Gary Johnson parts with Peterborough United

Johnson's last game in charge was a 6-2 FA Cup defeat by Fulham

Peterborough United manager Gary Johnson has left the club by mutual consent after nine months in charge.

A short statement from the club read: "The manager and chairman could not see eye to eye on policy."

Johnson arrived at London Road in April with Posh already consigned to relegation from the Championship.

The 55-year-old, who was given the task of winning immediate promotion back to the second tier, has left with the club seventh in League One.

Former Bristol City boss Johnson becomes the fifth manager to depart Posh under the stewardship of owner Darragh MacAnthony.

We've had so many managers in so short a time, it's one league we're top of I think

Ex Peterborough player Tommy Robson

Darren Ferguson started the 2009-10 campaign at the helm before Mark Cooper and Jim Gannon both came and went.

Keith Alexander, who was in charge when Irish businessman MacAnthony acquired the club, left in January 2007.

After managing to retain the services of Aaron Mclean, Craig Mackail-Smith and George Boyd in the summer, Johnson brought in a host of fresh faces to bolster his squad.

But despite strength in attack Posh have looked fragile in defence, shipping 42 goals in their 21 league games this season.

And after a 3-0 home defeat by Brighton in October and a 5-1 reverse to Charlton in November the pressure started to build.

606: DEBATE

With a bit of luck, Darren Ferguson will be unveiled at the end of the week

Crow4England

Posh lost 6-2 to Fulham in the FA Cup on Saturday but they are undefeated in their last four league outings and it would seem disagreements with MacAthony, rather than form, have cost the ex-Cambridge United chief his job.

Former Peterborough United winger Tommy Robson told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire he was sad to see Johnson go.

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

"We've had so many managers in so short a time, it's one league we're top of I think," Posh's all time record appearance holder joked.

"Gary's a great lad, he's welcoming and his teams have always played well.

"He's has some bad luck at the minute, obviously George Boyd's injured and he's a key player, so things haven't been rosy for the lad all the way through."

Posh have named youth-team boss David Oldfield as caretaker manager.