Gary Johnson

Gary Johnson 19/06/2001 - 23/09/2005 & 09/01/2012 – 04/02/2015

1^st Spell – Played 221, Won 116, Drew 46, Lost 59, Win Rate 52.49%

2^nd Spell – Played 162, Won 56, Drew 34, Lost 72, Win Rate 34.57%

Combined – Played 383, Won 172, Drew 80, Lost 131, Win Rate 44.91%

When Gary Johnson was first appointed at Yeovil most fans reacted by saying ‘Gary Who?’ When he left after his second spell there was barely a single person in Somerset and beyond who hadn’t heard of him, and knew of his achievements.

Born in Hammersmith, London in September 1955 Johnson started at Watford before moving to Sweden to play football. After returning to England he played non-league and managed at Newmarket Town. Johnson then had spells at Cambridge United, Kettering Town and Watford, where he was director of their youth academy under Graham Taylor’s management. He then spent 2 years as Latvian national manager before coming to Somerset.

In his first season in charge the FA Trophy was won, and Yeovil were immediately the bookies favourites to win the Conference the following season. This they duly did, but the manner in which it was achieved was amazing. A record margin of seventeen points, unbeaten at home in the league all season and a hundred goals scored. The ultimate had been achieved and Yeovil were a Football League side.

The play-offs were missed on the final day of the first season on goal difference, but League 2 was won the following season, before Johnson left for Bristol City. However he was to return just over six years later. He took Yeovil to Wembley, won, and reached the second tier of English football for the first time.

He took charge of more Yeovil matches than anyone else, and achieved the biggest prize that any Yeovil manager could have won.