Gary Johnson sacked after Cheltenham draw at Macclesfield

Posted Wednesday, August 22, 2018 by PA

Cheltenham rallied to take home their first point of the season from a 1-1 draw with Macclesfield but it was not enough to save manager Gary Johnson’s job.

The Robins announced within minutes of the full-time whistle that Johnson had been sacked with Cheltenham third-bottom in the table, and only their hosts and Notts County below them.

An official statement announced Johnson’s departure less than 20 minutes after the game.

Cheltenham could have been out of contention by the break with the hosts spurning a succession of chances.

And though Manny Duku struck late in the day, Johnson’s tenure was at an end.

“We had to pick it up in the second half, we had to be strong and brave, we had to be men,” Johnson had said before discovering his fate.

“We had to make men of some of these young lads, they came out and played like men in the second half.

“I’m pleased for the lads, we’re pushing them to show what they’ve got and they deserved something for their efforts.”

Johnson had been on the receiving end of the travelling fans’ ire when the visitors trailed but had vowed to keep battling away.

“They’re going sing that every time we’re a goal down,” he added. “It’s out of my hands and I’m going to do my best all the time. It’s nice to at least get our first point on the board.”

While Cheltenham begin the search for Johnson’s replacement, Macclesfield manager Mark Yates was more upbeat, despite dropping two points.

Danny Whitaker had put them ahead with a first-half free-kick but their wastefulness came back to bite them, not least when Whitaker saw his 75th-minute penalty saved by Scott Flinders.

“It should have been all three points,” said Yates. “We were excellent in the first half and should have been four or five up. We caused them all sorts of problems, we missed chances and we didn’t quite hit our stride in the second half but although we were comfortable at 1-0 you’re always susceptible to that one goal.

“I’m not going to beat my players up too much though, they were absolutely brilliant in the first half. If they put that effort in and I get that level of performance over the next 42 games we’ll be more than alright.

“I’m encouraged by that performance, my head’s not dropping, I’ll back my players all day long and I’m ready for anything. We’ll get better, we’ll start to pick up points and we’ll start to move up the table, I’ve no doubt about that.”