Given their current struggles, some Bristol City fans may be looking back at the Lee Johnson era longingly. 

The former Robins midfielder and son of ex-manager Gary Johnson spent four years in charge at Ashton Gate and while there were certainly some low points, there were more than a few highs as well.

The 39-year-old coach was sacked last summer and has now moved onto pastures new with Sunderland, who he'll be hoping will be City's Championship rivals next season.

Johnson's ability to spot and develop talent is undeniable, with the Robins certainly benefitting from it during his tenure a fair bit.

There was a period in which it seemed they were selling a player for big money in every window, which though fans may have sometimes been frustrated by, Steve Lansdown will have loved.

With the summer transfer window approaching, we've turned the clocks back to the Johnson era to look at some of his dealings and ranked his top 9 best signings during his time with City.

Let us know if you agree...

Injuries have limited his impact this season but there's no denying just how talented a young defender Jay Dasilva is.

The left-back originally joined on a season-long loan from Chelsea in 2018 with the Robins looking for a replacement for Joe Bryan after his move to Fulham.

After impressing that season, City snapped him up permanently the following summer and though he's had his injury issues, it still looks a fantastic bit of business.

Solid defensively and a fantastic dribbler, Dasilva looks as though he could be the answer at left-back for a little while yet if he can stay fit – the Robins can thank Johnson for that one.

Tomas Kalas arrived on loan from Chelsea alongside Dasilva in 2018 and formed a phenomenal partnership with Adam Webster at centre-back in his debut season, helping fans quickly forget about the departure of Aden Flint.

Webster moved on the following summer but the Robins made Kalas their club-record signing by bringing to Ashton Gate permanently for north of £8 million.

Such is the Czech Republic international's quality that even a fee as big as that looks good business and he's been an integral figure since.

Kalas was handed the captain's armband at the start of the season and looks set to be a key figure as Nigel Pearson rebuilds the squad.

Nothing has highlighted Andreas Weimann's importance to City more than his absence this season, with the Robins attack lacking fluidity for most of the time since he's been sidelined due to injury.

A classic Johnson signing, the Austrian is all about work rate and industry with a little bit of flair mixed in.

Weimann is sometimes accused of being little more than a headless chicken but he is so much more than that and is regularly among the top scorers in the squad.

The versatile forward has scored 21 goals and 12 assists in little more than two season's worth of football with the Robins, having joined from Derby County ahead of the 2018/19 campaign.

That Famara Diedhiou's City tenure looks to be ending by fizzling out is a real shame because he has been a fantastic addition.

He may never have proved himself a 20-goal a season striker for the Robins but he's notched up 51 goals for the club and regularly finished the campaign as their top scorer.

The Senegal international joined from SCO Angers in 2017 and though it took a while for him to convince supporters, won them round with in the 2019/20 campaign – finishing as player of the season.

He now looks set to leave the club as a free agent in the summer but he's still been a very useful addition and deserving to be on this list.

Another player that could well be off as a free agent in the summer, Jamie Paterson has been synonymous with the Robins for some time now.

The creative midfielder was one of Johnson's first signings and has sparkled at times – not least during the EFL Cup run that represents the high point of the former manager's tenure.

So often a key part of the expansive style of football Johnson wanted to play, Paterson has notched up more than 150 appearances for City.

When he's on song, he's wonderful to watch and capable of creating moments of absolute magic.

His exit this summer would really feel like the club cutting ties with the Johnson era completely.

One of the more recent additions, Dan Bentley was signed from Brentford in 2019 as the Robins looked to find an issue to their goalkeeping issues.

There's no denying that he's proven exactly that and has become an integral figure over the past two seasons – notching up 88 appearances already.

Bentley has time and time again won City points that they perhaps did not deserve and kept them in games they should've long been out of.

It's hard to argue with him being their player of the season this term and with him being one of the most underrated goalkeepers in the EFL.

That he's only number four is a testament to the players above him.

Supporters of most EFL clubs will know how easy it is to fall deeply in love with a loan signing and Tammy Abraham's Robins tenure saw the Ashton Gate faithful do just that.

When Johnson brought in an 18-year-old Chelsea striker as a replacement for Jonathan Kodjia in August 2016, you'd have understood if a fair few fans were concerned but it proved to be a masterstroke.

Abraham scored 26 goals for the Robins that season and formed a special bond with the support, clearly enjoying what it felt like to be loved in what was his first senior campaign.

Few City players ever can boast a better single-season, apart from the man at number two...

It may frustrate some fans that Adam Webster doesn't top this list, such was the quality of his single-season at Ashton Gate, but when longevity was considered this felt like the perfect position for him.

The man the Bs3 faithful lovingly labelled 'Webdini' was signed from Ipswich Town for £3.6 million – a fee that would go on to look one of the biggest bargains in the club's history.

Dominant in defence, confident on the ball, and commanding in the backline, Webster was near-perfect during the 2019/20 campaign.

It's a shame that City were unable to hold on to him but the £20 million they received from Brighton made up for it.

Beating Abraham and Webster to top spot should say enough about the quality of Josh Brownhill.

Having been on loan with Johnson at Barnsley the previous season, the midfielder was signed on a free transfer from Preston in the summer of 2016 and after forcing his way into the side seemed ever-present during the 39-year-old's City tenure.

Brownhill became not just a top-quality all-action midfielder but a fantastic leader and captain.

He was a key man during so many of the big moments of Johnson's time as City boss and considering he cost nothing, was surely his greatest signing.

It was heartbreaking for some to see him leave but as with Webster, City were well compensated.