‘He’d kick his granny if he needed to’ – Man who kickstarted Dan Burn’s career reveals what England star’s really like
WEMBLEY winner Gary Johnson has seen both sides of Dan Burn’s “passionate and aggressive” personality.
Johnson kickstarted the Newcastle defender’s career when taking him on loan at Yeovil from Fulham in 2012.
Burn helped fire the Glovers into the Championship for the first time in their history — notably scoring a header against Brentford in the League One play-off final.
But just three months later, Johnson and Burn were squaring up to each other when he was playing for Birmingham in a Carabao Cup tie.
Johnson, 69, now sporting director at Cheltenham, said: “Dan is unbelievably competitive, he would kick his granny if he needed to.
“He was a main player for us because, at 6ft 7in, we’d set-up free-kicks and long throws for him.
“He was quick for someone that tall, had a great left foot and could play anywhere down the left side which is what England has seen in him.
“It was a great loan for everybody and it put him on the map.
“Dan was a great lad but I remember after he left us it was World War 3 when we played against him and Birmingham.
“Burn was in my face when Byron Webster scored a goal for us after Birmingham had put the ball out of play after an injury and expected us to give it back to them.
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“I decided at first that we shouldn’t give it back and there was this kid, whose career I had helped, going nose to nose screaming at me.
“That was the only lack of respect I saw from him — but I understood why he did it.”
Johnson has long forgotten that spat and has nothing but admiration for the Blyth boy, 32, who ended 70 years of hurt for Newcastle at Wembley on Sunday.
Days after being called up by England Burn, was in dreamland heading the opener against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.
Johnson said: “Not long after watching the final I got a text from Fulham’s academy keeping coach Vic Bettinelli saying: ‘You were the making of Big Dan Burn’.
“That was kind of Vic but it was strange seeing Burn score with his head — and it was in the same goal. Our one was a bit closer but it put us 2-0 up just before half-time and it helped give us Championship football.
“It brought back some fantastic memories. I am proud that me and the Yeovil supporters saw the early success of a young Dan Burn.”