearly a decade.

Legend is an overused word in football but it is entirely appropriate when discussing the 53-year-old, who featured more than 500 times for the Robins as a player, became manager in 2004, and then returned to the club in 2013 to work with the academy players.

It was during the latter part of Tinnion's playing career that Lita crossed paths with him but it was under his stewardship as manager that the striker had arguably the best season of his career in front of goal – scoring 25 times in the 2004/05 campaign.

The man the Ashton Gate faithful lovingly refer to as 'Tin Man', clearly had a huge impact on Lita during his career and he remains someone that the former Robins forward has a huge amount of respect for.

"When I was in the first team I sat with him, Mickey Bell, Scott Murray, and Louis Carey," said the 36-year-old in an exclusive interview with Football League World.

"I had them around me all the time and Tinns would always give me advice and always tell me to keep working and my chance would come.

“I remember on my way back from the play-off defeat to Brighton, back on the coach he told me that if he ever became manager I’d play for him and he played me every game." 

Tinnion's new role will see him continue to influence the first-team and academy recruitment, the contracts and progression of young players, and oversee the club's loan policy.

Lita was quick to congratulate his former teammate and manager when he stepped into his new role as Player Pathway Manager earlier this year, taking to Twitter to reassure City fans he was the right man for that job.

He knows first hand the impact that Tinnion can have on the development of young players and he outlined how positive it is that he remains at the club.

"He’s a brilliant guy and he’s great around the lads," explained Lita. "I think it’s brilliant for City that they still have him around the club, especially for the youth lads.

"I know it didn’t work out for him as a manager but he’s a top, top guy and a top person.”

The Robins' academy talent have often taken centre stage this season and it was no different in their 3-1 win against Swansea City yesterday.

Zak Vyner, Antoine Semenyo, and Ryley Towler all featured for Nigel Pearson's side – with the former pair playing parts in two of their goals – while Sam Pearson, Sam Bell, Alex Scott, Tommy Conway, and Max O'Leary were all named on the bench.

The future looks bright for City and it is the Tin Man that is helping to give them their heart.