Wolves goalkeeper Daniel Bentley has admitted it was "difficult" for him to leave Bristol City as he and his teammates prepare to face the Robins at Ashton Gate this weekend.

Bentley joined the Reds in the summer of 2019, making the move to the West Country from Brentford as Lee Johnson looked to put the finishing touches on his squad as he looked to guide City to promotion. In the end, the goalkeeper outstayed Johnson with the head coach sacked later that season when a place in the play-off positions became unattainable.

Under the management of Dean Holden and later Nigel Pearson, Bentley remained an ever-present for the most part. The stopper played a huge role in keeping the Robins in the Championship in the former Leicester City boss' first season in charge and was ultimately named club captain by Pearson, a responsibility the now 31-year-old still appreciates.

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"I was made captain of the football club which was a monumental honour for me.," Bentley told BBC Radio Bristol's Sound of the City. "It was the first time I'd been made a full-time captain as well so that was a real poignant moment for me and a role that I tried to be as good for the club in as possible.

"I took the role really seriously. It didn't change me as a person at all, but I felt a sense of responsibility while wearing the armband. It wasn't just a decorative thing for me to wear the armband, it was a real sense of responsibility and I felt like I had to live up to being the captain firstly for the players and squad. I was the conduit between the squad and the exterior of the squad and I felt like I was the protector and the voice if you would like.

"I also felt like having looked at previous captains of the club before me, there were some unbelievable captains. Korey Smith and people like that who the fans remember incredibly fondly. I didn't score against Manchester United but it was something I felt I had to live up to the fans' expectations of what they felt they deserved as a captain and that was really important to me."

Having finished the 2021/22 season 17th in the Championship table, the Reds headed into the 2022/23 campaign with a greater sense of optimism after Pearson had put pen to paper on a long-term deal. Bentley continued as captain and started the first 14 games of City's Championship season.

However, following a 3-0 defeat away to Birmingham City at St Andrew's the Robins goalkeeper was dropped to the bench and replaced by Max O'Leary between the posts. Bentley didn't ever make another appearance for the Reds before making the move to the Premier League with Wolves just three months later when the January transfer window opened.

While the 31-year-old admits it was hard for him to move away from the South West, he feels as though both he and his family have found a new home at Molineux, even if he isn't quite playing as much football as he would like.

"I always saw Bristol as a home from home," explained the 31-year-old. "I'm Essex born and bred, but I saw Bristol as a home and a base. It was somewhere that I really enjoyed being, both my children were born in St Michael's Hospital so I've got some real affinity with the city. That's not even including the football club, so for me to leave there was difficult.

"Even though it was a Premier League move, it was certainly difficult. But then to come to Wolverhampton, we found a lovely house that was really homely, the kids are really happy in school and my Mrs is really happy as well. Thankfully, I've got that supportive network of a family who live with me every single day and have dedicated their lives towards me if you like, not that the children have got much choice.

"Certainly, my wife has said you've got a short career and we're going to follow you everywhere you go and we'll make it work no matter what. I'm really fortunate in that respect that I've got that support network, we've settled in here and I've signed that new contract that is a three-year deal with an option on top of that as well."

Since making the move to the Black Country at the start of 2023, Bentley has primarily been a backup. The Englishman sits behind Jose Sa and Sam Johnstone in the current pecking order.

Still, the former Southend United stopper has managed to make seven Premier League appearances, the first of which, against Manchester United, he regards as one of the most nerve-wracking games of his career.

"My Premier League debut was away at Old Trafford which is a baptism of fire if you'd like," recounted Bentley. "I'm an experienced lad and I'm level-headed so it didn't phase me too much, but it's probably the most nervous I've been before a game.

"I had to kind of say to myself out loud, 'Take this in'. Although we lost the game 2-0 which was disappointing, not that there was any expectation on us, I had a good game myself on a personal level. I had quite a lot to do, which is always nice and settles you into the game pretty early.

"Obviously, I've not played as many games as I did in the Championship and as I would have liked, but making my Premier League debut, making appearances here and there and being in Premier League squads every week is obviously something I'm really proud of doing and something I've aimed for, for a long time.

"Of course, I would have loved that journey to have continued with Bristol City and for us to have been promoted and reached the Premier League. Unfortunately, the timing wasn't quite there, the club went in a slightly different dimension and that led to me moving on to pastures new and I got my opportunity in the Premier League. We respectively kind of shook hands and moved on and that's the nature of the beast, unfortunately."

Almost two years on from his Bristol City exit, Bentley and the rest of his Wolves teammates will make the trip to Ashton Gate this Saturday to face Liam Manning's side in the third round of the FA Cup.

Though there has been a large turnover of players since the 31-year-old's departure, he has remained in contact with several of his former teammates over the years. Ahead of the weekend's game, he is looking forward to returning to the West Country, even if he isn't sure what reception to expect from fans.

"We played Bristol City in pre-season so I obviously managed to catch quite a lot of the lads then which was really nice. I got married in the summer and [Cam] Pringy was at the wedding as well. He's obviously someone who I still speak to regularly, I only spoke to him a few days ago and obviously, he unfortunately got injured in the Plymouth game. We've still made sure that we'll make time to say hello and swap shirts and stuff.

"There's still countless lads there, [Sam] Belly, [Kal] Naisy, Joe Williams, [Nahki] Wells, Max [O'Leary] obviously, Stef [Bajic] and Zak [Vyner]. There are still countless lads there that I've always got on well with that I'll be looking forward to catching up with. The staff as well, Scotty Murray and Pat Mountain, Matt Parsons who are real stalwarts to that club, help it tick over and are really good people as well.

"Even the fans. Matt Docherty said to me the other day, 'Are you going to get booed when you go back to Bristol City?' I was like, 'I'm not entirely sure, I don't think so.' Maybe a little bit tongue in cheek but whatever they decide to do is fine. It doesn't change my affection towards them."

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