This was tricky for Steve Cotterill . He did not want to do Bristol City down but at the same time felt the truth ought to be laid bare . The eight-second pause was revealing in its length as a delicate topic reared its head . Where exactly would this club — now on the brink of the Championship — be without their billionaire owner Steve Lansdown ? Cotterill looked down at his feet , searching for the right answer . ‘ I don ’ t quite know , ’ he said , head shaking . It isn ’ t worth thinking about . He is aware that they ’ d be nowhere near a win away from League One promotion , potentially ending the season as champions and enjoying a spectacularly redeveloped Ashton Gate . Steve Cotteril has taken Bristol City to the brink of a Championship return after two seasons in League One . City have already won silverware this season in the shape of a Johnstone 's Paint Trophy win last month . ‘ There are a lot of big clubs in League One , Two and the Conference with good support . You only have to look at Bristol Rovers and the crowds they get in the Conference , ’ Cotterill added after his side ’ s 1-1 draw at second-placed Preston . The inference was obvious . ‘ We ’ re on the verge of the Championship and that ’ s only down to Steve and his investment and what he ’ s doing at the ground. ’ Lansdown , who made his fortune from financial services , is a rare breed in English football , unwavering in ploughing his own fortune into the club through love and nothing else . It hasn ’ t always been rosy . That strategy was downright naive when they chased the Premier League dream and racked up astonishing debts in doing so . Dean Windass ’ s memorable winner for Hull City in the 2008 Championship play-off final might have cost Bristol City far more than just missing out on top-flight riches . If Lansdown hadn ’ t changed his approach they could have folded . Dean Windass hit the only goal of the game as Hull were promoted at the expense of the Robins . Those mistakes — over-paying for decent but not exceptional players — meant the owner had to write off an eye-watering £35million worth of debt last year . The age of Financial Fair Play dictates they must live within their means . Lansdown is far more pragmatic with money nowadays , even though Cotterill was allowed to spend £1.65m on four players last summer . They later sold striker Sam Baldock to Brighton for £2m and the squad is among the smallest in all four divisions . Quality , not quantity . ‘ I ain ’ t quite sure we bought the division , ’ Cotterill added . ‘ We pay all these over a period of time , over a couple of years . ‘ We will still potentially need to up our budget from where we are [ next season ] . I wouldn ’ t mind betting that Preston have got a bigger budget than us . I ’ m not saying that to put any pressure on anybody , all I ’ m saying is that their squad ’ s bigger than ours and I know their players . Probably Sheffield United as well. ’ Aaron Wilbraham celebrates his goal at Preston which kept City 's eight-point lead at the top of League One . Bristol City will become the first Football League club to clinch promotion this year should they beat Bradford at Valley Parade on Tuesday , in turn ending a two-year absence from the Championship . They have been staying in a Preston hotel ahead of the trip across the Pennines , training at Burnley today and utilising Cotterill ’ s contacts . ‘ I was at Burnley for nearly four years , ’ he added . ‘ I should be allowed to train on the pitch that I built ! We sold Robbie Blake [ to Birmingham City for more than £1m in 2004 ] and built a new pitch . I will take credit for that. ’ What he won ’ t take credit for is City ’ s rise back where they belong . That ’ s reserved for one fanatic with very deep pockets . Owner Steve Lansdown ( right ) has backed Bristol City to the hilt with his own personal fortune .
manager Lansdown has invested his energies into the club through love and nothing else . That ##pool racked up enormous debts when they lost the relegation play - off final in 2007 . Lansdown wrote off an eye - watering £ 35million worth of debt last year . He is more pragmatic with his goals nowadays and City are on the brink of a relegation to the second tier .