Johnson in the hotseat at Oldham

FORMER Hearts midfielder Lee Johnson has been named as the new manager of Oldham Athletic, becoming the youngest boss in the English football league.

The appointment by the 
Latics board was something of a surprise, with Johnson having played as recently as this season for Kilmarnock in the SPL.

The 31-year-old, who made four appearances for Hearts in 2006 and was an outspoken critic of the club’s owner Vladimir Romanov, takes charge of his new side, who currently lie fourth-bottom in npower League One, for the first time tonight against John Hughes’ Hartlepool.

By a quirk of fate, Johnson will be managing in the same division as his father, Gary, who is currently in charge of Yeovil. The two will lock horns in the dugout next month.

Johnson said: “I’m very 
excited. I’m very grateful for the opportunity and I’m willing to do everything I can to get 
Oldham out of their current predicament.”