Graham Turner sees parallels in Lee Johnson

When he became player-boss at the Gay Meadow back in 1978 at the age of 32, Turner was only one year older than Oldham's newest supremo.

Johnson, 31, will take charge of his second game when he brings the relegation-threatened Latics to Shropshire tomorrow.

But his appointment sent ripples of surprise through the game as the former Yeovil and Bristol City midfielder had only recently wound down his playing career at Scots Premier side Kilmarnock.

Turner said: "I spoke to Lee about a month ago and it's a surprise with him lacking managerial experience.

"It will be interesting to see how it works out for him. It's an opportunity and it could be a very brave decision if he turns out to be as good as his dad, Gary, is as a manager.

"I was 32 when I first started off, but I'd had the chance of being player-coach under Richie Barker for a few months before taking over.

"There was a little bit of background in the other side of the game and it helped being a player-manager too."

Turner enjoyed immediate success on clutching the reins as Salop sealed the Third Division championship in 1979.

Ten sterling campaigns in the Second Division followed with Turner twice leading them to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, although after playing on himself until 1983, he departed a year later to Aston Villa.

Johnson is relinquishing his playing duties as management appears to have been his long-term goal with trips to Latvian club Skonto Riga organised by father, Gary, who coached the national side.

He fought off competition from 120 applicants to land a role, which had previously weighed down Paul Dickov despite this season's heroic FA Cup run.

He then got off to a perfect start as the Latics eased out of the bottom four by beating basement rivals Hartlepool after previously losing three games on the bounce.

He said: "I have lived with my dad for 20 years as a manager and I've lived through almost every decision he's made, so I have gained a lot of experience from him.

"I have really wanted to make my own contacts, network and travel the world to learn new experiences and not do it on the back of his name.

"I'm quite proud of that because it's got me where I am now."

But Johnson's emergence might not have helped Shrewsbury's preparations after their scouting report to Boundary Park for a 1-0 loss at the hands of Bournemouth ended up on Turner's desk with plenty of red ink.

He said: "They were poor when we had them watched last Saturday, but a change of manager gives players a boost."

The importance of the game can't be spelled out for Shrewsbury who are only five points ahead of the fifth-bottom side, but have played two games more.

And, with four of their remaining seven fixtures at the Greenhous Meadow, Turner will try and calm his players in a bid to cut out the pattern of jittery home displays.

They have produced just one win in front of their own fans this year and Turner admitted: "We have got to put some results together at home."

Meanwhile, Shrewsbury's youngsters' hopes of reaching the Midland Youth Cup final were dashed by a 2-1 extra-time last-four defeat by Notts County after a goalless 90 minutes.