Few people in football can go from so loved to so hated at a club within a few seasons but 2015/16 National League winning manager Gary Johson is someone who could be considered part of that group. Without him, there could have been no academy, no League Two title, no FA Cup run.
When a team drops into non-league, it could be a death sentence. Your club could fall into amateur obscurity and languish about outside of the Football League for years, losing your academy is a real threat with costs cut at all measures and money getting tighter and tighter the longer you're gone.
Over twenty teams have been relegated to the fifth tier in the last decade, many of which remain out of league football with the likes of Yeovil, Chesterfield and Grimsby currently still trying to return. One team has been able to go down and bounce straight back up as champions. One. Only two have been able to bounce back up in any way. So it goes without saying, Gary Johnson being able to assemble a title winning squad on a shoestring budget is an incredible achievement and one we can never forget.
So yes, we should be thankful to Johnson for getting us back, and later keeping us up, and for leading the club even in ill health. Even with everything he achieved, it started to become evident that the club had stagnated, little chance of promotion to League One and a constant unerring worry of relegation had crept in.
2017 saw a difficult time for the club, Gary Johnson underwent heart surgery after falling ill and was absent for 11 games with his brother, Russell Milton, and Steve Book leading the team while Johnson did what he could in recovery. Johnson gave his all despite the circumstances, something which should be respected by all and mentioned when discussing his time with us.
There were also rumours of the current Torquay gaffer apparently being a 'bully', allegedly not treating players well and even causing altercations in the changing rooms with rumours of players having to be held back after a 1-0 loss to Forest Green. Not a nice sounding environment at all. Rumours we must stress.
Despite this, the former Latvia manager had pulling power, managing to bring the likes of Carl Winchester (sorry but it was an incredible signing), Brian Graham and Will Boyle to Gloucestershire. This caused some controversial moments but also helped to set the club up for success with players such as Boyle, Scott Flinders, Sean Long and Chris Hussey playing key roles in our League Two title win as well as plucking Mo Eisa from obscurity and selling him on for over £1million.
Johnson did lose the dressing room, and the Eisa money could have been better spent. Relationships could have been handled better and forcing players out and them joining your modern arch rivals isn’t ideal, but with a different manager in charge we could never have been in those situations.
We have some great memories of Johnson’s tenure, a 3-2 win at Kenilworth Road, big wins over Mansfield and Colchester, the National League titles and every time Harry Pell played Grimsby. There were also some less fond times, losing to Forest Green so often, heartless performances and buckling under pressure. Changes had to be made, and so they were, with Michael Duff coming in and taking us to new heights.
So the question stands, what do you think of Gary Johnson?
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