Bristol City were somewhat of a suprise package last season and the manager is hoping that his side can show that 2007/08 was not a flash in the pan. The City boss was quick to dispell fears that his side will suffer the dreaded second season syndrome.
"If you let people say second season syndrome all the time then it could affect you but we use it as motivation," he told the official website. "I'll be telling the player to use it as motivation so as not to play into the hands of all the people waiting for us to fail."
Johnson also dismissed claims that last season was a one off and that the club rode the previous season's successes in order to enable them to get so close to the Premiership. He said: "I don't think we were lucky last year. I think we've got a very good group of players, the Championship is a very competetive league and we have to be at our very best, 100%, once more."
He also said that he believes his club have got over their heartbreaking playoff loss and will come back stronger,
"We have the mentality to bounce back from any defeat we have along the way. It's a big game week after week and we'll be up for it. You've got Derby, Birmingham, Reading, Sheffield United, Watford and so many 'big teams'. More than half the division have spent time in the Premier League recently. The pressure is on all them to go back up."
"They will see themselves as Premier League clubs and we need to put a run of wins together like we did last October if we are to stay with them."