It is 28 years since the Robins were last in the top flight but they are now just one game away from ending their lengthy exile.

A thrilling extra-time victory over Crystal Palace in their Coca-Cola Championship play-off semi-final second leg ensured City will line up at Wembley on May 24 for a game which Johnson rates as "one of the biggest games of the world".

Bristol is the largest city in England never to have showcased the Premier League but Johnson believes football is on the rise in the area.

Last November the club announced plans to move to a new 30,000 all-seater stadium for the start of the 2011/12 season, while their local rivals Bristol Rovers reached the FA Cup quarter-finals.

And the Robins boss admits promotion to the top flight would give the city a chance to "well and truly" establish itself further up the football hierarchy.

"It's a big football city, isn't it? They all understand the game. Bristol Rovers have done well over the couple of years as well, they have had a good cup run this year," said Johnson.

"Bristol is a fantastic football area and if one of the teams can take off then the area will take off as a football area.

"If we can get ourselves into the Premier League, and we have got one more game to go, then Bristol will be well and truly part of the football map for at least that season."

More than a few eyebrows are sure to have been raised at City's rapid success given they were only promoted from League One last year.

The Robins even led the Coca-Cola Championship in March but they were forced to settle for a play-off place after results tailed off towards the end of the campaign.

But Johnson insisted he never doubted his players for one second - and they proved him right when Lee Trundle and Michael McIndoe netted in extra time to wrap up a 4-2 aggregate victory.

"The boys have rallied round," he said. "We had faith in them right through the season.

"Never once did you ever hear any of us saying we're not good enough and we're not going to make it.

"We knew that we had a spirit than can take us all the way and we just have to get through that one more game."

Even reaching the play-offs was a remarkable achievement for the Eagles, who were second from bottom in early November.

Much of the credit must go to Neil Warnock, who only arrived weeks before as Peter Taylor's replacement.

And the former Sheffield United boss is confident his young side will improve next season.

He said: "The Palace fans used to hate me but they are quite happy I am manager now and we'll be stronger next year."

As for holding onto teenage stars like Sean Scannell and Victor Moses, both 17, Warnock is confident they will still be at Selhurst Park for the new campaign.

"Very much so, they want to stay, they have got to play football. Where are they going to play anywhere else?" he added.

"There's no other club in the Championship that play as many we do - seven or eight - because managers are frightened to play kids but at my age it doesn't matter, does it?"

However, he admitted 16-year-old prodigy John Bostock looks set for White Hart Lane.

He said: "I don't honestly know. I've been told he's going to sign for Tottenham but I'm not sure. I'll be speaking to his dad.

"It's disappointing really if that's the case because I've not been told myself. But these big clubs can do what they want, can't they?"

ends