Bristol City chairman Steve Lansdown says appointing Gary Johnson as manager was vital in building a club that is capable of reaching the Premier League.

City face Hull at Wembley on Saturday in the Championship play-off final.

Lansdown told BBC Points West: "He'd been in various jobs for a period of time and he'd built something.

"That was the key, I wanted someone who was going to work hard and build something. That's what he's done, and who knows what he might build?"

Lansdown found that Johnson's enthusiasm for the game made it easy for him to appoint the then-Yeovil Town manager to the Ashton Gate hotseat in September 2005.

"He brings discipline, hard work, enthusiasm and he wants me to enjoy being chairman of the football club.

We've got a great squad of players here and we've got to add to that squad and keep improving the club all the time Bristol City chairman Steve Lansdown

"I think if he's working for that aim that means that everybody here watching the football as Bristol City supporters should be enjoying watching the game, the players should enjoy playing for the club and he should enjoy managing the club."

The Robins chairman is hoping for a great day out at Wembley on Saturday, but he is braced for either of the two possible outcomes against Hull.

"I'll enjoy it assuming we win, " he said. "If we don't win I'll be devastated, I know that - I've been there before with the play-off final at the Millennium (when City lost to Brighton) and I don't want to go through that again.

"We want to put on a good show and make sure everybody has a good day out - but you don't have a great day out unless you win the final so that's what it's all about."

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In terms of forward planning, Lansdown denied that he has a 'plan A' for the Premier League in one drawer and a 'plan B' in another if his club stay in the Championship.

"I haven't got any plans in any drawers, but we know what we're doing and if we are in the Premier League next year we know what we need to do.

"We have plans in place but nothing in terms of budgets written out.

"We just know we've got to keep on building on what we have done - we've got a great squad of players here and we've got to add to that squad and keep improving the club all the time."