Since he was appointed as Torquay United manager on September 13, 2018, Gary Johnson has taken the Gulls from 14th in National League South to the brink of a return to the Football League.
In the 2018-19 season, he led United to the National League South title as they finished 14 points clear of second placed Woking. He followed this up with a 14th place finish in the 2019-20 National League campaign, which was curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic and the final places were decided using PPG (points per game).
The subsequent 2020-21 campaign, which was played largely behind closed doors, proved to be another memorable one for both Johnson and the Gulls. After remaining in contention for the title, United finished the league campaign in second place before losing out to Hartlepool United in the National League Play-off final at Ashton Gate on penalties.
Johnson is one of the longest serving United managers of recent times – only Paul Buckle (June 2007 to May 2011) and Leroy Rosenior
(June 2002 to January 2006) have spent more time in the Plainmoor hot seat this
century. Throughout the entirety of the club's post-war history, only Eric Webber's 14 years and five months between October 1951 to May 1965, Mike Green's four years and nine months between March 1977 and May 1981 and Frank O'Farrell's three years and seven months between May 1965 and October 1968 can better Johnson's present tenure.
In addition to this, he is the fifth longest serving manager in the National League, behind Alan Devonshire (Maidenhead United), Luke Garrard (Boreham Wood), Phil Parkinson (Altrincham) and Alan Dowson (Woking). Also, only 16 of the 92 managers in the Football League have been in their current roles longer than Johnson has been in charge at Plainmoor.
During his reign, the Gulls have set the following club records:
- Most Points in a Season (3 points for a win): 88 in 42 matches (2018/19 National League South)
- Most consecutive league wins: 10 matches (13 November 2018-05 January 2019, National League South)
- Most consecutive league Games without defeat: 16 matches (15 September 2018-05 January 2019, National League South)
- Record FA Cup win: 7-0 v Lymington Town (22nd September 2018)
- Fewest league defeats in a Season: 8 in 42 matches (2018/19 National League South and 2020/21 National League)
- Fewest league goals conceded: 39 in 42 matches (2020/21 National League)
- Best start to a season (13 games): 31 points from a possible 36 points (2020/21 National League)
- Most away wins in a season: 12 in 42 matches (2018/19 National League South and 2020/21 National League)
- Highest win percentage of any Torquay United manager (since the club turned professional in 1921):– 54.48% win rate
- First league title since the 1926-27 season (National League South title in the 2018-19 campaign).
