RUMOURS of Lee Johnson's imminent departure from Bristol City, it seems, have been greatly exaggerated.

When Gary Johnson agreed to leave the club by mutual consent back in March and accepted an offer to become Peterborough United's manager a few weeks later, many fans thought it was only a matter of time before his son followed him to London Road.

After all, claimed the cynics, Johnson's prospects of playing regular first-team football were heavily dependent upon his old man being at the helm and, as such, a move to Cambridgeshire would surely prove more beneficial than remaining in Bristol and taking his chances with new Robins boss Steve Coppell.

The truth of the matter, however, is very different. Far from wanting to join his dad at Peterborough, Lee is enjoying a new lease of life in Bristol and has seldom been happier during his 28 years.

Having finally emerged from Gary's shadow, he has no intention of turning back the clock and remains totally committed to helping City realise their dream of Premier League football.

"I can comfortably say I will never play for my dad again," said the former Yeovil Town midfielder, whose career has been blighted by claims of nepotism from the moment his father rescued him from Hearts and brought him to Ashton Gate four years ago.

"It was what it was and it was very successful, but it was also extremely difficult for me at times," he said.

"I'm free from that now and I'm really enjoying being just another one of the lads. I've loved not having that pressure and I'm far more relaxed about everything.

"People will know now that, if the manager picks me, it's because I'm good enough and I deserve to be in the team."

An integral member of the City team that won promotion in 2007 and reached the Championship play-off final a year later, Johnson has come in for more than his fair share of criticism in recent seasons and the brief loan spell that took him to Derby in January represented a welcome relief from the pressures that habitually assail father-and-son combinations in football.

Recalling those dark days, he says: "I've never blamed the fans for being the way they were because it is human nature to question things when a manager picks his son.

"Although it became difficult on occasions, I've never doubted myself and I've always felt comfortable in my ability. If I didn't have that, I wouldn't be here.

"My dad has left and is happy now, I'm happy as well and I'm glad we have been successful and gone our separate ways.

"The next time I work with him will be when I'm a manager and I'm employing him as my chief scout!"

Those critics who subscribe to a more sceptical outlook on life suggest Coppell's summer recruitment drive will do for a player who spent much of his time on the substitutes' bench following his father's departure.

But Johnson accepts the arrival of new players as a natural consequence and, far from feeling daunted, is relishing the challenge of proving himself all over again.

"At the end of the day, we want players in, of course we do," he said. "We want to go up to the Premier League and the way to do that is to get help from good-quality players.

"We've lost two or three good players this summer and they have to be replaced. I'm sure the gaffer knows that and he's been around long enough to see where we need strengthening and realise what it takes to win promotion.

"Personally, I have every faith in the club, in the manager and the chairman, and I always have had. I'm comfortable with the fact that our morals and our ethics are good and that things are being done the right way.

"If the right players come along, and they are doing if the past week is anything to go by, then it shows the club is going for it. As a player, that's all you can ask for. Some players might find all the transfer speculation unsettling, but I don't see it that way at all. Bringing in new signings and trying to improve is the only way forward and the lads welcome it."

As the new Championship season comes into sharp focus, City fans will inevitably try to second guess Coppell's team selection for Saturday's Ashton Gate curtain-raiser against Millwall.

Johnson smiles and says: "This is the time of year when everyone wants to be a manager and pick the team for the first game. People all have their various opinions, but the final decision will rest with the gaffer and we can trust in him to get it right.

"He has mixed and matched during pre-season and he has watched everything that has happened very closely. He will have his own ideas and we have to leave it to him to pick a side to face Millwall."