Steve Cotterill's bargain free transfer fired Bristol City to promotion | OneFootball

Aaron Wilbraham was a superb pickup by Bristol City.

Steve Cotterill arrived at confidence-stricken Ashton Gate in December 2013, with the Robins sitting in 23rd place in League One just five years after they had narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League.

Over the next six months, City steadily regained form and climbed out of the relegation zone, ultimately securing a 12th-place finish after an impressive run that saw them lose just one of their final 12 games.

This brought high hopes for the following campaign, with Cotterill being afforded a full summer window at the club.

Over the course of the summer, he made a number of additions to the squad, with the likes of Luke Ayling, Korey Smith and Kieran Agard all making the move to BS3. However, it was the acquisition of 34-year-old Aaron Wilbraham on a free transfer that proved to be the standout move.

The experienced striker became a cornerstone of Cotterill's starting XI over the next year and his goals became pivotal in a bid for promotion.

Before moving to the South West, Wilbraham enjoyed an illustrious career in the EFL, with standout spells at Milton Keynes Dons and Stockport County.

By 2014, however, many believed the striker was nearing the twilight of his career, as he had managed to score just three goals across the three seasons preceding his arrival at Ashton Gate.

After an unsuccessful spell at Crystal Palace came to an end in 2013-14, Wilbraham was free to find a new club and Cotterill offered him a fresh one-year deal at Bristol City.

Eager to make an impact in a division where he had previously enjoyed success, the forward signed with City - a decision that, in hindsight, proved to be a highly rewarding one.

Aaron Wilbraham tears up League One

In gameweek one, Cotterill wasted no time in placing his trust in the experienced striker, thrusting him straight into the spotlight. The decision paid off handsomely, as Wilbraham scored the opening goal and set up the second in a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

This affirmed the Robins' hopes of promotion and a double from Wilbraham a week later against Colchester made it two wins on the bounce to kick off the campaign.

This impressive run of form continued uninterrupted until mid-November, when City’s unbeaten streak finally came to an end after 17 games. During this period, Wilbraham managed to net eight goals in the league and proved a force in the EFL Trophy (Formerly known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy) as well, netting three for the Robins on their way to securing the cup.

However, promotion to the Championship was their ultimate goal and his late-season strikes helped take them closer to the second tier.

Starting in 13 of their final 15 fixtures, Wilbraham added another eight goals to his tally, including a decisive strike in April against Bradford City, where he captained his side to a dominant 6-0 victory that sealed their ascension to the Championship.

Eventually netting a total of 21 goals, this season became the highest-scoring of his career.

Wilbraham heads back to the Championship

Returning to the second tier, Cotterill handed the captaincy to his star striker - a responsibility Wilbraham described as a "proud moment" in his career.

On the pitch, he continued to be a force and, over the next two seasons, helped Bristol City settle back into life in the tier above.

Making over 70 Championship appearances, he would net a further 12 goals for the Robins and his surprise departure came just weeks after he signed a new one-year deal in 2017.

Following his Bristol City career, the striker would have spells at Bolton Wanderers and Rochdale before joining back up with Steve Cotterill as assistant manager of Shrewsbury Town in 2020.

While Wilbraham proved to be a valuable asset in the Championship, his standout season for the Robins undoubtedly came in League One during the 2014-15 campaign - a year that will forever hold a place in Bristol City folklore.