Lee Johnson is aiming to take Bristol City to the next level after celebrating four years in charge of the club last month, with the Robins currently sat one point outside the Championship play-offs.

City have only managed to collect one victory from their last seven matches following a strong four-game winning run back in January, but the Ashton Gate outfit remain in a good position to launch a play-off surge after their 1-1 draw with Fulham over the weekend.

Johnson has managed to deliver constant improvement on the Robins' league positions since his appointment four years ago, and it has now emerged that he has been speaking with England boss Gareth Southgate as he plots how to guide City into the Premier League.

Speaking to the Guardian, Johnson revealed that he and Southgate discussed the thought processes of top-level coaches, while he also described how the pair talked about dealing with the backlash after making big calls in management.

“I think the main thing, not just for me but for the players, is thinking correctly under pressure,” he said.

“We were saying about those times when you know you’ve got to make a decision, and how to make those big calls by being brave, bold and not fearing the backlash.

"It’s completely different being Bristol City to England manager but it doesn’t stop the coaches’ thought process."

City are now preparing for key clashes with Blackburn and Sheffield Wednesday over the next week, with the Robins entering these encounters following two improved displays against Millwall and Fulham over their last two meetings.

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The Verdict

Johnson has received plenty of criticism from some Bristol City supporters for many of his bold selection calls this campaign, but the details of this conversation suggest the Robins boss puts a lot of thinking into his controversial decision-making.

The City boss has seen his side embark on several contrasting runs of form this season with the Robins winning a stretch of matches before then losing three or four in a row, but they now cannot afford many more slip-ups ahead of the final run-in.

The fact Johnson held a detailed discussion with Southgate reflects how the Robins' head coach is certainly well connected within the game, and this can only bode well particularly if City seal promotion to the top flight this season.