Bookies believe Johnson is strong candidate for Barnsley job

FORMER Bristol City manager Lee Johnson is among the favourites to return to his former stomping ground and take the vacant job at Barnsley.

The Tykes parted company with Poya Asbaghi after their relegation to League One was confirmed following Friday’s 2-1 away defeat to Huddersfield.

Former Barnsley player and academy coach Martin Devaney has been named as caretaker manager until the end of the season when the club will reassess their options before preparing for life in the third tier.

Preparations are undoubtedly underway to draft a shortlist of names to find a long-term appointment with the likes of Jonathan Woodgate and Gareth Ainsworth being touted.

The bookies also suggest Johnson, pictured, could make a return to Oakwell as he plots a route back into management following his sacking at Sunderland.

Johnson, 40, has been without work since leaving the Black Cats in January in the wake of their humiliating 6-0 defeat to Bolton Wanderers. It is understood he wants a swift return to management and Barnsley could be the team to offer him an opportunity to step back inside the dugout, six years after leaving the club.

Johnson spent just shy of a year at Barnsley following his appointment in 2015, winning 20 of his 51 matches in charge before leaving to follow in his father’s footsteps to manage Bristol City. According to the bookies, Devaney remains 2/1 favourite to take the job permanently with Johnson 12/1 to be handed a return to his old club. Only five other names have shorter odds than Johnson to take the position.

Wycombe’s Ainsworth, the longest-serving one-club manager in the top four divisions, is joint second favourite alongside former Burnley defender and Cheltenham manager Michael

Duff.

Woodgate and Barnsley’s old manager Daniel

Stendel are both 10/1 for the role ahead of Johnson and Simon Grayson. Ex-City manager Tony Pulis is also one of the names on the bookies’ shortlist.

Johnson has been linked with numerous jobs since becoming unemployed having been linked with Peterborough in February after Darren Ferguson left his position. He was also touted for the Bradford position before the club appointed Mark Hughes.