Johnson wants to keep City loan stars for longer period

TORQUAY UNITED

Bristol City loanee Jake Edwards played a starring role in United’s record-breaking 7-0 FA Cup win at a wet Lymington on Saturday

Manager Gary Johnson is about to use his ‘Bristol City Connection’ again – but this time to keep two of Torquay United’s talented Ashton Gate loan signings.

Johnson, who added Robins striker Saikou Janneh to United’s loan roster last week, has stressed that he intends to exploit his family link with son Lee, manager of Championship City.

He has already gone back to Johnson Jr to keep midfielder Jake Andrews and winger Opi Edwards for a second month on loan. They were both signed by former manager Gary Owers.

The pair’s current deals run out after this Saturday’s National League South home game against leaders Woking – that will be Johnson’s first game at Plainmoor.

He revealed: “I have already spoken to Bristol City about Jake and Opi – they are both terrific players at this level, and we need to keep them.”

Andrews, 20, deservedly earned glowing reviews for his performance in the 7-0 hammering of Lymington Town in the FA Cup on Saturday, topped off by United’s final goal in the last minute.

The tie was televised live by BBC Online and was available on the ‘Red Button’.

“I’ve told Jake that he could never get the sort of publicity he did on Saturday playing for Bristol’s under-23s,” said Johnson.

“A lot of football people will have watched it on TV, and his name will now be not only on Bristol City’s mind, but other people’s as well.”

Johnson has already brought Janneh, 18, and free agent centre-back Jamie Sendles-White into the Gulls’ squad since he took over a fortnight ago, and he hasn’t ruled out more arrivals.

“We are working from a good base at the moment, and I am pleased with the squad that’s here, but if I can find players who can improve us further and help us to win promotion, which is the aim this season, then I will bring them in.

“That may mean players going out on loan to get games, but there are no plans for that right now.

“You can imagine how many phone calls I’m getting from players, agents and other man- agers, and it’s a good job I have been around for a while – so you know which ones to listen to.”

Johnson has been banging the drum for the Woking game from the first day he took the United job, and two good results in his first two matches – a 2-0 win at Hungerford Town in the league and that seven-goal Cup rout of Lymington – have certainly helped.

He has described it as a ‘six-pointer’ even at this early stage of the season, mainly because he is so keen to cut the seven-point gap to Woking and force United up into the promotion and play-off picture.

Gareth Davies/PPAUK