Steve Coppell has been without five key City players

Bristol City manager Steve Coppell says he may need to return to the transfer market before the start of the Championship season on 7 August.

The Ashton Gate boss continues to be frustrated by injuries to key players.

"I've got 20 players following all the injuries and we're a little short," Coppell told the club's website after watching City lose 2-1 at Torquay.

"As always I think there will be an avalanche of business done in the final week ahead of the new season."

He added: "There are an awful lot of phone calls going on at the moment but not a great deal of substance to those calls."

Last season's top scorer Nicky Maynard and fellow-striker Danny Haynes are still sidelined, while at the back, captain Louis Carey, Christian Ribeiro and James Wilson have yet to feature in any pre-season games.

Coppell said: "You can't wait, you have to try and do something about it."

David Clarkson gave City the lead ten minutes after the break at Torquay but second-half goals from Lee Mansell and Mark Ellis sealed victory for the Devon side.

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