Ex-Rover Damien plotting downfall

Johnson was shown the door by the Rovers boss towards the end of last season after falling out of favour at Ewood.

But, as he starts to put his career under Steve Bruce at Premiership new-boys Birmingham City, the Northern Ireland international is adamant he will not be driven by revenge when the two clubs meet at a white-hot St Andrews.

"I don't feel I have to prove anything to Graeme Souness," said Johnson.

"These things happen in football and I've moved on since then so I won't be thinking about him and I'm sure he won't be thinking about me.

"As far as I'm concerned, there's no hard feelings.

"I enjoyed my time at Blackburn but there comes a time when you have to move on and that time came for me.

"For one reason or another I wasn't in the manager's plans but that's his decision and you've got to accept it and get on with your life which I've done."

Johnson made a total of 60 league appearances for Rovers during a four-year period after graduating through the club's Academy system.

But, following the signing of Craig Hignett and the return to favour of Keith Gillespie, his first team opportunities became increasingly limited, eventually leading to a £150,000 switch to City in April.

Since then, however, Johnson's career has taken off once again as he played a crucial part in helping the Blues gain promotion back to the top-flight after a 16-year absence.

Then, when City kicked-off the new season against Arsenal last Sunday, Bruce demonstrated his confidence in the 23-year-old by naming him in his starting line-up to face the Gunners .

That game at Highbury underlined the size of the task now facing Johnson and his team-mates in keeping the Blues in the top division.

Over the last five years, it has become increasingly difficult for the newly-promoted sides to survive in the Premiership.

But Johnson has warned his former Ewood team-mates that they run the risk of underestimating City at their peril.

And he insists anyone who makes the mistake of looking on them as Premiership pushovers over the next nine months could be in for a rude awakening.

"We couldn't have asked for a more difficult start than going to Arsenal on the opening day and we finished up well beaten," said Johnson.

"But everyone knew how tough this league was going to be and we are determined to stay in it.

"At the end of the day, if we finish 17th then it will have been a great season for us.

"We are under no illusions about how hard it's going to be to survive but I think we've got the ability to do it.

"I think the key will be our home form, which is what makes tomorrow's game so important for us.

"When you're a new team in this league, you've got to make sure you win your home games then, if you can go and get something at places like Highbury or Old Trafford, it's a bonus."

Bruce has not been afraid to splash the cash in a concerted effort to strengthen his squad in preparation for the challenges ahead.

Clinton Morrison, Robbie Savage, Kenny Cunningham, Paul Devlin and Senegal World Cup star Aliou Cisse have all been recruited at a combined cost of £8.5 million, but Johnson remains an integral part of the manager's plans and he hopes to keep his place in midfield after a change in tactics.

"The manager has changed his formation from last season and I don't know if he's going to stck with it or not," said Johnson.

"But I'm in the team at the moment which is the main thing and it's a case of working hard and trying to stay there.

"We've got a decent squad now, especially after the signings we've made in the summer.

"I haven't seen much of Clinton Morrison yet because he's been injured but Kenny Cunningham and Robbie Savage have got a lot of experience in the Premiership which is what you need as a newly-promoted club.

"And Aliou has got a great pedigree after playing for Senegal in the World Cup.

"It's probably going to take him a bit of time to adjust but when he does I'm sure he'll turn out to be a great signing for us."