Having managed Cambridge United and Kettering, Gary Johnson thought his days of being boss were over when he decided to join Graham Taylor at Watford as Academy Director.

Little did he know, his best days in the hot seat were still ahead of him. Two fantastic years as manager of Latvia have been followed by a hugely-successful spell at Yeovil, who reached the Football League for the first time in 108 years last season under Johnson's leadership.

This term, Yeovil - arguably the most-famous of all cup giantkillers - are chasing for promotion to Division Two and in the unusual position of being the hot cup favourites when they entertain Barnet on Saturday.

If you thought the Latvian capital Riga, part of the former Soviet Union, and Yeovil in the picturesque west country were that different the quick-witted Johnson argues otherwise.

"Both places have lovely summers and dire winters," says Johnson.

"More importantly to me, they are both genuine football communities. Yeovil always got good crowds for a non-league team and with the success we've had in the past couple of years, average gates have doubled from 2,500 to 5,000."

It's likely to be another bumper crowd on Saturday. The FA Cup holds special memories for Yeovil, who knocked out league opposition 20 times in their history - most notably Sunderland's Bank of England side in 1949.

Two years ago, Premiership Bolton only beat Yeovil with a last-minute goal from Michael Ricketts. Johnson loves the FA Cup as well.

"When I was John Beck's assistant at Cambridge we reached the quarter-finals two years in a row. On one occasion we only lost 2-1 to Arsenal - Dion Dublin scored our goal," he recalls.

Having worked alongside former England manager Taylor, Johnson got his fantastic international opportunity with Latvia in 1999 and set the foundations for the team's progress to this year's European Championship final.

"There are a lot of Cockney expressions in Riga these days," jokes the London-born Jonson.

"I am so proud of the Latvian side and what they have achieved. I have stayed as a consultant to the Latvian FA and they have already invited me to their Euro 2004 games against Holland, Germany and the Czech Republic. I will be there draped in my Latvian flag!

"The manager Aleksandrs Starkovs was my number two and he has taken on a lot of things I introduced.

"When I arrived, Latvians were like old-fashioned Russians. They still played with a sweeper like the Russians used to. Except even the Russians had moved on!

"I just gave them some new ideas and I am so proud with what Aleks and the players have achieved. It will be emotional to see them at Euro 2004. They will be able to relax because they have already achieved their goal. Their big pressure game was beating Turkey in the play-offs.

"The goalscorer in Istanbul was Maris Verpakovskis who was 18 when I went to Latvia and was understudy to Marian Pahars. Now he is a big star in his own right and a lot of clubs in Europe are interested in buying him from Skonto Riga."

Johnson admits he is a better manager for his experience in Latvia, particularly overcoming the language difficulties.

"They spoke some English but weren't all fluent so I tended to be very specific with what I said.

"I would use 20 words than a hundred and it did make me give streamlined information, which I think has helped me even at Yeovil.

"I call it emotional control - putting across what you need to."

Of course, beating Barnet on Saturday won't be a big shock next to Yeovil's other exploits. But it will give them the chance to face Premiership opposition in the third round.

"The prize is so big - I think the second round is the worst to be knocked out in," says Johnson.

"I am lucky to have a few leaders on the pitch who take responsibility. Terry Skiverton is my captain and Darren Way vice-captain and both are terrific for the club.

"I also have to pay tribute to my assistant-manager Steve Thompson. I inherited him when I joined and he has been a fantastic partner. He knows the club inside-out."

And is promotion in their first season in the league a possibility. Johnson isn't going to play it down.

"If I said to my players the target is the play-offs, they could turn round and say 'which games would you like us to lose then'.

"We go out to win every game and see where that takes us at the end of the season. It's been 108 years waiting for league football and we are all enjoying it.”