"It's just a massive honour walking out with the armband on every week" - From quiet loanee to Halifax captain: The evolution of Town skipper Sam Johnson

The Shaymen stopper was a quiet, introverted 22-year-old when first joined the club on loan from Port Vale, a stint that ended with him keeping a clean sheet in the 2016 FA Trophy final at Wembley.

A second loan spell saw him help the club regain their fifth tier status with promotion under Billy Heath, who then signed him permanently in summer 2017. And he's been here ever since.

But there has been a gradual evolution in Johnson's demeanour, with the keeper now a much more vocal and confident character. So much so that he is now Halifax skipper.

"I saw myself as one of the leaders in the group last year, especially in the leadership group," said Johnson, who is Town's longest-serving player and into his ninth season of football at The Shay.

"Not too much has changed, I've got myself in this position by just being who I am and taking responsibility for things.

"It's just a massive honour walking out with the armband on every week.

"I was captain a couple of times last season, but it was a really proud moment doing it for the first time officially.

"The club means a lot to me. I'm happy to do it, I snapped the gaffer's hand off when he offered it me."

Johnson says the role encompasses more than just wearing the armband on a matchday.

"When the big decisions come along then I'm the one they come to, or if anything needs checking, I'm the one they come to, especially with fines," he said.

"I end up doing more media stuff and things like that.

"I'm choosing where we'll be going for the Christmas party too.

"But when things get brought up I'm a pretty easy-going guy, so if anyone needs a bit of help they can always come to me and I'm happy to do it.

"I think the manager can come to me and get a bit of a sense of what's going on and where we can change things.

"Me and Milly have got a really good relationship, I've known him for a few years now obviously, and I think if anything needs sorting from my end, I can go to him and know that he'll try his very best."

Johnson is part of the club's leadership group, which contains other senior squad members acting as an informal management committee.

"It's the senior lads, we've got good leaders around the group, so it's more the talkers like Stotty (Jamie Stott) - or moaners in his case! - people like Keano (Jordan Keane) who've been there and done it, people who set the standards in the group every day like Summers (Luke Summerfield)," Johnson said.

"When you see someone like that, who's probably had the best career out of everyone in the squad, putting in the effort he puts in every single day, he's certainly someone the lads look up to."

What kind of captain is the Town keeper?

"I'd say I'm vocal enough. Obviously not as much as some of the captains I've had in the past, like Browny (Matty Brown), who beats his chest.

"I think I lead by performances, I think I can lead by setting my standards in and around the group.

"I'm always one of the first ones in, doing my stuff right, and if someone wants to look up to me and see that I'm doing that, then it's hopefully a case of 'if the captain's doing it, I should be doing it as well'.

"I get on with everyone in the group and if I see there's a problem going on, maybe someone's not been themselves for a couple of days, I'll just drop them a message to see how they're getting on.

"And if people are struggling with injuries, I'll see how they're getting on because I think they're the toughest ones, when people are out for a long time and missing what's going on."

Johnson admits becoming captain isn't something he would have wanted or would have seen himself being a couple of years ago.

"But I think in the last couple of years especially, I've grown into that kind of role," he said.

"I'm happy Summers is here because otherwise I'd be thinking I was the oldest one here, and I'm only just 30!

"We've got a really young group so I think it's important for us older lads to set the examples in certain areas."

Johnson has previously expressed his hunger to achieve promotion at Halifax, and that ambition has only been strengthened by his appointment as capatin.

"That is the dream ultimately," he said. "Not to get too far ahead of ourselves but I haven't signed on for another two years just to finish mid-table.

"That's not what I'm about, that's not what this team about and it's definitely not what the staff are about.

"I wouldn't say it's an expectation but it's something we can put up there to try and achieve.

"It's been a lot better start than last year, we've given ourselves a much better platform to do something."