The Rams have been searching for a manager since the shock departure of George Burley, the former Ipswich Town boss who led the East Midlands club to the Coca-Cola Championship play-off semi-finals, and appear now to have settled upon Johnson. The ex-Latvian international manager has been granted access to Derby by his notoriously protective board.
A statement on the Somerset side’s official club website, www.ytfc.net, read: “The board of Yeovil Town Football Club have given Derby County Football Club permission to make an official approach to Gary Johnson regarding the vacant manager’s position at Pride Park”. In the past, the Glovers have denied clubs such as then-Premiership outfit Southampton, access to their prized asset.
Since joining Yeovil, Johnson has led the club to promotion from the Football Conference into the Football League and followed it up, after another successful debut season in the then-Third Division, with promotion as champions from League Two in the first season of Coca-Cola’s sponsorship of the world’s oldest football league.
With signings such as Phil Jevons and Andrejs Stolcers up front, and based around a solid defence and on attacking principals, Johnson’s team were widely tipped to take League One by storm. Should Derby get their man, the Glovers may struggle to survive in a higher division, and may lose clout in transfer dealings with a man of Johnson’s reputation departing.
Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com