Brooker was top scorer at Ashton Gate in 2005/06 (Getty Images)

Bristol City striker Steve Brooker hopes to repay manager Gary Johnson's faith in him with the goals to shoot the Robins into the Premier League.

Johnson recalled the 26-year-old from Cheltenham Town after he scored five goals in six games on loan there.

"It's a massive boost for me, that's what I've worked so hard for," Brooker told BBC Radio Bristol.

"I'm just delighted to be back and put a shirt on and hopefully do something for this club which takes them up."

Brooker had been loaned to Cheltenham with the aim of regaining full fitness as he recovered from two knee operations.

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"At certain times it looked like it might not happen this season," he said. "But I've managed to get back to where I want to be: scoring goals, albeit in League One."

"My fitness has come together and when the chances have come along I've taken them.

"I don't expect to start [against Cardiff on Saturday] but I'm glad that I'm back and hopefully get the opportunity to do something."

City boss Gary Johnson feels it is important to have plenty of options in attack:

"With seven games to go you're going to need as many people that are available to you as possible.

"Especially when somebody's found his form and his fitness. That was the important thing with us.

"Brooks would have waited forever to get into our first team because it was chicken and egg.

"We couldn't get him in the team to get his match fitness so Cheltenham did the job, he did a job for them and it was the right thing to bring him back and put him in the squad available for selection."