Bristol City are closing in on a deal to appoint Nigel Pearson their next manager.
While nothing has been finalised, after advanced talks between the club and Pearson on Sunday it is thought the experienced manager is likely to sign a contract on Monday, putting him initially in charge of first-team affairs for the remainder of the season.
Former Southampton, Leicester City, Hull City and Derby County manager Pearson was sacked by Watford in July 2020 with the club three points above the Premier League relegation zone.
The Hornets went on to lose their two remaining games of the 2019-20 top-flight season and were relegated to the Championship.
Dean Holden was sacked as City head coach after the Robins’ 2-0 loss to Reading, a sixth consecutive defeat in all competitions.
Having started the season promisingly with four wins in a row from their opening four fixtures, Holden’s side fell away from the top six after losing 11 times in 15 league games since December 1.
Dean Holden took charge of Bristol City in August 2020 but was sacked earlier this month
A spate of long-term injuries to key players including Andreas Weimann, Jay Dasilva, Callum O’Dowda, Joe Williams, and Nathan Baker did not help Holden’s cause, while City also had to deal with a Covid-19 outbreak within the squad earlier in the campaign.
Assistant head coaches Paul Simpson and Keith Downing oversaw first-team affairs for City’s clash with Barnsley on Saturday as a Carlton Morris goal earned a 1-0 away win for the Tykes at Ashton Gate, which saw them slip to 15th in the table.
