Plenty of the travelling fans have used City’s week in Ireland as an excuse to hit the bar.

But that’s the last thing on Garry Thompson’s mind.

When he smashed a drive against the woodwork at Athlone on Tuesday, it kept up his uncanny knack of finding the frame of the goal.

According to the stats last season, Thompson hit the woodwork five times from 59 shots. Nahki Wells topped that by one but he had nearly double the scoring attempts.

“I don’t know if I’m unfortunate or it’s just a bad aim,” laughed Thompson.

“You normally get a couple of close efforts now and then but last season I must have had half a dozen. There were some good saves as well.

“If they go in, I don’t think I’d be too far away from Nahki in goals scored! It would be nice if I could get a few more.”

Thompson still netted nine times – a respectable tally considering the niggles that affected the first half of his campaign.

“I’ve not done too bad over my career – it works out one goal in six or seven. That’s not bad for a wideman come forward and I’m hoping to improve on that this season.”

Thompson’s Valley Parade career effectively got going the freezing December night he famously scored against Arsenal. From the turn of the year, he was arguably City’s best player.

This time, there are no pre-season setbacks to break the rhythm. He has not missed a day of training.

“I’m not getting up at 6.45 every morning to get in the pool like I did last year, which is nice.

“It’s completely different and I’m feeling really good in myself. Training has been brilliant.

“We had the programme to do in the off-season and I think it’s shown in how fit the lads have been. We’re miles ahead of where we were last year.

“This time of the year is so important. It’s about the intensity of training twice a day and getting your body used to the exertions it will need.

“If you haven’t got that, then when you start missing the odd game or training session here or there it catches up on you. I found that last season.

“I’d only played an hour of a pre-season game and it made it hard to hit the ground running.”

Thompson scored the late winner at Watford that started to build momentum for City’s incredible run in the Capital One Cup. But it wasn’t until four months later, when he volleyed home against the Gunners, that he really made his mark.

Another seven goals followed – including another crucial strike in the first play-off against Burton.

He added: “The team were doing well in the league early on and I was playing a lot of the cup games but having missed a big chunk of pre-season, it was a case of catching up.

“I knew I could do well but to get a goal in a game the size of Arsenal gave me a lot of confidence.

“When I got my chance in the team, I took it and like to think I played a good part in us getting promoted.

“I’m having a good pre-season now and hopefully that will kick-start my season a bit earlier this time.

“The boys are itching to get out on the pitch against Bristol City. We’re riding the crest of the wave and the gaffer’s brought in a couple of really good players which can only improve us.

“Bristol City will be ambitious and want to put their mark on the league, the same as us.

“I’ve played there before and it’s a difficult place to go but I know we’ve got the squad to match anyone in this league.

“The celebrations last season were great and they are memories we want to replicate. There’s no reason why we can’t have a say in things.”