Barnsley have given permission to Bristol City to speak to head coach Lee Johnson regarding the Robins' managerial vacancy.

Steve Cotterill was sacked by Bristol last month following seven games without a win.

The Robins' board has been looking at numerous candidates and they have now made a move for Johnson, who was appointed head coach at Barnsley on February 25 last year.

On Friday, the Tykes revealed that they have given Johnson the green light to discuss taking up the coaching role at the Championship club.

The statement read: "When Lee Johnson was appointed to the role of head coach at Barnsley Football Club, it was intended to confine and focus his activities on the development, organisation and recruitment of players for the first team. The limitation of this role was to allow other management staff to have similar remits relating to the Academy, U18 and U21 teams.

"Partly, the purpose in designating the head coach role in this way was to limit the impact in the event of a change and to encourage succession planning. This morning we gave permission to Lee Johnson to speak to Bristol City concerning their managerial vacancy.

"We gave this permission 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."

Bristol City are currently in the relegation zone in the Championship on goal difference.