The defender was named in the leadership group at the start of the season along with skipper Eoin Toal and Chris Forino.
Johnston took on the captain’s armband against Reading in Toal’s absence and was unfortunate not to oversee a clean sheet after Andre Garcia’s shot took a wicked deflection.
“When I first came here, I think at the start of the season I was the youngest one on the teamsheet,” Johnston recalled to [The Bolton News](http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk).
“Obviously you had Eoin Doyle, Baps (Alex Baptiste), quite experienced players and they taught me a lot.
“I learnt a lot from them very early on in the first few games. I needed to learn and I learnt quickly in this league.
“It is stuff I've just embedded within myself now. I don't necessarily think about what I have learnt, it has just naturally come to me and hopefully I can pass it on as well.”
The centre-back started out in Liverpool’s Academy ranks before spending a couple of years abroad at Feyenoord.
“When I first went from the 18s to the 21s at Liverpool, that was quite a big jump because you had lads who were three or four years older,” he continued.
“The one who sticks out was MJ (Williams), who was here, so it was good to reconnect with him here.
“He was three or four years older than me so he was the one kind of putting me in my place at the time.
“It was good to have that relationship with him and then when he came here, it made my transition a bit smoother and he helped me out here a lot as well.”
Johnston already viewed himself as a leader in the Wanderers squad and isn’t phased by his new role.
“I feel like it is natural to me, being part of the leadership group, so I don't mind it,” the 26-year-old insisted.
“If the players have any problems or stuff they don't want to go to the management about, they will come to us.
“I think there have already been a few instances where they have come to us for advice. Whether we can answer their questions and sort it out for them - or if we have to go and ask a member of staff and get back to them - we are happy to do that.
“We have got a really good relationship with the management team and coaches, the physios. Planning the schedule ahead, we will have a say in that.
“Obviously the gaffer's decision is final at the end of the day but he will ask what we think is best and what the overall group is thinking.”
With plenty of new faces arriving at the club this summer, it was down to the established players to help them settle in and aid the transition.
“It was a bit of a challenge but as I have said, it is no different to previous years. There are always incomings and outgoings,” Johnston added.
“We have lost some big personalities from the changing room but the lads have stepped up, and the new lads bring their own characteristics and personalities. They have adapted well so far.”