Bristol City boss Johnson plans January window raid for a wide boy

Gary Johnson has revealed plans to sign a left-sided player in January.

Bristol City's manager has drawn up a shortlist of possible targets and chairman Steve Lansdown has made money available to spend when English football reopens for business in the new year.

Johnson has yet to replace Scottish winger Michael McIndoe, who left Ashton Gate to join Coca-Cola Championship rivals Coventry before the start of the season.

But he promised Bristol City supporters at the club's annual meeting last night that strenuous efforts were being made to sign a replacement during the January transfer window.

"It's something we're aware of and we're trying to alleviate the problem," said Johnson.

"We have a list of names and we're looking extensively for the right player to give us balance on the left.

"I realise we don't really have cover for Jamie McAllister on that flank and we cannot rely on him to keep making a miraculous recovery from injury and playing in every game.

"We need cover and we need another option and we're doing our best to redress the balance."

Addressing an audience of around 300 inside Ashton Gate's Dolman Exhibition Hall, Johnson defended his decision to sell McIndoe, claiming the time was right for him to leave.

He said: "I can't go into details about Michael because it would not be professional to do so. But I had good reason to let him go and the time was right for him to move on.

"I wanted a left winger who could affect the game and Michael had stopped doing that as often as we needed him to.

"The search has been on for a naturally left-sided replacement ever since, but there are not many players of that type out there. People are always coming up with names but it is not as easy as that.

"Half of the time, the ones you want are not available and, because out and out wingers who get at defenders and cause problems are few and far between, clubs do not want to part with the best ones. Johnson took the opportunity to respond to those fans who have criticised him for not deploying wingers this season.

He said: "We have wide players here, but they have to be consistent when they come into the side.

"Lots of teams play a 4-3-3 system these days and, if you go with a 4-4-2 with wide players, you can leave yourself open in the middle of the park.

"Chelsea do not play with wide players and they're not doing too bad."