West Brom winger using Birmingham FA facilities to continue ankle injury recovery
The winger picked up a stress fracture of his ankle earlier in the season.
He was Albion’s star performer earlier in the season before an ankle injury curtailed his campaign.
Mikey Johnston was up at the top of the Championship assist charts - despite Albion battling at the wrong end of the table.
His season was then brought to an abrupt end when he picked up a stress fracture of his ankle in James Morrison’s first game in interim charge of the club.
That ended his campaign - as Albion went on to put together a sensational recovery and survive in the Championship.
Albion players are now off on their holidays and end of season trips - but for Johnston the work has been continuing.
Johnston has been using the facilities at the Birmingham County Football Association to continue his rehabilitation following his ankle injury.
Speaking on the Birmingham County FA’s social media channels, the winger said: “(The facilities) are really good. Our pitch is being dug up so I needed somewhere to train and everything is available here, so it is perfect for my rehab.”
Earlier this month, Albion boss Morrison explained that Johnston, who picked up nine assists last season, was in line to be fit and ready to go in pre-season.
He told the Express & Star: “He had his first running session a couple of weeks ago and is progressing well after an injury.
“It’s always nice, that first feeling when you can put your boots on and see your progression.
“Those first few weeks where you can’t really do much and you’re stuck in the gym are hard.
“When you get outside and everyone can see you it is a big boost.”
Morrison added: “He’ll have a pre-season, he will be ready.”
Johnston has two years to run on the four-year deal he penned at The Hawthorns when checking in from Celtic in a £3million move two summers ago.
The 27-year-old winger was still among the leading assister maker in the second tier despite his premature end to the campaign.
Only five players laid on more goals than the Republic of Ireland international.
Johnston managed just two goals in 37 appearances for his club during the season, 30 of which were starts.
The injury scuppered any chance of Johnston adding to his 19 caps for Ireland as boss Heimir Hallgrimsson named an experimental squad for post-season friendlies.
Johnston’s team-mate at club level Jayson Molumby has featured over the last week. Ireland face Qatar next Thursday and Canada in early June.