Hartlepool United target shares transfer message after remaining with Mansfield Town

Johnson was a player of significant interest for a number of clubs throughout the January transfer window with Hartlepool manager Keith Curle having held talks over the possibility of the 29-year-old heading to the Suit Direct Stadium.

Curle was honest in that a move for Johnson seemed unlikely with the striker to choose between loan club Walsall - where he scored 15 goals in 30 appearances in the first half of the season, or remain at the One Call Stadium.

In the end it would be the latter.

Johnson came off the bench in the 1-1 draw with Bradford City for his first Mansfield appearance since April last year and he told the club website he is now focused on playing for the Stags.

“It was football at the end of the day. It’s always going to be part and parcel of stuff isn’t it?” Johnson said of the speculation surrounding his future in January.

“But I’m glad it's over. I can get on concentrating on my football now.”

He added: “I’m a footballer at the end of the day, I want to play football.

“I’ve fitted in with the lads as though I've never been away. I want to be playing football. I live local. I’m contracted at the club.

“There was no problem before that, I just needed to go and play games which I've gone and done. I’ve come back and proved my point.

“It’s been a good season so far. I hit 15 goals in my time at Walsall. It just clicked.

“If you look back I was scoring goals at Orient in this league. I had a bit of a bad end to the season there, but I’ve got full belief I can score goals in this league.”

Johnson was one of a number of forward targets Curle pursued for Hartlepool in the January window before they were finally able to make a breakthrough with the arrival of Stockport County's Connor Jennings.

Jennings made his debut in the 1-0 win over Doncaster Rovers and gave a solid first impression for Curle’s side.