Former Hibs and Sunderland boss set to replace Celtic legend as manager of EFL club

Former Hibs boss Lee Johnson is reportedly set to be named the manager of an English Football League club, less than two weeks since he was dismissed from his job at Easter Road.

Football Insider claim that the 42-year old is set to be confirmed as the new boss of Fleetwood Town where he will replace former Celtic and Hibs star Scott Brown who was also recently sacked. The Lancashire side currently sit 23rd in EFL League One having lost five and drawn one of their opening six fixtures.

Johnson apparently ‘impressed’ during an interview for the role on Thursday and it is claimed that he has now been offered the position. Former Oxford United and MK Dons boss Karl Robinson, who recently worked as Sam Allardyce’s assistant manager at Leeds United, also reportedly turned down the job.

Johnson was head coach at Easter Road for just over one year, taking charge in May 2022 and leading the club to a fifth place Scottish Premiership finish which was enough to secure European football. However, the team’s inconsistent performances during his tenure meant that he started the 2023/24 season on thin ice with many supporters and the decision to dismiss him from the role came after they lost their opening three league matches.

Home defeats to St Mirren and Livingston, an away defeat to Motherwell and a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Aston Villa in their UEFA Europa Conference League play-off first leg saw the former Sunderland boss relieved of his duties. Losing their opening european qualifier 2-1 to Andorran minnows Inter Club d’Escaldes also didn’t help even if they did go on to win the tie 7-3 on aggregate .

Meanwhile, Nick Montgomery appears to be the man Hibs are pursuing as Johnson’s replacement. Scott Brown, the now former Fleetwood boss, was one of the names discussed by pundits and supporters but the Australian coach is the current frontrunner for the Easter Road vacancy.