Bristol City chairman Steve Lansdown says he parted company with Gary Johnson in order to break the 'crescendo of negativity that has permeated Ashton Gate'.

Lansdown admitted it had been a hard decision and that part of him wanted the Londoner to stay and see out the remaining three years of his contract.

"We felt this was the opportunity to have a break," he said. "I am naturally disappointed to lose Gary. We are close friends as well as manager and chairman, and I can only say how much I admire what he has done for this football club.

"When he took over we were bottom of League One, and we have had some great moments along the way.

"It is purely to do with football. We have had a run of indifferent results. Gary has brought pride back to this football club. Without a shadow of a doubt this club was down on its uppers when he took over.

"He has got us promotion and to the stage where we can go on to bigger and better things.

"I will never forget that (play-off final) day at Wembley – 85,000 people watching your team for the biggest prize in football.

"A big part of me says Gary should still be here to carry on, but another says we need to make a fresh start."

City have struggled badly for consistency all season. Performances have been poor.

"The reason the games have been poor is the fact that we didn't win them," said Lansdown. "You can prove anything with statistics. The results haven't gone our way and we haven't strung wins together.

"What has happened is the negativity that has built up on the back of the poor results and that has become a crescendo of negativity that has permeated into the staff, players and management and we had to break that. The only way to do it was to make a change. It is a difficult decision to make, because I like Gary a lot. I wanted to build this football club with him.

"He leaves as a friend and as a very successful manager."

Lansdown said the 3-2 defeat to Plymouth on Tuesday had brought matters to a head.

"The result on Tuesday was the final decision," he said. "There is a negativity that has developed within the club and the fan base and we have to try to break it.

"That (the Plymouth result) is a small part of a bigger picture. The reality is the club has gone a long way. The club has hit a brick wall and it has to get over that. The result brought things to a conclusion."