Bristol City flashback: When Gary Johnson announced himself to Ashton Gate with emphatic Barnsley win It was a famous day for the Robins as they entered a 'new era' under Johnson Snr please log in to view this image Gary Johnson during his days as Bristol City manager (Image: Paul Gilham/Getty Images) Gary Johnson made his Ashton Gate bow when Barnsley visited Bristol City for a League One clash on September 27 2005. Unveiled as the club’s new manager four days earlier, the former Yeovil Town boss had already made an impact, winning the first match of what would prove the best part of five years in charge away at Brentford just 24 hours after taking the job. Johnson gave much of the credit for that victory to Keith Millen, who had been caretaker-manager since the resignation of Brian Tinnion following a 7-1 hammering at Swansea City earlier in the month. Millen, later to become City manager himself, had previously overseen a 1-1 draw at home to Blackpool and a 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest. But by the time Barnsley arrived for a Tuesday night fixture, Johnson was firmly in control and addressed fans for the first time in the match programme. please log in to view this image The programme from the Barnsley win He wrote: “A big thank-you to all the supporters who travelled to Brentford on Saturday and helped to make my first day in charge so enjoyable. “The welcome I received when getting off the team coach was something I will long remember and I am delighted we were able to reward you with the right result." Looking ahead, Johnson announced his intention of taking games in groups of ten to “create a short-term focus for everyone at the club.” He continued: “At the end of each period we will set ourselves for another progress report after ten more fixtures. “Consistency will be the key. I’ll be looking to select players who can affect the game and with the ability and energy to do just that, whatever position they play. “Supporters may have forgotten the reputation Bristol City has outside of the city itself. We have a great club here and we have to keep enhancing that reputation.” Chairman Steve Lansdown also took the opportunity to communicate with fans with a column in the programme. He described it as the start of “a new era at Ashton Gate” and admitted he had been through the mill as much as anyone following a start to the season, which saw City win only one of their first ten games. Lansdown wrote: “Brian Tinnion’s decision to step down as manager, the sad death of director Archie Gooch and the resignation from the Board of John Laycock combined to make it one of my most difficult times since becoming chairman. “We now have to look forward. As things stand, Keith Dawe and I are the only directors of the Football Club and this is something we shall be seeking to address.” Describing the compensation City had to pay Yeovil to recruit Johnson, the chairman added: “Gary did not come cheap. But I believe the money spent, which corresponded to a major player signing, will prove an excellent investment.” Elsewhere in the programme, it was made clear that Johnson had been given responsibility to report on the entire football structure at the club. During more than four years as Yeovil’s manager, he had led them into the Football League as Conference champions and then to promotion from League Two. Previous to that, he was in charge of the Latvian national team. please log in to view this image The news report from that day It was an impressive CV. And by half-time against Barnsley, few City fans in a crowd of 10,711 were in any doubt that their club had recruited the right man. There was already a new signing for them to watch. With centre-back Matt Heywood nursing a knee injury, Johnson had wasted no time bringing in Osei Sankofa on loan from Charlton Athletic. He enjoyed an impressive debut alongside Dave Partridge in a back-four also featuring Bradley Orr and Craig Woodman. Cole Skuse, still plying his trade at Ipswich Town more than 14 years later, lined up in midfield with Luke Wilshire, the flanks being occupied by Dave Cotterell and Scott Brown. Up front, Steve Brooker returned in place of trialist Guy Madjo to partner Marcus Stewart, yet to justify the fanfare that accompanied his arrival from Sunderland that summer. I still rate Stewart among the best strikers I have seen at either Bristol club during his days with Rovers. And, while he rarely looked the same player for City, this would be his day. First Brooker took centre stage. On 24 minutes Wilkshire picked him out with a through ball and the striker raced forward to net his fourth goal of the campaign with a low drive. Barnsley offered little to trouble City keeper Steve Phillips and it was no surprise when the hosts doubled their advantage on 38 minutes. Stewart was scythed down by defender Dale Tonge as he ran onto a Skuse pass and got up to confidently convert the spot-kick awarded by referee Mark Clattenburg. There was still time for a third City goal before the break. The tigerish Brown won a tackle in the centre circle and raced forward before feeding Stewart, who showed his class with a clinical shot into the bottom corner of the net. Phillips made one sharp save with his legs to deny Barnsley striker Paul Hayes, but with his team cruising, Johnson was able to introduce substitutes Madjo, Scott Murray and Michael Bridges in the second half. The 3-0 victory was emphatic and it seemed the new manager had waved a magic wand. But it proved a false dawn as City lost ten of their next 11 games. please log in to view this image Former City manager Gary Johnson Johnson reacted with a string of loan recruits, two of which, David Noble and Liam Fontaine, went on to sign permanently and become key figures in the manager’s rebuilding plans. Goalkeeper Adriano Basso replaced the long-serving Phillips and City won eight games in succession in the later part of the campaign before clinching promotion under Johnson the following season and reaching the Championship Play-off final a year later. Bristol City: Phillips; Orr, Sankofa, Partridge, Woodman; Cotterill (Murray 67), Wilkshire, Skuse, Brown; Brooker (Bridges 77), Stewart (Madjo 62). Subs not used: Burch, Keogh. Barnsley: Colgan; Tonge, Reid, Hassell, Williams; Shuker, Burns, Rowe, Devaney (Howard 51); Conlon (Richards 70), Hayes (Nardiello 57) Subs not used: Flinders, Laight. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport...s/bristol-city-flashback-gary-johnson-3744983
I hope we get a repeat of that victory Saturday but not a repeat of of the following 10 games, seems to be a pattern in there somewhere. 'The 3-0 victory was emphatic and it seemed the new manager had waved a magic wand. But it proved a false dawn as City lost ten of their next 11 games..'
