Stockport County needs to take all precaution to prevent a repeat of the 2023–24 season, when promising young midfielder Cody Johnson made a wise loan move only to be called up a few weeks later.
The 20-year-old was elevated from County’s youth divisions, and after finishing the 2022–2023 season on a short-term loan, he was primed to step it up.
Upon the announcement of the deal to move him to National League outfit Rochdale, it appeared to be the perfect opportunity for him to advance in his quest to make the Hatters’ starting lineup.
However, things did not go as planned when Johnson was only given a few cameos and was recalled a few weeks later for County in League Two.
Rochdale looked like the natural next step
When questioned why the player was called back, manager Dave Challinor remained reticent. However, injuries to players like Callum Camps and the fact that Johnson missed Dale’s opening game were among the frequently brought up points by supporters at the time.
Positive early signs of the recall came when Johnson was dropped from the starting lineup in the Carabao Cup away against Sheffield Wednesday. He famously overcame Barry Bannan in the midfield and gave a performance that was so memorable that the away end began to chant for him.
After that impressive start, he played all 90 minutes in the Hatters’ next two league games, but for the rest of the season, he only contributed 44 minutes to League Two football.
Towards the close of the season, a second loan was arranged, this time to Scarborough Athletic of National League North. However, the season concluded with the feeling that he had not gained as much experience as he may have with Rochdale.
The same scenario must be avoided in the coming campaign
Although Johnson is highly regarded at County, the team is expected to look for fresh players to add to the roster now that they have been promoted to League One. These reasons could make it challenging for the 20-year-old to get minutes with the first team.
At the conclusion of the 2023–2024 season, the Hatters offered him a one-year contract extension, demonstrating how highly they value him at Edgeley Park. Simon Wilson, the club’s director of football, called the agreement a “initial extension” in the announcement, implying that, should all go according to plan, he will stay on the team longer.
In light of this, the Hatters ought to find Johnson a suitable new loan home for the new season, and his recall should only come as a last resort. A major provision of the pact is that he get consistent game time.
Wilson has stated that he needs to be more physical in games, and the only way to get used to this is to play on the pitch every week against experienced, talented players.
The club must make every effort to give the young midfielder the room he needs to develop into a higher level of football player in order to give him the best chance of becoming a regular for County. These are crucial years in his development.
