Johnson is glad he came on board

TORQUAY UNITED manager Gary Johnson is celebrating a year in the job – with a pat on the back for accepting it in the first place, writes David Thomas.

Johnson took over from the justsacked Gary Owers on September 13, 2018, and in a remarkable 12 months has led the Gulls to a recordbreaking National League South Championship and now has them in eighth place in the National League.

“You’re never quite sure what you’re getting yourself into, but a year later you’re thinking ‘well done’ to yourself – because it was a good decision,” said the 63-year-old former boss of Cheltenham Town, where he had just been dismissed four games into last season.

“I enjoy working with the people here – in fact, I’ve enjoyed all of it,” he added. “The club has grown – it’s growing in its performance, it’s growing in its structure and in its ideas for the future.

“I can go home each evening and know that I’m working for a very solid and successful football club. Everything is developing really nicely, and you’re looking forward to the next year – but we need to keep all that going.”

Two of Torquay’s injured players, midfielders Connor LemonheighEvans and skipper Asa Hall, will be out of action for several weeks, Johnson has confirmed.

Lemonheigh-Evans requires ankle ligament surgery and Hall has broken a toe. Both men were hurt in the first half of the Gulls’ 1-1 draw at Woking on September 3, although Hall managed to finish that match with the break and LemonheighEvans made it to half-time before he was replaced.

Hall could be back in two to three weeks, but Johnson said: “Connor needs an operation, which will keep him out for a month or two, and we’re sorry to lose him.”

The other four players who had to miss last Saturday’s 4-2 home win over Harrogate Town – Opi Edwards (ankle), Armani Little (hamstring), Jean-Yves Koue Niate (concussion) and Ruairi Keating (thigh) – will be back sooner. Johnson hinted that a couple of them may be in contention when United travel to Chesterfield tomorrow.