‘Lee Johnson has proved most City fans wrong’

‘An award for all’ is how Lee Johnson described his September manager of the month prize. I would like to start this week’s blog by paying homage to Lee and by eating some humble pie. Johnson’s stock is beginning to rise across the football world as this season’s good start attracts wide praise.

Johnson’s determination for the focus to be on the squad and club, as opposed to himself, offers more evidence of his development as a manager. I have been very impressed with how he has handled the likes of Magnusson and Eliasson, who are on the fringes of the side, but whose talent is obvious, and who could prove important figures later on in the campaign.

Speaking of our Icelandic defender, I would like to offer my sincerest congratulations to him and his team for their quite remarkable qualification for next years World Cup in Russia. Callum O’Dowda is also on the verge of the World Cup with Martin O’Neil’s Irish team, so well done to him too.

Anyway, back to Lee Johnson. Last season must have been the toughest in Johnson’s short career. Bristol City – under his stewardship – underwent a club record eight successive defeats and managed to throw away a promising start and to put fans through one of their most arduous seasons in recent memory.

At the height of Johnson’s unpopularity, matches were dogged by chants of “Johnson out” and the man himself spoke of being accosted in the street by angered City fans giving him what for. Throughout this period, Johnson remained cordial and upbeat in his various interviews and media appearances.

I remember successive home defeats to Cardiff and then Reading in January, where the atmosphere could only be described as toxic. It felt as if any missed pass or wayward shot was immediately blamed on the manager and triggered the inevitable anti-Johnson bashing.

It is also worth noting that Johnson may have had one or two unsettling figures within the dressing room at this time. The first of which was undoubtedly Lee Tomlin. A lot has been said about our former player and I’ve little to add other than to say I would be very surprised if there are any fans that would want him back at the club, even if it was for free, which says a lot.

The other potentially unsettling figure may have been John Pemberton. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Pembo and I’m very thankful for the hard work he gave the club during his time here, but Johnson seems to have had more clarity of though since Pemberton left, as results have shown.

I myself got to the point that had it it been up to me I would have changed tack last season and fired our now-successful boss. It would have been with a heavy heart, and I certainly never joined in any of the verbal chastising he suffered in the ground. I was a reluctant leaver.

I am, however, delighted that Lansdown stood by his man and that Lee Johnson has proved the majority of City fans wrong. As to how far this new wave of optimism takes us is anyone’s guess, but it is a relief for all fans to be singing off the same song sheet when it comes to who should manage the side.

City start this round of matches with a eminently winnable home tie at home to Burton Albion on Friday night. One would hope that we can get off to a good start as the following week we face Leeds at home, which should provide a real test and act as a barometer as to where our form is.