Former Middlesbrough and Stoke City boss Tony Pulis has ruled himself out of the running for the Bristol City vacancy according to Sky Sports. 

The Robins are searching for a new manager to take them forward, after they parted company with Lee Johnson after a defeat to Cardiff City at Ashton Gate on Saturday.

Bristol City are currently sat 12th in the Championship table, and are on a nine-game winless run, which has seen them fall nine points adrift of the play-off places with five matches remaining in this year's campaign.

But Pulis won't be the manager to take charge of them anytime soon, as it was revealed that he needs more time away from football before considering a return to management.

The 62-year-old's last spell in football management was with Middlesbrough, which came to an end when he left the club in the summer of 2019 after a league campaign which saw Boro finish seventh in the second tier standings.

The Robins are next in action on Wednesday when they take on relegation-threatened Hull City, in a game they'll be expected to pick up three important points from.

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The Verdict: 

He would have been a solid appointment for the Robins.

Pulis has a considerable amount of experience of working in English football, and has already shown that he can get teams promoted, having achieved that with Stoke City earlier in his managerial career.

His direct style of play would have been suited to some of the Bristol City players, and they'll surely be frustrated to hear that he's not interested in a return to football at his moment in time.

It's important that the club find Johnson's successor sooner rather than later.