Gary Johnson: Yeovil Town manager sees future at Huish Park

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Gary JohnsonImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Johnson led Yeovil up to the Championship for the first time in their history last summer

Manager Gary Johnson says he has "no thoughts" of leaving Yeovil Town.

Johnson has spent a total of six years at Huish Park, across two spells, and led the club to promotion to the Championship in the 2012-13 season.

The 58-year-old is under contract until 2015 and when asked if he could see himself finishing his career at Yeovil, he said: "My wife can. And she wants that to be sooner rather than later.

"I've got no thoughts of doing anything else at this moment in time."

He told BBC Somerset: "While I'm still thinking like that, this is the place I want to be."

After spells in charge at Newmarket, Cambridge United, Kettering and the Latvia national team, Johnson joined Yeovil in 2001 when they were a non-league club.

He led them to the Football League for the first time in their history in 2003 and a year later they were promoted to the third tier.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Johnson was in charge when Yeovil won promotion to the Football League in 2003

Johnson left Huish Park to join West Country rivals Bristol City in 2005 and, after unsuccessful stints at Northampton and Peterborough, he returned to the Glovers for a second time in January 2012, with former boss and captain Terry Skiverton moving to be his assistant.

The pair went on to lead the team to a famous League One play-off victory against Brentford at Wembley last May.

"I've had a great career and I've enjoyed what I've done. I don't feel that I've made a poor decision yet," added the Londoner.

"To be in the game this long is a success in itself and I'll just keep going. This is home for me."

Johnson's 28 years in management

Newmarket Town

1986-1988

Cambridge United

1992-1995

Kettering Town

1995-1997

Latvia

1999-2001

Yeovil Town

2001-2005

Bristol City

2005-2010

Peterborough United

2010-2011

Northampton Town

2011

Yeovil Town

2011-present

With the smallest budget in the league, Yeovil were unable to avoid relegation back to League One last season and finished bottom of the table.

But Johnson says the club will not be disheartened by their experience in the second tier.

"We were playing at a level than the club ever thought possible 10 years ago. We knew it was going to be an experience and that's why we wanted to enjoy it," he said.

"We competed very well and unfortunately, with a couple of games to go, we got relegated.

"It will be fun to go back up and stay up there next time. However, we've now have to deal with the pressure of being favourites to go back up this time."

You can hear Gary Johnson's full interview with BBC Somerset's Ben McGrail on the BBC iPlayer for seven days from Monday, 28 July.

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