Gary Johnson has thanked the thousands of Bristol City fans who will invade The Hawthorns at the weekend.

City travel to the West Midlands to take on Coca-Cola Championship favourites West Bromwich Albion in a game their manager describes as a "six-pointer."

Nearly 3,000 Bristolians will make the journey to back their team against opponents who were in the Premier League last season.

Robins fans have snapped up all the available tickets for a game which has clearly caught the imagination.

Johnson said: "It's fantastic news that so many are going. We took the same number to Newcastle last month and they were magnificent.

"This is another incredibly difficult game and our fans will help in the same way they did at St James' Park.

"As a club, we respect the efforts they make to follow us up and down the country. It's one of our more local games, but travelling is not always easy and I'd like to thank all of those who are taking the time to back us."

Bristol City are seventh in the Championship, one point adrift of third-placed Cardiff and five behind West Brom, who remain hard on the heels of leaders Newcastle United.

Johnson made no attempt to play down the importance of Saturday's Hawthorns clash and said: "It's what we like to call a six-pointer.

"If we lose this one, we'll be eight points behind West Brom and possibly 10 behind Newcastle.

"We'll go there and be organised and try to keep things tight, but we'll also go there to try and win the game.

"If we end up drawing while trying to win it, then so be it."