ROBINS WON'T CASH IN ON THORPE

The former Luton and Fulham striker has rejected a new contract offered him by the Westcountry club and is poised to quit Ashton Gate when his present deal expires in the summer. However, Robins chairman John Laycock says it will have to be a 'very good offer' that prises City's top goalscorer away from Bristol.

"There's no way of knowing yet how things will go," he said.

"Certainly we've had no offers at all for Tony, and to be honest I'd be surprised if anyone did want to pay money for him before the next transfer deadline, with so little cash around and so little transfer activity taking place.

"But if we were in with a serious promotion shout and someone did wave, say, £100,000 at us, we would be very unlikely to accept because he would probably be top goalscorer and it's Tony we'd be looking towards to help see us over the finishing line."

The scenario draws parallels to the Shan Goater situation in March 1998, when City were offered £400,000 by Manchester City with The Robins chasing promotion to Division One.

With Goater's contract poised to expire, the club agreed to sell him to the Maine Road club and were nearly made to suffer the consequences before they finally stumbled over the finishing line and won promotion.