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Tommy Johnson (footballer born 1971)
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Tommy" Johnson (born 15 January 1971 in Gateshead
, England
) is a retired footballer who played as a striker for clubs including Notts County
, Celtic
and Aston Villa
.
in the summer of 1987, joining them as an apprentice on leaving school. He was a first-team regular and a professional by the end of the decade
, when still only 18 years old, and his prolific goalscoring saw County reach the First Division
in 1991 after two successive promotion playoff triumphs. However, County lasted just one season in the top flight and missed out on a place in the new Premier League that came into force for the 1992-93
. Johnson had played 118 league games for the Magpies, scoring 47 goals - his best season being the 1989-90
campaign which saw them win promotion from the Third Division via the playoffs. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=41176
and moved down a division to ambitious Derby County
, who then narrowly missed out on a Premier League place in the playoffs, in a £1.3million deal. He helped them reached the new Division One playoff final in 1993-94
, but Derby lost 2-1 to local rivals Leicester City
with Johnson scoring their only goal, and soon after that, Johnson finally made his Premier League debut with a move to Aston Villa
. His spell at the Baseball Ground
had brought 30 goals from 98 league games.
as strike-partner to Dean Saunders
, and his future at the highest level looked promising as he scored four goals in 14 league games to help Villa stay in the Premier League. It was a trying season for the midlanders, and Johnson was part of Little's extensive rebuilding scheme which saw many of the fading stars who had been bought by his predecessor Ron Atkinson
replaced by younger players.
The close season saw Atkinson and Saunders leave the club, and manager Brian Little
brought in Serbia
n striker Savo Milosevic
. However, the greatest threat to Johnson's first-team chances was Dwight Yorke
, who had been at the club since 1989 but until then had been favoured as a winger rather than a striker. As Yorke established himself as a centre-forward, Johnson's first-team chances became limited, although he did collect a League Cup
winner's medal on 24 March 1996 as Villa triumphed 3-0 over Leeds United
at Wembley
. He managed five goals in 23 appearances for a Villa side who finished fourth in the Premier League and also reached the FA Cup semi finals, being in with a faint hope of a unique domestic treble until the final quarter of the season.
, Johnson was still unable to displace Yorke or Milosevic, managing just 20 league games and four goals, before he joined Scottish giants Celtic
for £2.4million on 27 March 1997 - transfer deadline day. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=41176
Despite seeing his career at the Hoops plagued by injury, he enjoyed some success at Celtic Park
, including scoring the goal that won the 2000-01
Scottish Premier League
title (as the Bhoys won the Scottish domestic treble), and scoring in the 2000 Scottish League Cup
final win over Aberdeen
. He had also collected a title medal in 1997-98
. At Celtic, he played under managers Wim Jansen
, Jozef Venglos
, John Barnes
, Kenny Dalglish
and finally Martin O'Neill
, but managed just 35 league games and scored 18 goals. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=41177
During his time at Celtic
, Johnson was briefly loaned out to Everton
in the autumn of 1999, where he played three times in the Premier League but failed to score.
, before joining Kilmarnock
and then Gillingham
in December 2001. After two seasons at Gillingham
, Johnson joined Sheffield United
. He only made one appearance at the club before moving on to Scunthorpe United
, where he suffered an injury-plagued career, causing some supporters to question if he was really a professional footballer and not just someone in it for the money. He scored three goals during his spell at Scunthorpe, with strikes against Bury in the FA Cup
, Halifax Town in the LDV Vans Trophy and Chesterfield in the league.
During his time at Scunthorpe United
he was loaned out to Tamworth
, finally joining them on a permanent contract and staying there until the summer of 2006.
On September 10, 2006 he signed for Midland Football Alliance
club Rocester
.
Johnson re-joined Notts County as part of the coaching staff under the management of Ian McParland on 1 November 2007. Just two games into Paul Ince
's management in November 2010, Johnson parted company with the club.
Gateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
, England
England
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...
) is a retired footballer who played as a striker for clubs including Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
and Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
.
Notts County
Johnson started his career with Notts CountyNotts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
in the summer of 1987, joining them as an apprentice on leaving school. He was a first-team regular and a professional by the end of the decade
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
, when still only 18 years old, and his prolific goalscoring saw County reach the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
in 1991 after two successive promotion playoff triumphs. However, County lasted just one season in the top flight and missed out on a place in the new Premier League that came into force for the 1992-93
1992-93 in English football
The 1992–1993 season was the 113th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season saw the birth of the FA Premier League. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions....
. Johnson had played 118 league games for the Magpies, scoring 47 goals - his best season being the 1989-90
1989-90 in English football
-European competitions:English clubs were still banned from competing in European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.- First Division :...
campaign which saw them win promotion from the Third Division via the playoffs. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=41176
Derby County
Before the end of that bleak campaign, Johnson had left Meadow LaneMeadow Lane
Not to be confused with The Meadow, home of Southern Football League Premier Division football team Chesham UnitedThe Meadow Lane Stadium is a football stadium in Nottingham, England...
and moved down a division to ambitious Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
, who then narrowly missed out on a Premier League place in the playoffs, in a £1.3million deal. He helped them reached the new Division One playoff final in 1993-94
1993-94 in English football
The 1993-1994 season was the 114th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:From the start of this season, the FA Premier League would be sponsored by Carling Breweries - an association which would last for eight years...
, but Derby lost 2-1 to local rivals Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
with Johnson scoring their only goal, and soon after that, Johnson finally made his Premier League debut with a move to Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
. His spell at the Baseball Ground
Baseball Ground
The Baseball Ground was a stadium in Derby, England. It was first used for baseball as the home of Derby County Baseball Club from 1890 until 1898 and then for football as the home of Derby County from 1895 until 1997. It was commonly referred to as the "BBG".As the name suggests, the stadium was...
had brought 30 goals from 98 league games.
Aston Villa
On his arrival at Villa Park, Johnson displaced Dalian AtkinsonDalian Atkinson
Dalian Robert Atkinson is an English former footballer who played as a striker in the Football League and Premier League for Ipswich Town, Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa and Manchester City, in La Liga for Real Sociedad, in Ligue 1 for Metz, in the Turkish Super League for Fenerbahçe, in Saudi...
as strike-partner to Dean Saunders
Dean Saunders
Dean Nicholas Saunders is a former Wales international footballer who played as a striker in a professional career which lasted from 1982 until 2001. He is the manager of Doncaster Rovers....
, and his future at the highest level looked promising as he scored four goals in 14 league games to help Villa stay in the Premier League. It was a trying season for the midlanders, and Johnson was part of Little's extensive rebuilding scheme which saw many of the fading stars who had been bought by his predecessor Ron Atkinson
Ron Atkinson
Ronald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits...
replaced by younger players.
The close season saw Atkinson and Saunders leave the club, and manager Brian Little
Brian Little (footballer)
Brian Little is an English former football player and manager who is currently without a job after being relieved of his duties as manager of Gainsborough Trinity on 22 August 2011. Little has previously managed Darlington, Leicester City, Aston Villa, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Hull City,...
brought in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n striker Savo Milosevic
Savo Miloševic
Savo Milošević is a retired Serbian footballer who played as a striker.After making a name for himself at Partizan, he signed for Aston Villa, and went on to spend the vast majority of the following decade playing in Spain, where he represented four clubs, amassing La Liga totals of 241 games and...
. However, the greatest threat to Johnson's first-team chances was Dwight Yorke
Dwight Yorke
Dwight Eversley Yorke is a Trinidad and Tobago former football player. He played for Aston Villa for most of his career, followed by stints with Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, Sydney FC and Sunderland...
, who had been at the club since 1989 but until then had been favoured as a winger rather than a striker. As Yorke established himself as a centre-forward, Johnson's first-team chances became limited, although he did collect a League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
winner's medal on 24 March 1996 as Villa triumphed 3-0 over Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
at Wembley
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. He managed five goals in 23 appearances for a Villa side who finished fourth in the Premier League and also reached the FA Cup semi finals, being in with a faint hope of a unique domestic treble until the final quarter of the season.
Celtic
In 1996-971996-97 in English football
The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.- Premier League :...
, Johnson was still unable to displace Yorke or Milosevic, managing just 20 league games and four goals, before he joined Scottish giants Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
for £2.4million on 27 March 1997 - transfer deadline day. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=41176
Despite seeing his career at the Hoops plagued by injury, he enjoyed some success at Celtic Park
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
, including scoring the goal that won the 2000-01
2000-01 in Scottish football
The 2000–01 season was the 104th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier League:The 2000–01 Scottish Premier League was won by Celtic, 15 points clear of Rangers who finished second. Both teams earned a place in the UEFA Champions League. Hibernian and Kilmarnock...
Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
title (as the Bhoys won the Scottish domestic treble), and scoring in the 2000 Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
final win over Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
. He had also collected a title medal in 1997-98
1997-98 in Scottish football
The 1997–98 season was the 101st season of competitive football in Scotland. Celtic halted Rangers in their bid for a record 10-in-a-row.-Scottish Premier Division:-Top scorers:-Table:-Top scorers:-Table:-Top scorers:-Table:...
. At Celtic, he played under managers Wim Jansen
Wim Jansen
Wilhelmus Marinus Anthonius Jansen is a Dutch former association football player and manager.- Playing career :He spent most of his playing career with his hometown team, Feyenoord, between 1965 and 1980...
, Jozef Venglos
Jozef Vengloš
Dr. Jozef Vengloš is a former Czechoslovak football player and coach. He has a Doctorate in Physical Education, as well as specialising in Psychology...
, John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
, Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
and finally Martin O'Neill
Martin O'Neill
Martin Hugh Michael O'Neill, OBE, is a Northern Irish football manager and former player.Until resigning the post on 9 August 2010, he was manager of Aston Villa. Starting his career in his native Northern Ireland, O'Neill moved to England where he spent most of his playing career with Nottingham...
, but managed just 35 league games and scored 18 goals. http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=41177
During his time at Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
, Johnson was briefly loaned out to Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in the autumn of 1999, where he played three times in the Premier League but failed to score.
Later career
Next stop was Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
, before joining Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
and then Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
in December 2001. After two seasons at Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
, Johnson joined Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. He only made one appearance at the club before moving on to Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
, where he suffered an injury-plagued career, causing some supporters to question if he was really a professional footballer and not just someone in it for the money. He scored three goals during his spell at Scunthorpe, with strikes against Bury in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, Halifax Town in the LDV Vans Trophy and Chesterfield in the league.
During his time at Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
he was loaned out to Tamworth
Tamworth F.C.
Tamworth Football Club are an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Tamworth, Staffordshire. Nicknamed 'The Lambs', they are currently members of the Conference National, the fifth highest tier in the English league system....
, finally joining them on a permanent contract and staying there until the summer of 2006.
On September 10, 2006 he signed for Midland Football Alliance
Midland Football Alliance
The Midland Football Alliance is an English association football league for semi-professional teams. It covers Leicestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire and also southern parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire...
club Rocester
Rocester F.C.
Rocester Football Club is a football club based in Rocester, near Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, England.-History:Rocester Football Club was formed in 1876 and for over a century played in various local leagues including the Stafford Amateur League and Uttoxeter and District League until they became...
.
Johnson re-joined Notts County as part of the coaching staff under the management of Ian McParland on 1 November 2007. Just two games into Paul Ince
Paul Ince
Paul Emerson Carlyle Ince is an English football manager and a former professional player. He has managed Blackburn Rovers, Milton Keynes Dons and Macclesfield Town...
's management in November 2010, Johnson parted company with the club.