It was imperative Bristol City trimmed the wage bill this summer, not just to help balance the books, but also to allow Nigel Pearson with the flexibility to bring in his own players.
With the transfer market still in full recovery mode due to the ongoing ripple effects of Covid, five senior players left with City earning just £1.3million through player sales due to their latest financials.
Robbie Cundy headed for Barnsley on a free transfer, Kasey Palmer joined Coventry for a nominal fee, Taylor Moore joined Shrewsbury on loan, Tyreeq Bakinson signed for Sheffield Wednesday and Callum O'Dowda went to Cardiff on a free transfer.
Some of those players had points to prove to Pearson and sections of the City support, but also to themselves. We spoke to the club reporters of each club to find out how they are getting on since leaving Ashton Gate.
Robbie Cundy - Barnsley
The central defender turned down the opportunity to sign a new contract with Bristol City in search of regular first-team football, despite his breakthrough towards the end of last season. He left on a free transfer and dropped down a league to join Barnsley where he has featured 15 times in League One.
Sports editor at the Barnsley Chronicle, Doug O'Kane said: "(His time) It’s been mixed. He was taken off at half-time on the opening day at Plymouth, having had a very difficult game.
"He got back in the team and put in some good performances, especially in the derby win at Sheffield Wednesday in which he was superb.
"But he has found himself out of the team again this month, reduced to substitute appearances in the final 10 minutes to protect narrow leads. He will surely be needed in what Barnsley hope will be a promotion challenge in the second half of the season.
"His performance at Hillsborough will definitely have endeared himself to fans. So will the goal in a win at Cambridge in September, making it 2-0 with ten men right in front of the away end.
"He’s shown signs of being a good defender, but the jury is still out on a lot of the summer signings and the team in general at this early stage of the season. He is dominant in the air, physically strong and has shown he can intercept crosses and passes very well.
"The main reason he is out of the team at the moment is that captain Mads Andersen is in the middle of the back three in-between Tom Edwards and Liam Kitching who have a little bit more mobility and ball-playing ability than Cundy."
Kasey Palmer - Coventry
After three disappointing years at City, the general consensus that Kasey Palmer needed a fresh start was one shared by the player, Pearson and the majority of supporters. There was also the need to get his high salary off the wage bill with City very much in the red.
He moved to Coventry with a year left on his Robins contract and after a period of working to find his match fitness, he has impressed under Mark Robins, suggesting that he finally feels at home again after his turbulent time in BS3.
Coventry writer Andy Turner from the Coventry Telegraph told us: "My first impressions have been really good. It's understandably taken him time to get back to where he wants to be in terms of his fitness and sharpness because he missed so much football and everyone knew that.
"It's been a nice, steady build-up and he's found his feet and built momentum as the team have this season from their own set-backs. As Coventry have come through and flourished, so has Kasey.
"He's impressed the fans and they have taken to him almost immediately. They sing his name already and what most people have been impressed with, given his bad press before he arrived, people had this perception that he might be a bit lazy and not work hard enough.
"In actual fact, he's worked his socks off. He tracks back, is strong and physical and added that sort of element to that midfield slot as well. He's also building a really good rapport with Callum O'Hare.
"I'm sure he'll be wanting to improve that (one goal and two assists). His goal was very calmly taken but he could have had a couple more. He's had a couple of chances that have gone narrowly wide but I'm sure that will come.
"The main thing is his overall contribution on the pitch, whether it's starting or coming off the bench. I guess his aim is to get more starts but as an impact sub, he has been terrific as well.
"He adds a different dimension so I don't think anyone has a bad word to say about him. Mark Robins described him as a 'breathe of fresh air.' He's a lovely lad and character and he radiates positivity.
"He seems to have found his love for football again and his home and the key to that is his old Chelsea Under-21 coach Adi Viveash. The fans think they've picked up a good one that just needed that management or coaching to bring him back to what he was before. It might have been seen as a gamble but it's certainly paid off.
Taylor Moore - Shrewsbury
The central defender never got a look under Pearson having failed to play a single minute of league action following his appointment in February 2021. He headed to Hearts on loan last season but returned to City with his future in limbo.
With a year left on his contract in BS3 and having been at the club since 2016, Moore agreed a loan move to team up with former City manager Steve Cotterill at Shrewsbury in League One.
Shrewsbury Town reporter for the Shropshire Star, Ollie Westbury said: "It's an interesting one with Taylor because he's played in three different positions. They signed him as a midfielder then when there was an injury at the back he played in the back three and in the last few games he's also played at right wing-back.
"I feel like it's quite hard to judge someone who is being used as Mr Versatile but he's never had a long run in the team playing in a specific position. One thing he has talked about quite a lot is that he wasn't fit enough when he arrived from City.
"They worked really hard to get him fit and as he's got fitter his performances have picked up. I would have said probably from watching him his best position is in the back three.
"I do feel like that versatility does hold him back because when Shrewsbury are ravaged by injuries, he's the man that is moved around.
"Probably not (would he start if everyone is fit?). But they've got so many injuries there is space for him at the moment. There's a game on Satursday and it's a lottery about where he'll play.
"He's a whole-hearted player and puts his all in. He doesn't shy out of a tackle so the fans have taken to him but it's difficult for him when he's changing positions all the time.
"It would be too early to tell whether he's doing enough for a permanent deal. At this moment, I'm not sure."
Tyreeq Bakinson - Sheffield Wednesday
The midfielder was involved in the acrimonious exit from Bristol City almost a year ago when Pearson publically criticised his attitude before agreeing a loan deal with Ipswich. The League One side turned down the opportunity to sign him permanently leaving Bakinson in limbo after returning to train with the Under-23s.
He joined Sheffield Wednesday on a permanent deal this summer, ending his five-year stay in BS3 and has gone on to make nine league starts and three substitute appearances.
Dom Howson, Wednesday reporter at Yorkshire Live said: "He's done pretty well on the whole. He's been in and out of the side. I think the most he may have played in a row is three or four games. But he's been unlucky when he has been left out of the team, not because he hasn't performed badly but Darren Moore is pretty big on squad rotation.
"At his best, he looks better than League One level which is what they expected when they signed him. Darren Moore talked quite a bit about him being a project. They played Southampton in the cup a few weeks ago and he was one of the best players on the pitch.
"That deeper midfielder role is where he has been mostly used. He's got a very good passing range and doesn't mind doing the dirty side. I thought the ugly side of the job, he may not necessarily be up for it but actually, he's a point of difference in midfielder with his physicality.
"He's been a very handy squad player, is what I would say.
"I've only heard good things. He's shown good attitude and I'm sure he would have liked to have started more league matches than he has - I think it's less than half. That will be his biggest aim in the second half of next season but the competition is pretty fierce in midfield.
"I think he's fitted in really well and scored against Charlton, that was probably his high point and he's not had many poor performances that spring to mind. Generally he's been pretty consistent.
"There's been a few moments that with his passing from deep, he can make a difference.
"He's been pretty popular (with the fans). It's clear he still has a lot of potential to grow and get better and for him, it's about can he actually force his way into becoming a regular. I think Wednesday fans have liked what they've seen."
Callum O'Dowda - Cardiff
The Republic of Ireland international ended his six-year spell at City this summer when he left to join rivals Cardiff on a free transfer. City had a one-year option in his contract which they opted against exercising although debated offering him a new deal on reduced wages.
In the end, Pearson conceded a fresh start away from City was best suited for all parties and O'Dowda has gone on to be a key member of the Cardiff side with 18 Championship starts.
Glen Williams, Cardiff City correspondent for Wales Online, said: "I've been very impressed with him. He is so dependable, rarely gives the ball away, works hard both in defence and in attack and has proven himself to be a more than capable Championship winger so far.
"Cardiff signed 17 players in the summer and he is certainly one who has been a hit rather than a miss. I would say he's endeared himself to supporters, more on the pitch than off it.
"Supporters have not really had much of an opportunity to interact with him and he has not been put up for press yet, but fans appreciate the sort of player he is and they've really taken to him. If you asked 10 fans, I'm pretty confident nine of them, at least, would have him in their preferred starting XIs right now.
"He has, for the most part, played on the wing in a front three. His ability to beat a man on the outside and send in a wicked cross really is a hallmark of his play during his fledgling Cardiff career, although I suppose Bristol City fans would have seen plenty of that, too.
"He has had to fill in at left-back at times, though, which has impacted Cardiff's creativity further forward. Their No.1 left-back, Jamilu Collins, is out for the season with an ACL injury and Everton loanee Niels Nkounkou has been very shaky there, so O'Dowda has had to slot in at times. He has done well enough, but he's far more effective higher up the pitch.
"His ability to get on the outside of his marker and hit a decent cross is commendable. He is also very rarely guilty of giving the ball away, which is a good quality to have at this level.
"He gives his all and runs himself into the ground, although the one thing I have noticed is that he can sometimes get frustrated if his team-mates play the wrong pass or a press isn't spot on, but that's me nit-picking. 8/10."
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