I’m trying my best for the town

Trying his best for the town, Lee Johnson.

LEE Johnson never felt anything but comfortable amid the recent take-over talk at Athletic — though he isn’t about to dig out the pipe and slippers yet.


Athletic’s manager said he was always kept in the loop by chairman Simon Corney over Dr Marwan Koukash’s aborted interest in taking on the club and moving it to a brand new stadium somewhere in the town.

In spite of the uncertainty — and speculation in some quarters that Koukash may have wanted to bring in a new manager — Johnson’s focus has remained on doing his best for the club.

To that end, he told the Chronicle that he will wait as a matter of principle on signing a promised new contract until the position in Sky Bet League One improves.

honest “It has never really affected me, any of that,” said Johnson on the Koukash talk.

“Simon is open and honest with me anyway, which is good. Instead of maybe getting a bit nervous, it was settled pretty much before it started.

“Though a lot has been going on in the outside world, it certainly wasn’t my place to get involved and it still isn’t.

“I am an employee of the club and I am trying my best for the whole town, not just the chairman or the players.

“Hopefully, that is good enough. Whether Simon brings someone else in with him, or sells up, or stays for 10 years, all I can do is keep going to try to improve the club and myself.

“If I am here, fantastic. If not, I hope I can leave a legacy people can identify with.”

Johnson travelled with the squad to Kent today ahead of tomorrow’s return to Sky Bet League One action at Gillingham.

It is the second in a run of three away games — Athletic go to Shrewsbury on Tuesday — and Johnson hopes to gain six points by the middle of next week, by which time he will be ready to discuss terms on a new deal.

“I am a little bit embarrassed by (the new contract offer) as I feel we should be doing better,” Johnson added.

“I have given everything and feel I am doing well, but i don’t think many people get offered contracts in the league position we are in.

“Of course, I want to stay and sign it. But I want to do it going from a position of strength with us doing well.

“People might think that’s stupid and that being offered a deal, I should sign it.

“But it is out of pride. Get a couple of wins in the league, then we will talk about it.”

Though he is close to having a full squad to name from, Johnson was upset to discover that Kirk Millar had returned from international duty with Northern Ireland under-21s with a tweaked calf and sore ankle.

“It is disappointing. Every time they seem to go away, they (Millar and Carl Winchester) come back with something,” he said.

“It has annoyed me a little bit, as I don’t feel the standard is as good as it should be when they are away.

“So we will certainly be having talks about that with the Northern Ireland FA.”

Joseph Mills is eligible again for the final game of his loan spell before he returns to Burnley, while Jonathan Grounds returns from his one-match ban.