West Brom fans react to Mikey Johnston display in West Brom draw v Millwall. Credit: Imago

West Brom fans rage at what Mikey Johnston did v Millwall - 'Waste of money'

Senior Correspondent AUTHORITY Senior football journalist specialising in refereeing and officiating; former contributor to The Football League Paper, Late Tackle, and the Premier League; University of Derby graduate. FOCUS Refereeing controversies, football finance and governance, PGMOL decisions, and officiating analysis across the Premier League, EFL, and SPFL. THE INSIGHT Harri utilises a network of officiating and industry contacts to deliver verified, expert analysis of refereeing decisions and PGMOL policy. He provides the regulatory clarity behind the controversy to ensure fans get the full picture.

Published on:

05 Oct 2024, 3:44 pm

Mikey Johnston was singled out for his poor performance as West Brom played out a goalless draw against Millwall at The Hawthorns on Saturday.

The 25-year-old made his first start for the Baggies since signing on a permanent deal from Celtic in the summer, replacing Jed Wallace on the right flank following the 1-0 loss to Middlesbrough.

While the Baggies created enough chances to seal all three points at The Hawthorns, Johnston was relatively ineffective against the Lions and was hooked by Carlos Corberan with 15 minutes remaining.

West Brom fans condemn Mikey Johnston after Millwall draw

With Corberan's side unable to break the deadlock, most of the Baggies' attack should be taking the weight of the criticism, but fans seem to have taken a distaste for Johnston.

The Republic of Ireland quickly became a fan favourite during his loan spell at The Hawthorns last season, having notched seven goals and an assist in 18 league appearances.

However, one fan has already voiced his concerns over Corberan's decision to drop Karlan Grant from the starting XI, suggesting the addition of Johnston was just a "waste of money".

Most of the frustration came from Johnston's predictability, with one fan stating he "always turns back inside and plays it back" while another called him a "one-trick pony", who "needs to adapt".

Waste of money hes shocking and was not what we needed
— colbert fitzpatrick (@ColbertFitz) October 5, 2024

Said it all of today’s game mate looked so poor.. always turns back inside and plays it back. Can’t be hard to take it down the line? Fullbacks for Millwall were alright but we made them look better than what they are 👍🏾
— Arjun SSK (@arjun_ssk) October 5, 2024

he's not what we need rn and we overhyped him
— Oliver 𓅪 (@ots_09) October 5, 2024

We desperately needed someone to play closer to Maja centrally to save him dropping into the 10 to get the ball all the time. Johnston doesn’t merit his place in the team. Grant should not have been dropped #wba
— Big Bob Football (@BigBobFootball) October 5, 2024

After just one start since returning to the Midlands, it seems extremely harsh to be judging him already, especially against a deep-lying opposition, who had just 29 per cent of the possession [FotMob].

He is likely to find his feet as the season drags on, but after a disappointing result at home, it comes as no surprise to see one of the stars singled out on social media.

In other West Brom news, The Hawthorns blasted back at Millwall fans after what they did versus the Baggies.

For more West Brom news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.

Millwall

Mikey Johnston

West Brom