What do the following players have in common: Dan Burn, Shane Duffy and John Lundstram?
Apart from being key performers for their respective Premier League sides (Burn and Duffy for Brighton and Hove Albion and Lundstram with Sheffield United) all three players have played on loan under Gary Johnson at Yeovil Town earlier in their careers.
Burn helped the Glovers win promotion to the Championship in the 2012-13 season, and was on target in their play-off final win over Brentford at Wembley. Duffy and Lundstram both arrived at Huish Park on loan from Everton during their Championship season in 2013-14, as they continued their footballing education.
Johnson has since used the loan market to good effect in his latter roles as manager of Cheltenham Town and currently with Torquay United. While with the Robins he signed rookie goalkeeper Dillon Phillips on loan from Charlton Athletic, who has gone on to establish himself as the Addicks first choice keeper, and as Gulls manager he has brought in five loan players from Bristol City (Jake Andrews, Opi Edwards, Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, Saikou Janneh and Robbie Cundy) as well as Swansea City (Joe Lewis), AFC Bournemouth (Frank Vincent) and Bradford City (Jackson Longridge).
All of those aforementioned loan players who Johnson has brought in on loan have excelled while at Plainmoor, which is why it makes sense for the Gulls' relationship should continue following the recent dismissal of Lee Johnson, Gary's son, as Bristol City manager.
From a logistical point of view, sending young players on loan to Plainmoor from Ashton Gate makes perfect sense. The Robins are one of the largest clubs in the South West area and they have also loaned players out to other clubs in the Westcountry, including Plymouth Argyle and Forest Green Rovers, and other clubs in reasonable travelling distance of Bristol such as Newport County.
Two of the brightest young prospects to have emerged from the Robins' youth academy in recent years in Joe Bryan and Bobby Reid both benefited from loan spells with Plymouth Argyle in the 2012-13 and 2014-15 seasons respectively.
Current EFL regulations also state that each Championship side must field a 'club-developed player' in every matchday squad, so the more experience that the club's academy products gain the better.
Another important figure who also has a big say in where the Robins' loanees end up
going is Brian Tinnion, the former City player and manager, who has
often been seen at Plainmoor assessing the progress of his young
charges. He also has a close relationship with Johnson and his assistant Aaron Downes. And also let's not forget that Andrews (who has since joined the Gulls on a
permanent basis), Edwards and Lemonheigh-Evans were all originally
brought to Plainmoor by Johnson's predecessor Gary Owers.
