Stead and Pitman sign for City

City have announced the double signing of striker's Jon Stead and Brett Pitman.

Stead, 27, joins from Ipswich for £225,000 after agreeing terms last week and 22-year-old Pitman has also completed his £800,000 move from Bournemouth.

Both players have signed three-year deals having passed their medicals this morning and trained with the rest of the City squad today.

Speaking to reporters, Pitman explained his reasons for snubbing Premiership newboys Blackpool in favour of a move to Ashton Gate.

"I chose Bristol City for a number of reasons," he said.

"This is a club going forward and going places, I feel, and I wanted to be part of that.

"Obviously a League One player turning down a Premier League club might cause a bit of reaction but I've picked the club over the league.

"Bristol City have plans for a new stadium and they are signing some good players. That is what I want to be part of.

"It is nice to stay in the south west, that is one reason I came to the club, but Bristol City are massive. I wanted to play for them."

Stead was equally overjoyed at ending a six-week long saga. "I was relieved and delighted when he [Millen] told me how much he wanted me at the club," he told City Player.

"I thought it was dead in the water when Steve Coppell left and I thought I was going to have to look elsewhere. But Keith was still interested and, once we'd had a chat, it was an easy decision for me to make."

The double swoop now means City have NINE forward's on the books with Nicky Maynard, Danny Haynes, David Clarkson, John Akinde, Albert Adomah, Peter Styvar and Marlon Jackson all vying for place.

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