Cheltenham have to 'hit ground running' - Johnson

Cheltenham have to "hit the ground running" this summer after their relegation and a host of personnel changes, new director of football Gary Johnson has said.

The Robins return to League Two in 2024-25 after their three-year spell in the third tier came to an end in May.

Former manager Darrell Clarke and 12 players have left since the end of the last campaign, with Michael Flynn appointed in his place after Johnson returned to the club.

"It's great that the club have made these decisions early - the manager, director of football, assistant manager. We've got to hit the ground running," Johnson told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"We're trying to get players in so that we've got our squad more or less ready for the pre-season, let alone the season itself.

"We'll do things that bring the group together, which is what Michael wants to do, we'll get a team spirit and a team energy by the time we start the games."

Johnson previously spent three years as manager at Cheltenham, guiding them to promotion from the National League, from 2015 to 2018.

The 68-year-old said it was like "coming home" when he returned to the Gloucestershire club in May and was involved in the appointment of Flynn, who has managed Newport County, Walsall and Swindon Town.

"Michael's got good experience of this league," Johnson said.

"I've always known him as a competitor, a motivator, says it how it is, which is good - I'm the same. We've just got to make sure that we're successful, it's important for him, it's important for me.

"A lot of players like him. He can have a go at somebody more or less as their dad, as opposed to someone who is angry at them and doesn't like them. He can still put his arm round you two minutes later.

"His personality's competitive but he's a good person the players like to work with."

Cheltenham have brought in five players so far, including former Wrexham captain Luke Young and midfielders Harry Pell and Scot Bennett.

"We've made some good signings in my opinion. We lost a lot of experience early on but at least we knew early what we had to do and we covered that experience now," Johnson added.