SPECIAL ARTICLE:LIKE FATHER,LIKE SON

Aged 9,all young Lee Johnson wanted to do was to kick a ball about in the garden,but his mum was strict about him doing so.Lee's dad had just been appointed the youth coach at Watford and she didn't want the new house ruining.

However,one day,a stray ball knocked over a plant pot and it smashed on the patio.Lee later felt his father's wrath at the dinner table.

    FATHER AND SON ON HOLIDAY

Wind the clocks forward 22 years.

The whole situation has changed.Gary has won promotion with Yeovil to the Championship in his second spell and Lee is the manager of Oldham.This is an extra special position for Johnson Jr-he is now the youngest manager in England at the aged of 32.

His dad Gary couldn't believe it when he'd found out his son had become a manager.

"I was absolutely delighted for him.He has been working up to this since he was 19.He asked me 'Dad,should I go for the vacant post at Oldham?'.I told him to go ahead and he beat 120 candidates for the job",said Gary.

Despite the success,Lee's mum and Gary's wife Karen has it the toughest.Although she was happy when her only child Lee had become a manager,she is stuck between her husband and son.

"Of course I am proud for both of them but I have to stay strong to Gary because I'm married to him.I sleep with him and live with him,"explains Karen who is sitting next to her loving husband.

FOLLOWING FOOTSTEPS

Lee signed for Arsenal as a 15-year-old schoolboy.After impressing for both Bruce Rioch and Arsene Wenger briefly,he was regarded as a skilful midfielder.

When Gary became Yeovil Town boss in 2001,Lee followed his dad to Somerset.It was a successful period for both of them who earned promotion to League Two in 2003 as champions.

             PROMOTION PARTY!

During a spell at Hearts,Lee heard that Gary had been appointed Bristol City manager.What happened?Yes-Lee moved to Bristol.

"I had to leave Hearts due to a transfer embargo and financial strains,says Lee in his Oldham office,"I moved fast to rejoin with my dad at Bristol City.It was not a good move at first.We lost our first game at home to Blackpool and fan told me that he didn't want me or my dad at the club after the game".

It got better.Gary won promotion to the Championship with City in 2006 and then took them to within one game of the top flight in 2008.

After spells at Peterborough Utd and Northampton,he returned to manage Yeovil in 2012.

DAD V LAD

Tuesday 16th April was a date for the League One calendar.It was Lee's Oldham at home against Gary's Yeovil.With Oldham aiming to stay in the league and Yeovil looking at promotion,it was a must-win for both.

Oldham won the match 1-0 and slightly dented the Glovers' chances of playoff semi finalists.Lee felt bad of his dad,and he could see it bothered him.But best was to come-Oldham survived and Yeovil were promoted to the second tier for the first time in their history.

    LEE AS THE BOSS OF OLDHAM

END OF SEASON PLANS

Yeovil were in a party mood following their playoff final win and Lee's Oldham had stayed up.

"I didn't get to see my wife and daughter a lot and it hurt me a lot.However,I have moved to an apartment in Manchester with them both.My mum and dad came to mine for dinner on Tuesday night.It was nice for them as they haven't seen my kid Isabelle for a while",said Lee,"Even better,we went on holiday to Dubai at the end of the season-me,Isabelle,my missus and parents."

It was a holiday well deserved.