The Exiled Robin

When Bristol City were beaten 6-0 at home by Cardiff in January 2010, it was only a matter of time until Gary Johnson’s highly successful reign came to an end.   That result was followed by a number of lacklustre, defensive performances which culminated in an alleged dressing-room bust-up between Johnson and hot-headed winger Ivan Sproule after a defeat at relegation-doomed Plymouth.   A minority of fans had been questioning Johnson’s tactics, signings and ability to get performances back on an upward curve for some months.   By the time Chairman Steve Lansdown reluctantly decided to pick up the phone and invite his friend to what proved their last meeting, the majority of the supporter base probably felt it was about the right time.   Four-and-a-half years of bouncing around the ground (because Johnson told us to), promotion, play-offs and a sniff of the riches of the Premier League had given way to dire home performances, a succession of loanee strikers who co...