20 THE NON-LEAGUE PAPER, Sunday, August 16, 2020 Log onto www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com THE GAFFER’S GREATEST GAFFER WITH GARY JOHNSON By Andy Mitchell HO inspires the inspira- tions in the ever-chang- ing world of Wfootball? Which traits stand the test of time? In the latest of our series we pick the brains of one of the most decorated managers to grace the Non-League circuit, Torquay United’s Gary John- son. Despite being far more fa- mous for his exploits in the dugout than his playing career, those early days in the game and time coaching have pro- vided his biggest influences. They helped shape a career that saw Johnson lead Yeovil Town to the FA Trophy, Con- ference and League Two titles, Bristol City from League One struggles to the Championship play-off final, then Yeovil to the fairytale of a season in the second tier. He guided Cheltenham Town straight back into the Football League with the Na- tional League title and has turned the tide at Torquay United, winning National South to kick off the Devon club’s renaissance. All of that came after a first gig as player-manager at New- market Town, a role he relin- quished to play a part in Cam- bridge United’s historic ascent from Division Four strugglers to the cusp of top-flight foot- ball alongside John Beck. BORN WINNER: Former Watford and England manager Graham Taylor was a huge infl uence on the career of Gary Johnson, inset PICTURE: PA Images A move to Graham Taylor’s Watford, via Kettering Town, would also prove important prior to heading on to the in- ternational stage with Latvia. WHO WAS YOUR GREATEST GAFFER AND WHY? My favourite gaffers would be the ones I worked with as a A TAYLOR-MADE coach. I worked under Graham Taylor at Watford and that was an unbelievable experience. He was a fantastic man man- ager and there were a couple of promotions along the way. From there, I looked at what was needed from a dressing SUCCESSthe opposition’s penalty area. class, it was unfortunate he of course they are a big partSTORY! of ANY OTHER INFLUENCES? old Football Combination for a room, how to get the right peo- They made sure their teams ended up with England be- it but when you go into man- The board at Newmarket Town couple of seasons and thought I ple on your bus and Graham were fit as well. That’s some- cause the documentary about agement yourself you need to were a big influence because was doing okay. was very good at that. thing everyone would say but him (Graham Taylor: An Im- adjust at times. they gave me my first job. They had a couple of really He was a big influence on they had ways of making sure possible Job) was not a true Man management is very I was player-manager of a experienced midfielders, the me, he was Mr Watford and everyone was mentally fit and reflection of the way he was. important, so is being honest. group of mates and did okay, we club captain Dennis Bond being very conventional. That came raring to go as much as the John and I were just two Sometimes you have to tell peo- won a county cup and bits and one. I was his understudy but after my time at Cambridge physical side. excited young coaches who ple things they won’t like but pieces. he never seemed to get injured United under John Beck which brainstormed everything, we you know three years down I played myself every week over two or three seasons – even was very unconventional, al- WHAT ARE YOUR BEST got to the quarter-final of the the line that they will probably whether I had played well or not I couldn’t catch him in training! though both were very focused MEMORIES OF WORK- FA Cup as a Division Four agree with you. – no one ever said I shouldn’t I look at everything, any- and successful managers. ING WITH GRAHAM and Division Three side, Getting hungry, young-at- have anyway – so looking at it thing that comes up on TV that I was at Cambridge when AND JOHN? losing to Crystal Palace heart people that have a lot of we went from Division Four With Graham I would from a player’s point of view I relates to helping people as well. and Arsenal. We had some energy is important to build suppose you could say I had an A lot of it you don’t keep but it is to within one match of what say it was about the great days over there. that team energy. No individual is now the Premier League, I organisation of influence on myself. good to look at things. HOW HAVE is bigger than the team. He wasn’t my favourite but It would be fair to say, partic- learned some of the dark arts his team. All through my successful – nothing silly, more trying Every play- THEY IN- the late Mike Keen at Watford ularly for me, that my family is FLUENCED times at Yeovil, Bristol City, as well, he signed me as a pro- a big influence. things with tactics. We were er knew Cheltenham and now Torquay, two young coaches who want- his job, he YOUR fessional but then released me. My wife has had to cope with STYLE OF my dressing rooms would be That didn’t deter me and he two managers – her husband ed to experiment with things. would go a mirror image of each other. Both were long-ball type around ev- MANAGEMENT? stands out for the way that kept and her son (Lee Johnson) – and Lots of things That’s a skill and when you look me very ambitious to stay in the hassle that goes with that. managers but always with eryone on a at successful managers they all influence the game. It was a negative in- She has been a rock. quality, it was never kicking it Thursday or seem to have that. your style fluence that turned out to be a All of my family have been in for the sake of it. Friday come Winning creates camarade- o f positive one, I was not going to football, my mum and dad, un- They both liked working on rain or shine rie but you must start with a percentages, the amount of op- to make sure man- be defeated. cles, brothers and cousins, for a age- bunch of mates that would die portunities you could get to de- they knew. for each other. I was gutted at the time. I had long time, we talk a lot and that liver the ball with quality into He just oozed ment, played most of the games in the is influential too.