Grealish socks, hard running, Gary Brazil - how old school grounding gave Brennan Johnson his chance

Brennan Johnson might be flourishing under a forward thinking coach, but the foundations Nottingham Forest laid for him are very much old school ones.

The 20-year-old has 10 goals and five assists this season as he is given freedom to express himself under a very basic message from Reds boss Steve Cooper - "don't be boring".

That success led Brentford to make three bids for the Wales winger before the end of the transfer window.

He is in talks with Forest over a new deal - a meeting took place between his father and Reds owner Evangelos Marinakis last week - but Johnson might ultimately be the latest player to net the club a massive profit after coming through the Nigel Doughty Academy.

It is there, under Gary Brazil, that Johnson learned the basics of being a professional footballer - and that often meant more than just being a talented player.

"It's the DNA in the academy. Hard work. They trained morning and afternoon," Johnson's father David told this week's Garibaldi Red podcast.

"They over-trained I would say. They ran them.

"He put them into a place where if they went to the first team, the first thing they say is 'they don't train very hard in the first team'.

"It's like Gary Brazil says 'I'll get them there' but after that it's down to players' talent to get through the door.

"Luckily when Brennan went up with Martin O'Neill he was put in a group with Worrall, Osborn, Yates, Cash and Lolley - all the runners.

"That was the top group and the norm. He knew that if you couldn't be in the top group at the academy you would never make it as a professional.

"Gary Brazil, all the staff, do a great job to say these are the levels you need but once you get through the door it's down to you.

"It was Chris Cohen and