In a recent question and answer session on the official Torquay United website, Gulls boss Gary Johnson named Asa Hall as a possible manager of the future, when asked whether he could see any of his current squad as potential management material.
Should Hall go down the managerial route he will find himself in good company, as there are currently five players who have previously served under Johnson working as managers in the Football League.
Gary Rowett - Millwall (Cambridge United)
Millwall manager Gary Rowett was a young defender who had established himself as a regular in the Cambridge United side that just been relegated from Division One - now Championship - at the end of the 1992-93 season when he featured for the U's under Gary Johnson. Midway through the 1993-94 season, Rowett earned himself a move to Everton and then went on to appear for Derby County, Birmingham City, Leicester City and Charlton Athletic amongst others.
He started out as a manager in 2012 with Burton Albion, and he led the Brewers to the League Two play-offs twice before being appointed as Birmingham City manager in 2014. A change of ownership led to Rowett leaving St Andrews in 2016, and has gone onto manage Derby County, who he led to the Championship play-offs in 2017-18, Stoke City and Millwall.
Gareth Ainsworth - Wycombe Wanderers (Cambridge United)
Currently the second longest serving manager in the Football League behind Harrogate Town's Simon Weaver, Wycombe Wanderers boss Gareth Ainsworth had a brief spell playing under Gary Johnson at Cambridge United in the 1992-93 season, following the dismissal of John Beck. Ainsworth was reunited with Beck at Preston North End and Lincoln City before going onto star for the likes of Port Vale, Cardiff City, Wimbledon and Queens Park Rangers.
As a manager, Ainsworth had two caretaker stints with QPR before taking charge of the Chairboys in the 2012-13 season and has since led them from League Two to the Championship.
Nathan Jones - Luton Town (Yeovil Town)
Signed for Yeovil Town by Gary Johnson following their promotion to League One in the summer of 2005, Welshman Nathan Jones also worked as a coach under Johnson briefly following his return to Huish Park in January 2012.
Later that year, Jones left Huish Park and held coaching roles at Charlton Athletic and Brighton and Hove Albion before he was given his managerial break by Luton Town in 2016. In his first season at Kenilworth Road, Jones led the Hatters to promotion from League Two as runners-up in the 2017-18 campaign and established them as a force in League One before accepting the position as Stoke City manager in 2019. Jones was sacked by the Potters after just over ten months in charge and returned to Luton once the 2019-20 Championship season restarted again following the coronavirus pandemic before leading them to safety.
Lee Johnson - Sunderland (Yeovil Town/Bristol City)
Like father, like son, Lee Johnson has followed his dad Gary into management after playing under him at both Yeovil Town and Bristol City. Johnson started out at Oldham Athletic in 2013 and one of his early games in charge of the Latics saw him face Johnson senior's Yeovil side in April 2013.
His next stop in his managerial was Barnsley before he followed in his father's footsteps to take charge of Bristol City in 2016. Highlights of his spell in charge at Ashton Gate included reaching the semi-finals of the EFL Cup in the 2017-18 season after beating a Manchester United side managed by Jose Mourinho in the quarter finals. Johnson junior was dismissed by the Robins in 2020 and he is currently looking to revive Sunderland's fortunes in League One.
Grant McCann - Hull City (Peterborough United)
Former Northern Ireland international Grant McCann was handed the Peterborough United captain's armband by Gary Johnson following his appointment as manager of the Posh in the summer of 2010. He continued with the role in the wake of Johnson's dismissal by Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony to make way for the return of Darren Ferguson midway through the 2010-11 campaign.
After a brief playing spell back in Belfast with Linfield, McCann took charge of the Posh in 2016 and has since managed Doncaster Rovers as well as his current club Hull City.
