Bristol City striker Tommy Conway has burst onto the scene this season, with 13 goal contributions so far in all competitions, earning himself a Scotland under-21s international call up.
Ask the majority of Bristol City fans if they thought such an impact would be made from a 20-year-old striker on their breakout season, and they probably would have said no chance.
However, Bristol City academy graduate Conway has managed to work his way into one of the first names on the team sheet now at his boyhood club.
Conway has six goals so far this season, the joint fourth highest in the league, and also picked up three goals in the Carabao Cup in City’s three fixtures, before being dumped out 1-3 at home to Lincoln City.
The impressive goal record has followed him throughout his career at youth levels and his brief spells out on loan.
He scored 20 goals in 14 under-23 appearances for Bristol City, as well as four goals in three for Bath City, and two goals in two for South Gloucestershire side Yate Town.
His impressive stats and performances has impressed the coaches at the Scottish FA, and in September this year he made his Scotland under-21s debut in a 1-3 win away at Northern Ireland.
“I think it opens a different aspect of learning the game as it’s tournament football rather than league football, so there’s different tactics and ways of playing, so I think for myself developing it’s really good.”
Conway was however born in Taunton, and has lived in England all his life, and has explained his link to Scotland.
“My dad’s dad is Scottish. He will be [really proud], unfortunately he’s not with us anymore, but yeah he would be proud. When I went away [with Scotland] it was a proud moment.”
“It hasn’t crossed my mind [switching to England at any point], you’ve only put the thought in my head now but no. I’m fully happy to play for Scotland whether that be for the under-21s or the first team.”
A big contributor to Conway’s early success in his career, he puts to his relationship with striker Nahki Wells.
The Bermudan striker has seven goals in the league this season, and the pair have been linking up well so far this season.
“I’m really close with Nahki, and he was so buzzing when I scored [against Swansea], and it was nice for him to get the assist as well.”
“I think the amount of goals he’s scored in his career speaks for itself. Being in the right place at the right time. He has a sense of where the balls going to drop and he said don’t let your mind come away from that, just trust your instincts and you’ll always score goals. I think that’s the big thing he’s always said to me.”
“I don’t think he’s got a bad bone in him Nahki, he’s always really nice to the young lads.”
The Robins currently sit in 18th in the Championship, but only seven points off the play-offs, which Conway says is still the aim for Nigel Pearson’s side.
“I think every Championship club has a good chance. From what I’ve seen in the past couple of years I don’t think it’s ever been this close. If you put a run together of two or three games, then you’re up there.”
“There is a couple lads here who have been promoted, whether that be through the play-offs or they’ve won it. It’s good to have those bodies around because they know what it’s like.”
“Andy King said before in the changing room the team spirit is exactly what it was like when he went up with Leicester.”
“I think we’ve got to keep doing what we’ve been doing on the pitch and hopefully we can put a run together. You can see we’re all working hard for each other so hopefully soon we can have a run and put ourselves up there.”
City face just under a month off for the World Cup, and return on Saturday, December 10 at 12:30pm away to Rotherham.
