Football / Bristol City
Head coach Lee Johnson sacked by Bristol City
As the play-offs slipped out of their grasp following another defeat, Bristol City parted company with head coach Lee Johnson.
The beleaguered manager seemed to have seen the writing on the wall after his team lost 1-0 at Ashton Gate to Cardiff on Saturday afternoon.
It was City’s fourth defeat in a row and their seventh in their last nine matches, with the team currently in 12th place in the Championship table.
is needed now More than ever
“I always do my very best,” said Johnson, who had been in the role since February 2016, having previously played for the Robins while his father, Gary, was manager.
“I’m an honest individual. Obviously it hasn’t been good enough post-Covid. It’s fine margins in the game.”
Responding to questions about his future just minutes before he was sacked, he said: “I don’t make those decisions. All I do is work extremely hard.”
The 39-year-old was the longest-serving manager in the Championship, and had previously taken City to improved league positions in all his previous seasons at the club.
Current assistant head coach Dean Holden has taken over immediately in a caretaker capacity as City look to appoint a successor to Johnson.
City chief executive, Mark Ashton, said: “We recognise the huge amount of work that Lee has put in over the last four-and-a-half years to move this club forward and we thank him for all his efforts.
“There have been some special moments over those years and Lee has played a significant part in them.
“However, success in football is ultimately judged by results and league position and the board believes that a change of management is needed now for Bristol City.”
Main photo by JMP
Read more: Steve Lansdown praises ‘dedication’ of Bristol Sport staff
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