CAN you recall City’s results 12 months ago? It was a poor time for the Robins in the Championship and there were all sorts of pressures on manager Lee Johnson.

We struggled and struggled through January 2017, losing 3-2 at home to Reading on the second day of the new year, being held at home by Fleetwood Town in the FA Cup third round five days later, losing again in the Severnside derby to Cardiff City on January 14 and grinding out a 1-0 FA Cup replay win at Fleetwood on January 17.

Then we lost 1-0 away at Nottingham Forest before going out of the Cup 2-0 away at Burnley.

It was a grim time to be a City fan. Somehow, we managed to get through the season and survive in the Championship.

How things have changed in a year. The Robins are now on a high, flying at the right end of the table and into the Carabao Cup semi-finals to play the Premier League’s table-toppers and champions-elect Manchester City over two legs starting on Tuesday.

That will net us a massive cash bonanza after our incredible efforts in beating giants Manchester United in the quarter-finals.

It has been a dream year since those dark days of 2017 but the 5-0 thumping by Aston Villa last weekend thumped firmly back to reality ahead of another massive game this weekend when we travel to face another Premier League side,Watford, in this season’s FA Cup third round.

And it is crucially important that we do not collapse at Vicarage Road or City could lose the momentum they have built up so far this season but which has seen them go down not just to Villa but Wolves last Saturday.

If playing Premier League teams in the various Cups is one thing, then Johnson is more than likely to keep his players focussed on Saturday week when they entertain Norwich.

The visit of the Canaries may not be as glamorous a match as tackling Manchester City but that, plus the Friday night encounter at Derby County that follows, are, arguably, bigger than playing in the Cups as automatic promotion to football’s elite remains a real possibility.

So we will cheer them on over the next few days but Johnson needs to ensure we get Championship points in the matches that follow too.