Friday 5 February 2016 17:10, UK
Bristol City have been given permission to hold talks with Barnsley head coach Lee Johnson over the vacant manager's position at Ashton Gate.
The 34-year-old former Bristol City player has taken Barnsley to this year's Johnstone's Paint Trophy final by beating Fleetwood in the Northern final on Thursday.
Johnson, who won January's League One Manager of the Month award, took over the Tykes a year ago after they slid out of the Championship under Danny Wilson in 2014, and his side have lost just once in League One since November.
Championship Bristol City have been without a permanent boss since sacking Steve Cotterill last month, with John Pemberton in temporary charge and so far unable to lift them out of the bottom-three.
Barnsley announced in a statement on Friday: "This morning we gave permission to Lee Johnson to speak to Bristol City concerning their managerial vacancy.
"This is because we believe that the structures that we now have in place must be the key to our future success rather than dependence on a single individual.
"If Lee decides to stay with Barnsley Football Club we will be delighted, but if he chooses to move on, we will continue unabated with the plan we have in place for the progression of our club."
