No old pals’ act as Johnson heads for reunion

Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date published: 01 November 2013


LEE Johnson is determined to set sentiment aside tomorrow as Athletic attempt to show they haven’t been spooked by the Notts County horror show.

The squad convened for a special Halloween video nasty at Boundary Park yesterday, with all aspects of the Meadow Lane defeat analysed.

Despite having represented Bristol a game short of 200 times, Johnson insists he won’t be influenced when he walks out in the hope of ending a gruesome run of six away defeats in a row.

“I loved it there and had a great time,” said Johnson, who as a player helped City to promotion from League One and the Championship play-off final of 2008.

“Again, there was pressure and expectation, playing for my dad (Gary Johnson) I had to wear my tin hat at times if I wasn’t performing well,” .

“But this one is exactly the same for me. It is another important game for us. The home crowd can turn on them if they are not doing so well and hopefully I can use my knowledge to manipulate that.

“I would be surprised if I get a bad reception, but I am sure I will get a fair bit of heckling as the game

goes on.”

Bristol’s potency up front makes it more of a relief that James Tarkowski is able to step back into the Athletic team after suspension. But Joseph Mills is only rated 50-50 to return at left-back.

At the opposite end there could be a chance for Jonson Clarke-Harris, who scored with a cracking free-kick on Tuesday night, at the expense of Kirk Millar.