Blues co-owner Brett Johnson says Town intend to keep 10 per cent of the large squad manager Paul Cook inherited in March.

Cook released a number of players who were out of contract, including skipper Luke Chambers and fellow stalwarts Cole Skuse and Freddie Sears, at the end of the season and told most of the rest of the squad that they could move on this summer.

Andre Dozzell joined QPR today, Gwion Edwards recently left for Wigan despite being offered new terms and keeper Dai Cornell’s contract has been terminated by mutual consent with plenty of others expected to join them in departing.

Speaking to The Athletic, Johnson says the plan is for around four of the squad Cook took charge of in March to remain at the club.

“We’re making wholesale changes,” he said. “We had long calls with Paul and we have a lot of faith in him.

“He was the manager that we were intending to appoint, and Marcus Evans reached out to us because (Cook) was appointed before we closed the deal, but that he was on our very, very short list.

“Paul showed up and there were something like 43 players on the extended roster; I think we’re keeping about 10 per cent of them. The question is how quickly you can bring in so much talent and get it to click.

“What we all want to do is take a sober approach to how quickly the turnaround starts to happen.

“You need a little time to gel and in a lot of environments, you’re not given a lot of time. We have to be pragmatic relative to the fact of how competitive the league is when you’re starting with a base that needs to be completely overhauled.”

Among those ear-marked to continue as part of the squad are the likes of right-back Kane Vincent-Young and striker James Norwood, while Town offered Edwards a new deal and took up an option on Aaron Drinan's contract.

Some of those who have been told they can move on will get the chance to convince Cook they're worth keeping hold of when they return for pre-season training a week on Saturday.

Already young forward Armando Dobra has stated his intention to win himself a place in the team.

The Blues have made two signings so far, forward Wes Burns and midfielder Lee Evans with West Brom’s Rekeem Harper set to become the third summer recruit, and Johnson is pleased with those additions.

“In these early days, I’m beyond encouraged relative to the quality and calibre of talent that we’ve already started to sign and a bunch of talent that’s sitting in the wings,” he continued.

“While there are some phenomenal clubs that we’re competing against, I also think given the dislocation that’s been happening in the global sport, there are a lot of clubs that are probably suffering right now.

“I think we’re well positioned to make sure that we can bounce out of this whole surreal period, in a very strong position.”

Photo: TWTD

Monkey_Blue added 12:18 - Jun 16 KickingBlock. Other than a nice new stand how did Bristol City get on under Ashton and O'Leary?
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Kickingblock added 12:25 - Jun 16 I don't know and I don't care! A team will be assembled and I will go and support them as soon as possible. 👍
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StavangerBlue added 12:43 - Jun 16 We need a clearout. Over the past seasons, I have come to the conclusion the team was fragile. Where was the battling, the all-out attacks in the last 10 minutes to win the game? Nothing. The mental attitude of the team was shot. One nill down, after 10 minutes, and it was game over. We need a new team with a new attitude. Mental toughness. Desire to win. We need Magilton's passion and Butcher's battling.

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karl1426 added 12:43 - Jun 16 I honestly think this is CRAZY! How you expect so many to click in such a short period of time! I hope I am wrong!
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Kickingblock added 12:52 - Jun 16 They will "click" very quickly, they are professionals, it's what they are paid to do. If you assemble an orchestra of musicians who speak different languages, they will be making music after the rehearsals. It's better to feel optimistic about what's going on, no point ruining your summer being so down about it.
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Dog added 13:27 - Jun 16 we needed to get rid of some players but we need to keep KVY, Woolfenden, Downes, Lankester and Dobra. for those fully supporting Paul Cook - can you just say what is an acceptable season, ie , a decent cup run and mid table, top half, top eight, play offs, promotion??. For me, it has to be better than the past two seasons - a higher finish, and then promotion next year.
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ImAbeliever added 13:36 - Jun 16 Just looking forward to watching a new team, spending my team card points and seeing my name on the mural. The sun is shining ….. 😂 ITID
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Lightningboy added 13:41 - Jun 16 If ever an underachieving squad needed the boot it's this one - i'm all for a rebuild. This website's server could do with a kick up the backside too - painfully slow waiting for pages to load up these days.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 14:03 - Jun 16 Monkeyblue where have we finished at the end of the season past two years?? Who cares we may have been top six at one point it's where you finish you plum!? So again don't make arguement a you can't back up Lambert was in charge and we finished half way both seasons not top six like you keep claiming! So you'd rather the decline under evans still?? And what did Ashton do a Bristol he let them spend 45 million in four seasons and recouped 77 including our underpricing sale of webster who was sold for a 20 million profit one season later, let them compete around the playoffs spending 7 million on one player the then manger wanted when did we last do that? oh and ceo of 2019 So excuse us if we'd rather this rebuild than evans still here 🙄 come back with some real facts monkeyblue

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KernewekBlue added 14:16 - Jun 16 As far as this coming season goes, I'm not expecting miracles. If it happens sooner rather than later, great. If not, I'm fully prepared to wait and trust in the ongoing process. To undertake a rebuild of the magnitude needed for our club to progress takes a large financial injection, time and patience. The vast majority of contributors here over the past few seasons have called for this rebuild, which would never have happened under Evans... at least, not with any success. We witnessed how Evans oversaw the transfer of players when Paul Hurst took charge... bargain basement, cheap-not-cheerful amateurs and journeymen... now THAT was a shambles! This time around, it appears the club aren't shy of parting with a few quid to get in the right blend of talent to mix in with those already at the club who can do a job for us. If it proves to be a task which takes more than one season to complete, so be it. This is a journey we need to take, a long-term solution to a chronic problem that has permeated throughout the whole fabric of our club for years now. Those crying over the departure of players that have contributed to our slow and painful decline need to wake up and smell the coffee. Our club will never again be a success if we don't see this process through to the bitter end, however long that process may take. Realistically, I can see it taking two to three seasons until we really start to reap the benefits of what the new owners and management are doing now and I'd gladly take that over watching the club continue in the same vein as it did under Evans. Those players that have left needed to go, as much for their own benefit as ours. Those players coming in will bring a fresh impetus to the club and a lot of new hope. We need to embrace this time of change and get fully behind our new team, giving them all the support they need to kick on and put our club back where we want it to be. COYB

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BettyBlue added 14:32 - Jun 16 So far we've signed a first team of the CEO's mates on big salaries to act as consultants and experts... I've got a feeling I know who'll be profiting from this takeover.
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Monkey_Blue added 14:37 - Jun 16 BeattiesBackPocket. PC was in charge for the last 16 games and his points per game was significantly worse than we had under lambert. I keep hearing we need solid league one players. However players who've had us top half for two years aren't solid league one players? There was a case to move some on but this is ridiculous. The fact some of you aren't realistic isn't my problem, it's the fact this may be suicidal in terms of such higher player turnover and how players have been judged. I'll remind you that cook came in off the back of three straight wins, two away to teams above us. He seems incapable of working out a way to play beyond his one way. A good manager in his circumstances would have had the guile to work out the best way to play with what he had then evolve the squad in the summer given we still had a good chance of being in the play-offs. However bad you think we were under lambert the 3 or 4 worst performances of the season came under Cook. Never understood the irrationality of fans on either extreme. I've looked at the facts and we were top half and almost always in touch with or in the promotion race, so the players can't be that poor. We've just signed a midfielder who's team nearly went down to league two. I am not rating him on that, but as a squad we were far from not good enough to challenge. We needed a regular goal scorer and Norwood or Jackson aren't it.

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BeattiesBackPocket added 15:01 - Jun 16 Monkeyblue I'll ask again Where did we finish first season and were we in the top six before he left yes or no?? Those ARE the facts! I was never one for lambert being the issue the issue was lack of structure and having players not playing for the club with a slow decline year on year. We now have a structure in place we have a ceo who knows what he's doing or you going to ignore all the good stuff he did at Bristol including spending 44 million in 4 seasons? And competing until this season around the playoffs? Ceo 2019 but no according to you he doesn't know what he's doing 🙄

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BeattiesBackPocket added 15:04 - Jun 16 Monkeyblue How can what these guys do be any worse than we've had past 14 seasons? We were challenging around the championship playoffs then now average league one side and the owner was to blame every manager and leaving players can't be wrong can they?? Or maybe you know better than all those professionals 😂
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atty added 15:19 - Jun 16 blues1 -please note the words “could that” and “No idea” . Ta.
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BettyBlue added 15:50 - Jun 16 If Ashton is as good as he says he is, how come he left Bristol City ? In 19th place.... only cost £44m....and 10 managers....
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BeattiesBackPocket added 16:14 - Jun 16 Bettyblue you are boring now. People have made the case for why ashtons good at his job countless times. He's had 3 I'll spell that out for you THREE MANAGERS in his 4 years there, 44 million spent 78 million in kept them challenging around the playoffs till this year, new stand new supporters and spent 7 million on one player two seasons ago because the manager wanted them has always supported his managers but if they're not good enough he will wield the axe as well. Would you rather the old regime decline and massive debt with no investments in the team or structure?? You're either a Norwich fan or Evans in disguise I'm not sure. I suggest like monkey blue come out with facts that aren't made up 10 managers what a prat

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BeattiesBackPocket added 16:15 - Jun 16 Christ you couldn't make it up monkeyblue thinks we've been top 6 finishing past two years and bettyblue claims ashtons gone through 10 managers in 4 years 😂 can we get the budgies off this page please
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BlueRuin69 added 16:52 - Jun 16 This is just Great...so long away from portman road and we will return with a proper squad! Super excited! COYB
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dirtydingusmagee added 16:55 - Jun 16 just grab a tinny , sit back and hope this all works out, something had to be done. It is going to have to come together smartish though . catchup is always like chasing shadows. We wanted change we wanted a clearout, we are getting it . P
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BettyBlue added 18:04 - Jun 16 "Ultimately a combination of failures on player recruitment, the performance of the fitness and conditioning teams, poor communication and a persona that to many was simply unlikable had already led many to question his role and demand change."
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BeattiesBackPocket added 18:35 - Jun 16 Bettyblue who are the 10 TEN managers Ashtons had?? I'll wait?? And he left it wasn't mutual consent he left for a challenge and due to decline over 14 years and no structure he's come here to do just that. Again you clearly want evans back and to fall into league two with an even bigger debt you surely are on the wrong site
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BettyBlue added 19:06 - Jun 16 Ray Lewington Aidy Boothroyd Malky Mackay Justin Merritt Mark Jones Steve Cotterill Lee Johnson Dean Holden Nigel Pearson Paul Cook
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BettyBlue added 19:08 - Jun 16 I wouldn't bet on Paul Cook's chances of staying around very long.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 19:25 - Jun 16 Bettyblue you even believe your own bull. Straight from the Bristol city website: February 2016-July 2020: Lee Johnson August 2020 - February 2021: Dean Holden February 2021 - Present: Nigel Pearson Ashtons only been there since 2016 🙄
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