Lee Johnson has escaped the Bristol City boo-boys by joining Coca-Cola Championship rivals Derby County on loan.

Bristol City's 28-year-old midfield playmaker will spend the next month with the Rams and was named in their squad for today's FA Cup third-round tie against League One Millwall at the New Den.

The surprise switch will probably come as a relief to the former Yeovil Town and Hearts player, who has been the subject of criticism and abuse from a small section of City fans this season.

Although Johnson has played a major part in the club's success since moving to Bristol in 2006, his position as the manager's son has caused him to be targeted by elements of the Ashton Gate crowd.

City boss Gary Johnson preferred to explain his son's short-term transfer in football terms, insisting the midfield dynamo is in need of regular games after starting just 13 times for the Robins this season.

He said: "At this moment in time, we feel it is best for Lee to go out on loan and get some games under his belt.

"He was not playing an awful lot of games anyway and then missed the last few after going down with flu at Christmas.

"This is a good move for Lee, because it means he will get match action for a month."

Johnson junior's opportunities have been limited this term following the arrival of Scotland international midfielder Paul Hartley from Celtic and former Holland Under-21 star Evander Sno, who joined City on a season-long loan from Ajax at the end of August.

City have a surfeit of central midfielders with Cole Skuse, Marvin Elliott and Gavin Williams also on the books.

Arguably, it is the emergence of Academy product Skuse as a first-team regular which has done most to keep Johnson out of the side.

Manager Johnson said: "For me, Skuse is playing some fantastic football at the moment.

"He is at the top of his game and, over the last month, has become a real Championship player.

"We had to put him in the team earlier when he was not playing particularly well and we've made him play in different positions, but he's come through it really well."

Johnson was the subject of an enquiry from Nottingham Forest earlier this season, only for his father to decide he was still needed at Ashton Gate.

But that situation has changed over the past month and Johnson has not featured in the starting line-up since Ipswich Town visited Ashton Gate on December 5.

Deployed as a second-half replacement at Leicester and Doncaster, he was an unused substitute in the recent home contest against Reading and then missed subsequent Championship matches at Queens Park Rangers and at home to Watford after falling ill.

City boss Johnson said: "We had four or five clubs express an interest in Lee, but it was Derby he chose to join. It's Championship football and it's a good loan deal for him."

Handicapped by a spate of injuries and suspensions, Nigel Clough urgently requires short-term cover in midfield, and Derby's manager admitted: "We are grateful to Bristol City for letting Lee come and for allowing him to play in the FA Cup.

"Lee is a very good footballer, who knows the Championship inside out and is experienced at this level. He is versatile and works extremely hard for the team and these are the qualities we are looking for."