More final-day play-off heartbreak for ex-Portsmouth and Middlesbrough man - two years after Fratton Park torment

Callum Johnson was part of the Blues side agonisingly nudged out of League One’s top six in the last game of the 2020-21 campaign under Danny Cowley.

Now, two years later, he’s missed out again at the death, this time with Mansfield – and by one goal.

Nigel Clough bought the right-back in from Ross County in January to bolster the Stags’ bid to win promotion from League Two.

Since then, Johnson has made 13 appearances, including starting the trip to Colchester for Sunday’s final day of the campaign.

Mansfield required victory and for other results to go their way in order to claim a place in the top seven and a play-off spot.

However, despite a 2-0 success at Colchester, they were pipped to seventh by Salford, courtesy of goal difference after both clubs finished level on points.

Crucially, Salford, who lost 1-0 at home to Gillingham. had conceded one fewer goal than Johnson and his team-mates to earn that final position.

Had their margin of defeat been greater – or Mansfield’s win been larger – then it would have been a very different story.

As it is, Salford join Stockport, Carlisle and Bradford in the League Two play-offs, which begin on Saturday, May 13.

Back in May 2021, Johnson was with Pompey when they entered the final day of the 2020-21 League One season in sixth place, one point ahead of their rivals.

They were challenged to overcome a mid-table Accrington at Fratton Park to clinch play-off qualification for a third consecutive time.

However, Adam Phillips’ first-half strike earned Stanley a 1-0 triumph and, coupled with Oxford United and Charlton both winning, the Blues instead ended up in eighth.

And so it was Oxford who met Blackpool in the semi-finals, only to suffer a 6-3 aggregate defeat, while the Tangerines then went on to overcome Lincoln in the final to seal a Championship return.

Although Blackpool’s two-year stay is now over, with relegation pitching them back into League One next season.

They finished second from bottom of the Championship, five points adrift of safety, coming down with Wigan and Reading.

Recruited from Accrington, Johnson made 48 appearances and scored once for Pompey before handed a free transfer by Cowley in July 2022.