 Johnson playing forCardiff City in 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Daniel Johnson[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1993-02-28)28 February 1993 (age 32) | ||
| Place of birth | Middlesbrough, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Hartlepool United | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Middlesbrough | |||
| 2010–2011 | Hartlepool United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2012 | Real Murcia B | ||
| 2012 | Harrogate Town | 2 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Billingham Synthonia | 17 | (9) |
| 2013–2014 | Guisborough Town | 48 | (51) |
| 2014–2015 | Cardiff City | 0 | (0) |
| 2014 | →Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2015 | →Stevenage (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2015–2018 | Gateshead | 110 | (44) |
| 2018–2019 | Motherwell | 22 | (6) |
| 2019–2020 | Dundee | 19 | (5) |
| 2020–2021 | Leyton Orient | 48 | (19) |
| 2021–2023 | Mansfield Town | 30 | (5) |
| 2022–2023 | →Walsall (loan) | 22 | (12) |
| 2023–2025 | Walsall | 47 | (10) |
| 2025– | Hartlepool United | 18 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:12, 22 November 2025 (UTC) | |||
Daniel Johnson (born 28 February 1993) is an English professionalfootballer, who plays as astriker forNational League clubHartlepool United.
Johnson began his career in the youth academies at home-town clubMiddlesbrough andHartlepool United but was released by both clubs without making a first-team appearance. After spells with non-league sidesHarrogate Town andBillingham Synthonia, Johnson rose to national prominence after a prolific season withGuisborough Town in theNorthern Football League, attracting the attention of severalFootball League clubs, scoring 59 goals during the 2013–14 season.
His exploits for Guisborough saw him joinFootball League Championship sideCardiff City the following season. However, he did not make a first-team appearance for the club, spending parts of the season out on loan atFootball League Two clubsTranmere Rovers andStevenage before being released following the expiration of his contract, signing forGateshead in July 2015. Johnson moved to Motherwell in 2018, where he spent one year before signing for Dundee in July 2019. In January 2020 he signed for league two club Leyton Orient. While with Mansfield, Johnson would go out on loan toWalsall and would have a remarkable scoring season. In 2023 he returned to theSaddlers on a two-year deal.
Johnson began his career as a youngster withMiddlesbrough and later moved into the youth system atHartlepool United, scoring 21 goals for the club's youth team during the 2010–11 season, but was released in May 2011 without making a first-team appearance. He moved to Spain withReal Murcia before returning to England, spending time on trial withRochdale before having a brief spell withHarrogate Town, making his debut againstHiston, before being released.[3] He later joinedBillingham Synthonia.[4]
In March 2013, Johnson joinedGuisborough Town having impressed manager Chris Hardy and scored six goals in nine league appearances at the end of the 2012–13 season. He started the following year in impressive form, scoring six goals in a pre-season friendly against local sideRedcar Athletic and added his first competitive hat-trick soon after in a 3–3 draw withJarrow Roofing in the qualifying rounds of theFA Cup.[4] He went on to enjoy a prolific season at the club, scoring 59 goals in all competitions, helping the side to win theNorth Riding Senior Cup, scoring the only goal in the final,[5] a 1–0 win over former club Middlesbrough and finishing top scorer in Division One of theNorthern Football League.[6] At the end of his prolific 2013–14 season, Johnson received a plethora of awards, including the clubs Managers' Player of the Year, the Northern Football League's Young Player of the Year award and BBC Newcastle's Player of the Year award.[4]
Johnson's scoring exploits for Guisborough attracted interest from numerous clubs including his former club Middlesbrough, where he had two spells training with the first team,[7]Huddersfield Town andCarlisle United before eventually signing forFootball League Championship sideCardiff City after scoring for the club's development squad during a pre-season tour againstFK Sarajevo.[8] Following his return to professional football, Guisborough manager Chris Hardy commented ""He is an out-and-out goal scorer and more mature now than when he was in the pro game before""[4]
After spending the opening months of the season in the sides development squad, Johnson signed forFootball League Two sideTranmere Rovers on an initial one-month loan deal in October 2014.[9] He made his professional debut soon after in a 0–0 draw withMansfield Town on 21 October 2014, playing 71 minutes before being replaced byGeorge Donnelly,[10] and scored his first professional goal on 11 November in a 2–1 win overBury in theFootball League Trophy.[11] He made just one more appearance for the club before returning to Cardiff.
After continuing to score regularly for Cardiff's under-21 development squad, Johnson was again loaned out, returning to League Two withStevenage for an initial one month loan deal on 2 February.[12] He made one start for the club and three brief substitute appearances without scoring before returning to Cardiff in late March. At the end of the season, Johnson was not offered a new contract with Cardiff and was subsequently released.[13]
Following his release, Johnson spent time on trial with League Two sideYork City, appearing in pre-season friendly matches againstLeeds United and Middlesbrough. He was offered a further week long trial at the club following this but instead chose to sign forNational League sideGateshead,[14] managed by former Middlesbrough assistant managerMalcolm Crosby, stating that the club had "made him feel wanted from the outset".[15] He made his debut for the club on the opening day of the 2015–16 season, starting in a 2–1 win overAldershot Town before being replaced byRyan Bowman after 61 minutes.[16] He scored his first goals for the club soon after with a brace againstGuiseley during a 2–0 win on 29 August 2015.[17]
His next goal for the club came three matches later during a 2–1 victory overEastleigh during which Johnson suffered an injury after a heavy collision with Eastleigh goalkeeperMichael Poke.[18] After a weak header back to Poke by defenderJamie Turley, Johnson beat the Eastleigh goalkeeper to the ball to score but was caught by a strong follow through by Poke. Johnson suffered a bruised lung as well as muscle damage in his ribs and hips and was stretchered off, later claiming that he believed that he was going to suffer aseizure due to the severity of the collision,[19] which kept him out for a month.
In June 2018, Johnson signed a two-year contract withScottish Premiership clubMotherwell.[20] He started the season well, scoring goals in high-profile matches, including against one againstRangers,[21] a double in a 3–0 victory againstAberdeen,[22] and a late equaliser in a 1–1 draw withCeltic.[23] Despite having a goals to games ratio of one in two start in the first half of the season, a change of formation limited his appearances during the second half of the season.[24]
On 26 July 2019, Johnson moved toScottish Championship sideDundee on a two-year contract.[25] He scored on his debut for Dundee in a 1–0 victory overInverness Caledonian Thistle in theScottish League Cup group stages.[26] Johnson then played a crucial role in the opening game of the league season, scoring two penalties againstDunfermline Athletic to earn his side a point as they came from 2–0 down to draw 2–2,[27] and he scored once again from the spot in a League Cup tie against Aberdeen in a 2–1 defeat.[28] In the firstDundee Derby of the season, Johnson had a goal which would have given Dundee the lead, wrongly disallowed for offside, and his side then went on to lose 6–2.[29] Johnson scored early on in the following match, a 2–1 win overAlloa Athletic.[30]
On 27 January 2020, Johnson signed forEFL League Two sideLeyton Orient.[31] He scored his first goal on 22 February, scoring the last goal in a 2–2 draw withOldham Athletic.[32] At the end of the2020–21 season, Johnson was offered a new contract to remain in East London.[33]
On 10 June 2021, Johnson was announced to have agreed a two-year deal to joinMansfield Town having rejected the offer of a new contract at Orient.[34][35]
On 23 July 2022, Johnson signed for fellow League Two clubWalsall on a six-month loan deal.[36] He scored a hat trick on his competitive debut when Walsall beatHartlepool on the first day of the season on July 30.[37] Johnson would have a very successful short loan spell with Walsall, scoring 15 goals in 30 games. Amid discussion of returning to theSaddlers, Johnson returned to his parent club following the expiry of his loan on 16 January 2023.[38]
Upon his return to the club, amid claims he was unhappy, Johnson was accused of tying his shoelaces in order to deliberately not celebrate a goal for his side, a claim which he disputed.[39] On 4 March, he scored his first goal since his recall in a 3–1 victory overAFC Wimbledon,[40] celebrating by pretending to tie the laces on his boot in front of the travelling fans.[41]
He was released at the end of the2022–23 season.[42]
On 28 June 2023, Walsall announced that Danny had signed permanently for Walsall on a two-year deal upon the expiry of his contract on 1 July 2023.[43] He scored on his second debut in 2-1 loss toMorecambe F.C. He also scored in Walsall's first win in the season overStockport County[44]
After struggling with injuries early in the2024–25 season, Johnson made his mark on the campaign with a late league winner againstBradford City on 14 September.[45] At the end of the season, Walsall confirmed that Johnson would leave the club.[46]
On 4 July 2025, Johnson joined his former youth club andNational League clubHartlepool United on a permanent deal.[47]
In September 2015, Johnson was called up to anEngland C training camp being held atWarwick University but was forced to withdraw due to injury.[48] In March 2016, Johnson was placed on the standby list for England C'sInternational Challenge Trophy match against Ukraine.[49]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Harrogate Town | 2012–13 | Conference North | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Billingham Synthonia | 2012–13 | NFL - Div 1 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 21 | 9 | |
| Guisborough Town | 2012–13[50] | NFL - Div 1 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 9 | 6 | |
| 2013–14[50] | NFL - Div 1 | 39 | 45 | 9 | 9 | — | 7 | 5 | 55 | 59 | ||
| Total | 48 | 51 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 64 | 65 | ||
| Cardiff City | 2014–15[51] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 2014–15[51] | League Two | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| Stevenage (loan) | 2014–15[51] | League Two | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Gateshead | 2015–16 | National League | 36 | 13 | 1 | 0 | — | 4[b] | 2 | 41 | 15 | |
| 2016–17 | National League | 38 | 18 | 1 | 0 | — | 1[b] | 0 | 40 | 18 | ||
| 2017–18 | National League | 36 | 13 | 2 | 1 | — | 8[b] | 6 | 46 | 20 | ||
| Total | 110 | 44 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 8 | 127 | 53 | ||
| Motherwell | 2018–19[52] | Scottish Premiership | 22 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | 28 | 8 | |
| Dundee | 2019–20[53] | Scottish Championship | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 7 |
| Leyton Orient | 2019–20[53] | League Two | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| 2020–21[54] | League Two | 42 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3[c] | 1 | 48 | 20 | |
| Total | 48 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 54 | 22 | ||
| Mansfield Town | 2021–22 | League Two | 22 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[c] | 3 | 26 | 7 |
| 2022–23 | League Two | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | |
| Total | 30 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 34 | 8 | ||
| Walsall (loan) | 2022–23 | League Two | 22 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3[c] | 1 | 30 | 15 |
| Walsall | 2023–24 | League Two | 23 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[c] | 1 | 28 | 6 |
| 2024–25 | League Two | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4[c] | 3 | 30 | 8 | |
| Total | 47 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 58 | 14 | ||
| Hartlepool United | 2025–26 | National League | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Career total | 391 | 161 | 25 | 11 | 14 | 6 | 39 | 23 | 469 | 202 | ||
Guisborough Town
