Had Nottingham Forest’s summer recruitment process been different, Natalie Johnson would likely have been enjoying a break right now in preparation for Women’s FA Cup action next weekend.
The arrivals of first Caragh Hamilton and then Casey Howe at the City Ground triggered something in her, and a seed was planted.
Johnson’s story is one of what might have been. She was involved at the start of Kenny Shiels’ reign as Northern Ireland manager, but by the time the team was savouring the highs of the Women’s Euro 2022 finals her time in the squad was just memory having spent three of the qualifiers watching from the bench.
That story hasn’t been fully written yet, though. There might yet be a happy ending, too, now that Johnson has been handed a second bite at international football by Tanya Oxtoby, just as Northern Ireland are fighting to reach a second successive European Championships.
“During pre-season I reached out to Tanya. We’ve obviously got a couple of other Northern Ireland girls in the team this year and I just said I’m keen, I’m available, what did she want from me to put myself into contention?” said Johnson.
“Caragh and Casey coming to Nottingham Forest really relit a fire in my belly. Those girls are so great and playing with them every day, chatting with them, I thought ‘why not reach out and see if it’s still a possibility for me?’
“I believe Tanya has come to watch a few of our games, we had a couple of phone calls.
“It was something that I just thought would be a bonus at this stage of my career so I just wanted to keep doing what I was doing, and if that was what Tanya wanted to bring in then that was a bonus from me.”
The call up, four years this month since her last involvement in what turned out to be a crucial 1-0 win away to Belarus in the last away game of the Euro 2022 qualifying campaign, is more than just an end of career bonus for 30-year-old Johnson.
The two-legged play-off against Croatia, the first part of which comes in the picturesque city of Varazdin on Friday, is a crucial step towards the Euro 2025 Finals in Switzerland and it’s not a time when Oxtoby is bringing in players just for the sake of it. Everyone is expected to contribute and everyone is expected to be ready to play.
Johnson is ready if called upon for her first cap.
“I went to watch Northern Ireland play England at the Euros, supported a couple of my friends and it was great to be there. The fans created a great atmosphere that night,” she said.
“It’s a great time for me to come in now, I’ve watched the games and the great work that they did in the camps previous to this.
“I am delighted to come on board and if I can contribute then that’s great, but to just be part of this journey is incredible.”
Leicester-born Johnson’s call up is an excuse for her family to make the trip to Belfast for next Tuesday’s return leg at Windsor Park, in addition to annual trips to their native Newcastle.
“My mum was born and raised in Northern Ireland, my nana is very Northern Irish still, I feel very, very connected,” said Johnson, who has enjoyed playing alongside some of her new international colleagues at club level in recent years.
“I know Rebecca quite well and I think she is an unbelievable player. It will be nice to see her again. Ellie Mason was there too.
“Casey (Howe) is a young superstar. She has been unbelievable since she has come in. When I am defending against her in training she is twisting me inside out. I just think she has got so much potential, I just can’t want to see where her career goes.”