Johnston to combine roles as Queens kids push for promotion

Chris Tait

ALLAN JOHNSTON was once described as "unbelievably superb" after scoring a hat trick against Rangers in his final season at Hearts in 1996.

It remains a somewhat clumsy description of a player whose elegance would take him to Rennes in France a few months later, although the sentiment behind it remains apt, given Johnston has shown similar poise with each step he has taken in his career since then.

The latest may prove to be the most exacting. Johnston was named Queen of the South manager on Thursday following the departure of Gus MacPherson, his first match in charge coming against first division champions Ross County today. He was still a spry 22-year-old when his scoring prowess prompted Jim Jefferies, the then Hearts manager, to extol his talent; notable cameos followed at Sunderland, Bolton – where he reached an FA Cup semi-final – and Scotland.

Now 38, the ventures have become more modest, his efforts on the pitch not enough to prevent Queens from stumbling to relegation last weekend. Nominally retained as a player-coach at the start of the season, the veteran midfielder will attempt to marry his obligations as manager with a desire to prolong his playing career.

It will be for Johnston to decide how convenient that is – Colin Cameron got his hands on the second division title this season despite a reluctance to relinquish a place in Cowdenbeath's midfield – but his fitness levels cannot be so debated. Johnston has missed just four league matches this term. Not bad going for a player whose 39th birthday will fall later this year.

Johnston's immediate concern will be to inspire his side against County so as to offer hope of success at the incipiency of his tenure, yet he can still reflect with some satisfaction at his contribution to this campaign.

"As long as you are still fit enough and enjoying your football then you can keep going, and I want to try to play as long as possible," said Johnston. "It was great working alongside Gus [MacPherson] and Andy [Millen]. They've been there and done it before. I've been lucky enough to have a decent career but all that's in the past now."

A second proposed takeover bid this week was reduced to little more than an inconvenience for Johnston, although he was given to take greater notice of a different facet of his club's future. Queens' under-19 side reached the final of the Scottish Youth Cup, where they were defeated heavily by Celtic at Hampden. Despite the result, it was still an auspicious moment for a club of such humble ambition and one which offers promise to the senior side, with Johnston a willing advisor and an ardent supporter of those youngsters.

He will likely be compelled to promote some of them into the full squad. "Hopefully some of them can come through," he said. "A lot of the young boys – guys maybe just 16, 17 – have been playing in the reserve team this year and some of them have looked absolutely brilliant. Hopefully they keep progressing."

Taken from the Herald