Simon Johnson (footballer)

Simon Ainsley Johnson (born 9 March 1983) is an English football coach and former professional player who played as an attacking midfielder.

For other people named Simon Johnson, see Simon Johnson (disambiguation).

Simon Johnson
Johnson during the 2009–10 season
Personal information
Full name Simon Ainsley Johnson[1]
Date of birth (1983-03-09) 9 March 1983[1]
Place of birth West Bromwich,[1] England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Youth career
Leeds United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2005 Leeds United 11 (0)
2002 → Hull City (loan) 12 (2)
2003–2004 → Blackpool (loan) 4 (1)
2004 → Sunderland (loan) 5 (0)
2004–2005 → Doncaster Rovers (loan) 11 (3)
2005 → Barnsley (loan) 11 (2)
2005–2007 Darlington 66 (9)
2007–2009 Hereford United 62 (5)
2009 Bury 4 (0)
2009–2010 Halesowen Town 13 (4)
2010 Solihull Moors 6 (4)
2010 Guiseley 11 (4)
2010 Hibernians 0 (0)
2010–2012 Solihull Moors 37 (7)
2012 Hinckley United 1 (0)
2014–2015 Hinckley 6 (0)
2021 Highgate United 0 (0)
Total 260 (41)
International career
England U20
Managerial career
2021–2022 Highgate United
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:55, 1 November 2014 (UTC)

Playing career

Johnson was born in West Bromwich and attended Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School. He left in Year Nine and moved to Leeds to start his career at Leeds United, where he was recognised as a tenacious and skilful target man.[3] He signed his first professional contract at Elland Road in July 2000, but with a number of strikers ahead of him in the pecking order, he was restricted to reserve team football and did not make his senior debut until he was loaned to Hull City. In his first match for the Tigers, on 13 August 2002 at Bristol Rovers, he was brought on as a substitute and scored an 85th-minute equaliser which secured a 1–1 draw.[4] Late in the 2002–03 season he made his Premier League debut for Leeds in the 6–1 defeat of Charlton Athletic, replacing Alan Smith. Over the next two seasons, Johnson only made sporadic appearances for Leeds and was loaned to several clubs for first team experience. He had also studied at Boston Spa Academy during his time in the Leeds United Academy.[5][6]

In June 2005, he left Leeds and signed for Darlington on a free transfer where he enjoyed regular first team football, but fell out of favour under manager Dave Penney after nearly signing for Wycombe Wanderers.[7] He joined Hereford United on 8 August 2007, initially on a short-term contract, which was later extended. In his first season at Edgar Street he was used mainly as a winger and made little impact until he scored a last minute equaliser against Wycombe in December 2007.[8] He made his first league start of the season in the following match, and featured regularly for the remainder of the season as Hereford won promotion to League One. He notably scored an inspirational winner in the FA Cup against Tranmere Rovers, to send Hereford into the Fourth Round for the first time in 16 years. He left the club by mutual consent on 21 April 2009.[9]

He was at Bury on a three-month deal. Johnson made his debut as late substitute in a 3–0 loss to AFC Bournemouth. On 12 September 2009, the club website announced that his month-to-month contract had been terminated.

He subsequently played for Halesowen Town[10] and Solihull Moors,[11] before joining his fourth club of the 2009–10 campaign, Guiseley.[12] After a spell in Malta with Hibernians,[13] he rejoined Solihull Moors, initially on loan from Guiseley.[14][15] He finished his career with Hinckley United[11] and Hinckley,[16] before coming out of retirement to play one FA Vase match for Highgate United while he was manager.[17]

Coaching career

Johnson was appointed manager of Midland League club Highgate United in July 2021.[18] He left the club in January 2022.

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[19]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Leeds United 2002–03 Premier League 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
2003–04 Premier League 5 0 0 0 0 0 — 5 0
2004–05 Championship 2 0 0 0 1 0 — 3 0
Total 11 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 12 0
Hull City (loan) 2002–03 Division Three 12 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 13 2
Blackpool (loan) 2003–04 Division Two 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 5 1
Sunderland (loan) 2004–05 Championship 5 0 0 0 0 0 — 5 0
Doncaster Rovers (loan) 2004–05 League One 11 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 3
Barnsley (loan) 2004–05 League One 11 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 2
Darlington 2005–06 League Two 42 7 1 0 1 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 45 7
2006–07 League Two 24 2 2 0 2 1 3[lower-alpha 1] 0 31 3
Total 66 9 3 0 3 1 4 0 76 10
Hereford United 2007–08 League Two 33 5 4 1 1 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 39 6
2008–09 League One 29 0 2 0 1 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 33 0
Total 62 5 6 1 2 0 2 0 72 6
Bury 2009–10 League Two 4 0 0 0 1 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 6 0
Halesowen Town 2009–10[lower-alpha 2][23][10] Southern League Premier Division 13 4 0 0 — 2[lower-alpha 3] 0 15 4
Solihull Moors 2009–10[24][25] Conference North 6 4 0 0 — 0 0 6 4
Guiseley 2009–10[26] Northern Premier League Premier Division 11 4 0 0 — 1[lower-alpha 4] 1 12 5
Solihull Moors 2010–11[lower-alpha 5][11] Conference North 23 7 0 0 — 0 0 23 7
2011–12[11] Conference North 14 0 1 0 — 2[lower-alpha 6] 0 17 0
Total 37 7 1 0 — 2 0 40 7
Hinckley United 2011–12[11] Conference North 1 0 0 0 — 0 0 1 0
Hinckley 2014–15[17] Midland League Division One 3 0 — — 1[lower-alpha 7] 0 4 0
2015–16[17] Midland League Division One 3 0 0 0 — 0 0 3 0
Total 6 0 0 0 — 1 0 7 0
Highgate United 2021–22[17] Midland League Premier Division 0 0 0 0 — 1[lower-alpha 8] 0 1 0
Career total 260 41 11 1 8 1 14 1 293 44
  1. Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  2. The Aylesbury United source shows 23 appearances, however some of the earlier appearances take place on the same day that Johnson was playing for Bury in League Two. The 7 October 2009 match against Rugby Town was Simon Johnson's debut,[20] and counting the appearances from this date gives 15 appearances and four goals, matching the Yeltz Archive source. The earlier appearances belong to James Johnson.[21][22]
  3. Appearance(s) in Southern League Cup
  4. Appearance(s) in Northern Premier League Peter Swales Shield
  5. Part of this season was spent on loan from Guiseley
  6. Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
  7. Appearance(s) in JW Hunt Cup
  8. Appearance(s) in FA Vase

Honours

Hereford United

Guiseley[27]

References
  1. "Simon Johnson". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  2. "Simon Johnson: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  3. Introducing ... Simon Johnson The Football Association, 18 July 2003, accessed 15 February 2009.
  4. Bristol Rovers vs Hull City Hull City official website, 13 August 2002, accessed 15 February 2009.
  5. "Ladies Academy seeks tomorrow's stars". LeedsUnited.com. Leeds United. 4 May 2004. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  6. "Simon Johnson". Sheridan Dictates. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  7. Stuart McCall eying Simon Johnson Bradford City official website, 13 July 2007, accessed 15 February 2009.
  8. Bulls Late Show Shares Spoils Archived 3 August 2012 at archive.today Hereford United official website, 4 December 2007, accessed 15 February 2009.
  9. Hereford's Simon Johnson upsets Tranmere The Daily Telegraph, 17 January 2008, accessed 15 February 2009.
  10. "Ex Yeltz Players - J". Yeltz Archives. Archived from the original on 11 June 2019.
  11. "England - Simon Johnson - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  12. "Solihull Moors lose hot-shot Simon Johnson to Guiseley". Birmingham Live. 20 March 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  13. "Strengthened Clubs promise close and tight affair for the title". The Malta Independent. 11 September 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  14. "Solihull Moors' bid for Halesowen Town striker Stefan Moore rejected". Birmingham Live. 17 September 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  15. "Solihull Moors secure Simon Johnson for rest of season". Birmingham Live. 3 January 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  16. "Simon Johnson - Central Midfield". Hinckley AFC Official. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  17. "Simon Johnson player stats | Midland Football League". fulltime.thefa.com. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  18. "Welcome New Manager – Simon Johnson". Highgate United F.C. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  19. Simon Johnson at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  20. "Halesowen Town 5 Rugby Town 1". Halesowen Town FC. 7 October 2009. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010.
  21. "Farnborough 4 Halesowen Town 1". Halesowen Town FC. 19 September 2009. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010.
  22. "J Johnson Profile | Aylesbury United FC". www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  23. "Simon Johnson Profile | Aylesbury United FC". www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  24. Whiting, Ian (19 March 2010). "Johnson can do big job for Guiseley". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  25. "England - Solihull Moors FC - Results and fixtures - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  26. "2009-10 Appearances & Goals". Guiseley AFC Memorabilia. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  27. "2009-10 Complete Results". Guiseley AFC Memorabilia. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.