Johnson to leave Rangers for TNS

Stafford Rangers defender Jermaine Johnson will today become the first player to leave the club in the wake of relegation by signing for the New Saints.

Johnson is set to put pen to paper on a two-year deal with the Welsh Premier League outfit today, sealing his return to the full-time game.

The former Derby County trainee had one full season at Marston Road and spent three months of the 2009-10 season on loan from the Rams.

The 20-year-old was notable by his absence at Rangers' Player of the Year awards last Tuesday night, where he picked up the directors award, but was spending the week on trial at Scottish Premier League club Kilmarnock.

Johnson turned down a move to local rivals AFC Telford in March to assist Rangers' fight against relegation from the Blue Square North, a mission which ultimately proved unsuccessful.

And the drop into the third-tier of non-league football has proved too much of a step down for Johnson to take.

He said: "I wanted to get back into full-time football as quickly as possible and TNS have given me that opportunity.

"It's just unfortunate that I couldn't leave Stafford with a bang, they were a great bunch of lads at Rangers even though we were in a bad situation.

"The team spirit was top class and it's all experience, at the end of the day, but it's sad that Rangers had to pay the cost."

Johnson spent spells over the last two months of the season as acting captain, with regular skipper Craig McAughtrie out with a hip injury.

Manager Matt Elliott placed his trust in the youngster and Johnson has hailed the Rangers boss for giving him that opportunity, while tipping to the club to go straight back up.

He said: "It meant a lot to me and being so young, as well, for the gaffer to trust me enough to give me the captain's armband should how much he thought of me.

"I am sure Rangers will go straight back up and will be right back to where they should be, but they deserve to be higher."