George Tanner may only be 25, but he is already one of the longest-serving players in the Bristol City team.

Only Max O'Leary, Zak Vyner, Cam Pring, Joe Williams, Sam Bell and Nahki Wells had made their debut for the Robins when the right-back made the move to Ashton Gate from Carlisle United in the summer of 2021.

When he made the step to the Championship and joined Nigel Pearson's ranks, Tanner was only 21 and one of the youngest members of the squad. Now, he is one of the more experienced players in Liam Manning's team and the defender believes his time with the Reds has aided his development, both on and off the field.

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"To be fair I think I've improved massively over the years," Tanner explained." I think it's just experience, games, being managed by good managers and playing with good players. If you spend time here, you're going to improve as a player. I'm happy with my progress and hopefully, I can keep improving on my performance every week.

"I think I've developed off the pitch as well. It just comes with experience, playing lots of games, and getting used to the environment and the level. I certainly think I've grown as a person as well."

Having started all of City's first 13 league games of the campaign, Tanner was forced off just 23 minutes into the Reds' win over Preston North End at Deepdale. While goals from Yu Hirakawa, Wells and Max Bird secured all three points for Manning's side, they came away from Lancashire two players lighter as both Tanner and Joe Williams picked up injuries that would see them stuck on the treatment table.

Fortunately, the defender's issue wasn't as bad as some had initially feared, however, he was still sidelined for over a month. The Robins managed to cope in his absence with Vyner filling in as a makeshift right-back, but it was a difficult period for the 25-year-old who has had a few injury issues in his City career so far.

"You don't feel like yourself when you're injured," Tanner said. "You just want to be playing and helping the team. For me, there's not a lot you can do really.

"Obviously, we watch the games and we're in all the meetings so we're up to date with how the team is doing, but on a personal level, it's just more about being in the gym, doing everything right to make sure you're fit and ready to come back. A big thing for me, when I was fit, was being prepared to come back, because obviously the Christmas period was so busy, was coming back and being able to play in those matches and not be at risk of injury again."

Having missed eight games, Tanner returned to the Bristol City matchday squad for the first time against West Brom at The Hawthorns just before Christmas. The 25-year-old didn't manage to get off of the bench however as the Reds headed into the festive period with a frustrating 2-0 defeat to the Baggies.

But as the Robins bounced back with a win over Luton Town on Boxing Day, the former Carlisle man got off of the bench to play the final 26 minutes against the Hatters. Since then, he has started against Plymouth Argyle and Wolves while also featuring as a substitute against Portsmouth and Derby County.

The ex-Manchester United trainee feels ready to start games week in and week out now having played the full 90 minutes against Vitor Pereira's side, but the competition for places on the right flank is rife. Tanner, Ross McCrorie, Mark Sykes and even George Earthy and Hirakawa are all vying for a starting role and the right-back believes that battle brings the best out of the squad.

"I think now I'm in a really good place," Tanner replied when asked if he could now start games regularly. "We've sort of managed my load a little bit over the last few weeks, starting some games and coming on as a substitute in others. I'm happy with my fitness and I feel ready to play all the games coming up.

"Competition is always good for the team, I think it's healthy for the squad. We're all fighting for a couple of positions and it's only going to help the team and when you do play, you've just got to play well and hope that you stay in the team for the next game."

Since Tanner's injury, Manning and the Reds have moved to a three-at-the-back system which has employed wing-backs rather than conventional full-backs. With limited options at the heart of the backline, the 25-year-old has proven to be as much of an option at centre-back as he has done at wing-back.

Though some fans have been quick to suggest he is a more natural central defender than he is a marauding and rampaging right-sided attacker, the former Carlisle man feels that he is capable of having in an impact on proceedings in either role.

"I know I can be quite versatile," he insisted. "Whether it's playing wing-back, full-back or right-sided centre-half, I can fill in whenever. I wouldn't say I have a preference. Anywhere on the right-hand side of the pitch, I'm quite happy.

"Against Wolves on Saturday, playing as the right-sided centre-half, I think I covered loads of distance. It was one of the highest of the season actually so you still do a lot of distance playing as a right-sided centre-half. If I'm playing wing-back, I'm much higher up the pitch, I've got much more of an opportunity to create and score goals."

Heading into Saturday afternoon's clash with Coventry City at the CBS Arena, the Reds sit ninth in the Championship, just four points adrift of sixth-placed West Brom and the play-off places. It would take a massive win over Frank Lampard's side to propel the Robins into the top six, but all three points against the Sky Blues would likely help close the gap.

Manning's team haven't tasted defeat in any of their last four league matches and will head to Coventry as slight favourites. While Tanner is confident this current team has enough quality to compete for promotion to the Premier League, he expects Lampard and his players to pose a tough challenge.

"It's a new team. We've not played against them under Frank Lampard so it's going to be different," admitted the 25-year-old. "I know they play a similar shape to what they did previously and obviously, they've got some good individual players.

"It's just about sticking to what we know and continuing to build on the performances of the last few weeks. Hopefully, we can go there and put in another good performance and result.

"I think the squad is in a good place. I certainly think we've got the players to give it a good go in the second half of the season. Consistency is obviously the big thing, keeping the level high every single game and really pushing each other, but I think we can do it."

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