Bristol City boss Lee Johnson reflects on playful push of 'sneaky' Leeds United defender Luke Ayling in defeat at Elland Road

BRISTOL CITY boss Lee Johnson has joked that he wanted to two foot and hug Luke Ayling at the same time as the Leeds United defender lurked near his first-half team talk at Elland Road.
PUSH OFF! Bristol City manager Lee Johnson in last weekend's 1-0 defeat at Leeds United. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.PUSH OFF! Bristol City manager Lee Johnson in last weekend's 1-0 defeat at Leeds United. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.
PUSH OFF! Bristol City manager Lee Johnson in last weekend's 1-0 defeat at Leeds United. Picture by Bruce Rollinson.

With United dominating the Robins in Saturday's Championship clash at LS11, Johnson and his players gathered by the touchline after a break in play for an injury midway through the first half.

Ayling, though, appeared intent on eavesdropping with Johnson then softly pushing the defender away as he conducted his instructions to his players.

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Ayling - who spent two years at Bristol City between July 2014 and August 2016 - bagged the only goal of the game in Saturday's contest and a stellar display saw the 28-year-old defender walk away with the man of the match award.

Whites right back Ayling spent six months under Johnson at the Robins after Johnson's appointment as City's new manager in February 2016 before being sold to Leeds in the summer.

Asked about the incident in pushing Ayling away and about his relationship with the defender, Johnson told Bristol Live: "I was smiling as I did it.

"He's a great lad, first and foremost. And obviously he's done really well and he was probably the main man in that game the way he played.

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"Part of me wanted to - with my player's head on - tread on his toes, two foot him, give him a cuddle and pinch him under the arms at the same time.

"But part of me also respected his sneaky nature, listening to what I had to say.

"Fortunately and it's probably a bit of an example that none of the other lads spotted it and threw him out of the way, because that's what I'd have done as a player.

"And therefore I had to do it with a gritted smile and I think it's fair play from him and fair play from me - but I don't know how it came across social media."