Blazing Saddlers!

Lee Johnson with his dad Gary Johnson behind him

A FESTIVE sherry will be shared between the two managers tonight, marking a ceasefire in the phoney war.

Skulduggery in shopping centres and text message mind games over tactics have marked the build-up to the most important game of the season so far on a personal level for the duo who will prowl the technical areas at SportsDirect.com Park tomorrow.

But when Athletic manager Lee Johnson walks in to Yeovil’s team hotel to exchange greetings of the season with his father, Glovers boss Gary, both men will know that inside the other lies the burning desire to gain a positive result.

For Johnson senior, his very job as manager of a club he has had huge historical success at is now under more scrutiny than ever before.

“It was only 10 weeks ago they were talking about building a bronze statue in his honour,” said Lee of the heat that is on his father at Huish Park, with the team struggling in 23rd in Sky Bet League One. “That goes to show you how things change.

“He will always have that legendary status because of where he has taken them from. But there’s no doubt there’s not a great feeling in the air down there at the moment and that’s due to results.”

As a non-league club, Gary Johnson guided Yeovil on a rise through the ranks. After winning the FA Trophy in his first season in charge, the Somerset minnows romped to a Conference title and went on to finish top of League Two a decade ago.

Son Lee was a key member of the Glovers’ side back then and absorbed every aspect of dad’s managerial style.

“He really does make you or break you,” said Lee of his dad, rating himself as a slightly softer touch than his old man.

Not that either held back at all after Athletic were beaten 1-0 at the Banks’s Stadium last season, Adam Rooney missing a late penalty with his last kick of a ball for the club. The result against the Saddlers left Athletic only three points clear of the relegation zone.

“We had a blazing row at Walsall,” Lee Johnson recalled.

“Dad came to watch our game and I thought we totally dominated though we came away losing, with Rooney missing that penalty.

“He was so angry with me for playing too much football. We ended up arguing upstairs in the corporate area at Walsall afterwards.

“But he was right. We weren’t getting behind teams enough and I took that on and planned sessions around it.

“That advice helped us get out of trouble.”
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