KEITH Millen has confirmed defeat at Scunthorpe will hasten the arrival of Bristol City's new manager.

Gary Hooper's hat-trick consigned the Robins to a 3-0 reverse at Glanford Park on Saturday, a result which ended the Championship club's faint hopes of making the end-of-season play-offs.

Attention will now switch to the future and the appointment of a long-term successor to previous first team boss Gary Johnson, who left Ashton Gate by mutual consent last month.

Former Reading supremo Steve Coppell is thrashing out the terms of a deal with City chairman Steve Lansdown The pair today resumed contract negotiations following a break yesterday and, providing personal terms are agreed, the one-time Manchester United and England star will be unveiled in the next few days at Ashton Gate.

Millen, who served as caretaker manager for seven games following Johnson's departure, says he expects the new man to be installed ahead of Saturday's final home game against Derby County.

"Things might have remained as they were for a little longer had we beaten Scunthorpe and still been in contention for the play-offs," said Millen. "Had that been the case, the chairman would maybe have delayed making the change and told us to carry on doing what we were doing to see if we could have made the top six.

"But that is over now and the scenario has changed. I would imagine that, if the chairman has anything to announce, it will be this week.

"Now that we are out of the play-offs, this week will be as good a time as any to make an appointment."

Saturday's game at Scunthorpe was almost certainly Millen's last as caretaker boss. But the 43-year-old Londoner has been promised a role in any new management structure.

He said: "I don't think the run of good results had a bearing, other than to buy the chairman a bit more time.

"Losing to Scunthorpe will not have any bearing on what happens now either.

"I've said all along that we are looking at the bigger picture. I'm not too sure how far the chairman is down the line with finding the right man, and I'll be speaking to him in the next day or so.

"My job is to look after the first team and I've stayed out of it (the search for a new manager). He knows my feelings on the subject and, when he has come to a decision, he will make it known."

Millen expressed disappointment at the ease with which City relinquished their six-match unbeaten record and, with it, their play-off aspirations at Glanford Park.

He said: "It's more the manner of the defeat, rather than the result itself, which hurts.

"We defended poorly and never really gave ourselves a chance.

"It is my first defeat as manager and it does not feel very nice. But I cannot be too harsh on the lads, because they have been brilliant in the six matches before this.

"What this performance shows is that there is still a lot of hard work to be done over the summer, and sorting out the way the team defends is going to be a priority."