It’s father v son on Saturday at Sportsdirect.com Park as Oldham Athletic manager Lee Johnson welcomes dad Gary Johnson and his Yeovil Town troops.
The last meeting between the two was in April 2013 when Johnson Jr. bested his father, winning 1-0 thanks to a solitary goal from Matt Smith.
That season Oldham narrowly avoided relegation while Yeovil were promoted to the Championship via the play-offs and by the end of this season the roles could be reversed.
“We had this game before and it’s a difficult situation. We have to be professional and both me and my dad will be gunning for three points,” he said.
“We have had a few mess-about mind games and he keeps reminding me that he has a few tricks up his sleeve because he has been in it 25 years.
“There are so many plans going on that we may as well go back to the start but it is a great occasion for us.”
Oldham will be looking to bounce back from their FA Cup defeat to Doncaster Rovers last week with a good performance on Saturday.
The Latics have been on a good run of form in the League though, having not lost since the start of November, and Johnson is confident his team can climb higher than their current position of sixth.
“If we win, we cement our place in the play-offs and hopefully we can claw in on the top three or four. Loads of teams are playing each other in the top group and it is going to change from week-to-week,” he said.
“You don’t win the league at this stage of the season but you can certainly be lost in the race. We have two massive games in the league coming up and I’m looking forward to it.”
Yeovil have adapted poorly to life in League One after being relegated from the Championship and are second from bottom in League One but showed signs of improvement in November, with a win over Notts County and a point away to Chesterfield.
Despite their lowly position, Johnson Jr. knows his dad too well to expect an easy ride.
“I see them improving and I know my dad is a fantastic manager so he will get them going so it will be a really tough game,” he said.
“They have picked up some good results this year and been unlucky in a couple of games so they have recruited well recently. In this division, you add three good players and you kick start your season.”
Main image courtesy of Yeovil Town Football Club via YouTube, with thanks.
