Lee Johnson: Parachute payments will create lower-league feeder clubs

Bristol City beat Ipswich 2-1 on Saturday in their first game under Lee Johnson

New Bristol City head coach Lee Johnson says it will soon be "impossible" for lower-league clubs to reach the Premier League because of parachute payments.

Clubs relegated from the Premier League will receive at least £64m over three years from next season.

Teams who spend only one season in the top tier will be given about £51m.

"Looking at a League One team now, if they don't get into the Premier League within the next five years there'll be absolutely zero chance," said Johnson.

"I think because there's such huge payments as far as the parachute stuff it'll just be impossible.

"It will end up going into [a system of] feeder clubs and there's no way around that because it just can't be sustainable."

Lee Johnson (right) played under his father Gary at Bristol City for four years between 2006 and 2010

Johnson left Barnsley to take charge at Ashton Gate this month, having started his managerial career at Oldham.

Asked by BBC Radio Bristol whether he thought football would change "fundamentally" in the near future, the 34-year-old agreed it would.

"You've only got to look at the likes of Manchester City now that have got City Group, and they've got six or seven clubs all around the world that are very closely linked," he said.

"It's becoming almost like a franchise global market scenario and the big clubs with the big money will just expand.

"It will become very difficult for the likes of an Oldham or Barnsley to get into the Premier League."

Bristol City are currently 21st in the Championship, five points above the relegation zone.