Richard Johnson (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Richard Johnson is an Australia
n former football (soccer)
player.
to seek a professional football contract. He joined the youth ranks of Watford
, and made his league début in the closing stages of the 1991/92 season. Johnson's ability to shoot accurately and powerfully from long distance secured him the "Goal of the Season" award for the 1994/95 season, for a 30 yard shot in a game against Wolves
.
Often in and out of the side for much of his early Watford
career, Johnson became an integral part of Graham Taylor's
re-shaped Watford side as it started the 1997/98 season. He formed a central midfield partnership with Micah Hyde
that was to help drive Watford
to the 1997/98 Division Two
Championship. Johnson was also to show his long-range shooting skills in the 4-0 victory over rivals Luton Town
at Kenilworth Road
, scoring the first goal. The Hyde-Johnson axis continued into the 1998/99 season, with Johnson playing in Watford's drive to the play-offs and picking up a winners medal in the 2-0 final victory over Bolton
.
Johnson was to play a limited part in Watford
's first Premiership
season, with injuries sustained in August and January keeping him out for two months each time.
Playing in a match against Manchester United
on 29 April 2000 Johnson ruptured knee ligaments. He did not return until 28 April 2001, featuring in the final three games of the 2000/01 season. However, Johnson suffered a relapse, and he missed all of the 2001/02 season. He returned intermittently in the autumn of 2002, but after picking up another injury was sent on loan to Northampton Town
for a month in February 2003 to gain fitness. He scored 1 goal - against Watford's rivals Luton
- in 6 games for the Cobblers.
Returning to Watford
, Johnson featured in the final few games of the season, but still struggling for fitness and a first-team place he was released in October 2003. He had played 277 times for the Hornets in 11 years at the club, scoring 22 goals. He subsequently joined Colchester
, playing a singular game for the Us in the Football League Trophy
. After just a month in Essex
, Johnson joined Stoke
. He played nine times for the Potters before joining QPR
in February 2004, who were driving towards promotion from Division Two. Johnson played 11 times in Rangers' run-in, helping them to secure second position and automatic promotion.
Johnson started the 2004/05 season in the first-team, but found the step-up to the Championship
too demanding and slipped out of the team at the end of August. In October 2004 he was loaned to Milton Keynes Dons
for whom he played three times. Returning to QPR F.C., he was unable to regain his place and he was released at the end of the season having not played another game for the London
club.
, joining home-town club Newcastle United Jets
in the newly-formed A-League
. Johnson played a key part in Jets' first season where the team managed a respectable 4th place under then manager Richard Money, starting 20 out of 23 games. However, in the 2006 off-season he moved to A-League
club New Zealand Knights for the final year of their existence.
In May 2007 Johnson signed for newly formed A-League
team Wellington Phoenix FC
. But he was then convicted of drunk driving in Newcastle and sentenced to 8 months imprisonment. He appealed and was subsequently given a suspended sentence and fine. He re-joined the Wellington Phoenix ahead of their debut A-League season in 2008.
On 11 February 2009, Johnson announced he would be retiring from professional football at the end of the 2008-2009 A-league
season.
on 29 March 2000. He also played for the Australian national team twice against a Brazilian 'B' side.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n former football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player.
Club career
When still a teenager Johnson moved to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to seek a professional football contract. He joined the youth ranks of Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, and made his league début in the closing stages of the 1991/92 season. Johnson's ability to shoot accurately and powerfully from long distance secured him the "Goal of the Season" award for the 1994/95 season, for a 30 yard shot in a game against Wolves
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
.
Often in and out of the side for much of his early Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
career, Johnson became an integral part of Graham Taylor's
Graham Taylor (football manager)
Graham Taylor OBE is a football pundit, ex-football manager, and a former player. He is best known as the manager of the England national football team, as well as being manager of Watford, a club he took from the Fourth Division to the First in the space of five years, then from bottom of the...
re-shaped Watford side as it started the 1997/98 season. He formed a central midfield partnership with Micah Hyde
Micah Hyde
Micah Anthony Hyde is an English-born Jamaican footballer who plays for Isthmian League Premier Division club Aveley.- Biography :...
that was to help drive Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
to the 1997/98 Division Two
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
Championship. Johnson was also to show his long-range shooting skills in the 4-0 victory over rivals Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
at Kenilworth Road
Kenilworth Road
Kenilworth Road Stadium is a football stadium in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. It has been home to Luton Town Football Club since 1905, when financial complications forced the club to leave its previous location at Dunstable Road...
, scoring the first goal. The Hyde-Johnson axis continued into the 1998/99 season, with Johnson playing in Watford's drive to the play-offs and picking up a winners medal in the 2-0 final victory over Bolton
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
.
Johnson was to play a limited part in Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
's first Premiership
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
season, with injuries sustained in August and January keeping him out for two months each time.
Playing in a match against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
on 29 April 2000 Johnson ruptured knee ligaments. He did not return until 28 April 2001, featuring in the final three games of the 2000/01 season. However, Johnson suffered a relapse, and he missed all of the 2001/02 season. He returned intermittently in the autumn of 2002, but after picking up another injury was sent on loan to Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
for a month in February 2003 to gain fitness. He scored 1 goal - against Watford's rivals Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
- in 6 games for the Cobblers.
Returning to Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
, Johnson featured in the final few games of the season, but still struggling for fitness and a first-team place he was released in October 2003. He had played 277 times for the Hornets in 11 years at the club, scoring 22 goals. He subsequently joined Colchester
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
, playing a singular game for the Us in the Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
. After just a month in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, Johnson joined Stoke
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
. He played nine times for the Potters before joining QPR
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
in February 2004, who were driving towards promotion from Division Two. Johnson played 11 times in Rangers' run-in, helping them to secure second position and automatic promotion.
Johnson started the 2004/05 season in the first-team, but found the step-up to the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
too demanding and slipped out of the team at the end of August. In October 2004 he was loaned to Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
for whom he played three times. Returning to QPR F.C., he was unable to regain his place and he was released at the end of the season having not played another game for the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
club.
A-League
Johnson moved back to AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, joining home-town club Newcastle United Jets
Newcastle United Jets
Newcastle United Jets Football Club is a professional football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. The club competes in the A-League and plays its home games at Ausgrid Stadium . The Jets have won one A-League championship, defeating arch rivals the 1–0 in the 2007–08 Grand Final...
in the newly-formed A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
. Johnson played a key part in Jets' first season where the team managed a respectable 4th place under then manager Richard Money, starting 20 out of 23 games. However, in the 2006 off-season he moved to A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
club New Zealand Knights for the final year of their existence.
In May 2007 Johnson signed for newly formed A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
team Wellington Phoenix FC
Wellington Phoenix FC
Wellington Phoenix Football Club is a professional association football club based in Wellington, New Zealand. The club competes in the Football Federation of Australia A-League. Ricki Herbert has been the coach since the club's inception to the A-League in July 2007. The current club captain is...
. But he was then convicted of drunk driving in Newcastle and sentenced to 8 months imprisonment. He appealed and was subsequently given a suspended sentence and fine. He re-joined the Wellington Phoenix ahead of their debut A-League season in 2008.
On 11 February 2009, Johnson announced he would be retiring from professional football at the end of the 2008-2009 A-league
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
season.
International career
He won his first (and only) full cap for the Australian national team against the Czech RepublicCzech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
on 29 March 2000. He also played for the Australian national team twice against a Brazilian 'B' side.