| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Edward William Johnson | ||
| Date of birth | (1984-09-20)20 September 1984 (age 41) | ||
| Place of birth | Chester, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–1999 | Crewe Alexandra | ||
| 1999–2003 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2006 | Manchester United | 0 | (0) |
| 2004 | →Royal Antwerp (loan) | 11 | (5) |
| 2004–2005 | →Coventry City (loan) | 26 | (5) |
| 2005–2006 | →Crewe Alexandra (loan) | 22 | (5) |
| 2006–2008 | Bradford City | 64 | (7) |
| 2008–2009 | Chester City | 10 | (1) |
| 2009–2010 | Austin Aztex[A] | 48 | (19) |
| 2011–2012 | Portland Timbers | 7 | (1) |
| Total | 188 | (43) | |
| International career | |||
| 2001 | England U16 | 3 | (1) |
| England U18 | |||
| 2002 | England U19 | 3 | (2) |
| 2003 | England U20 | 3 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2014– | Dundee under-20s | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Edward William Johnson (born 20 September 1984) is an English formerfootballer, who ended his career withPortland Timbers inMajor League Soccer. He was amidfielder but also played as astriker and represented his country at theunder-16,under-18,under-19 andunder-20 levels. He is now employed as under-20s manager forDundee.
Born inChester, Johnson began his career withCrewe Alexandra andManchester United's academies. He had loan spells withRoyal Antwerp,Coventry City and Crewe Alexandra, before he was released by Manchester United in 2006 and joinedBradford City, where he played 64 league games in two seasons. He was released from Bradford in 2008, and after initially turning down a move toChester City, he was given a trial at Crewe, which was unsuccessful, and instead he joined Chester where he spent six months before his contract was terminated to allow him to move toAustin Aztex. His form during two seasons in theUnited Soccer Leagues First Division won him a transfer to Portland Timbers at the end of the 2010 season.
Johnson was born inChester, England, on 20 September 1984.[1] He attended Boughton Heath Primary School,[2]Christleton High School[3] and TheBishops' Blue Coat Church of England High School in the city.[4] Despite growing up as anEverton supporter,[5] Johnson started his football career atCrewe Alexandra's academy at the age of 10.[6] In 1999, he signed forPremier League sideManchester United as a junior player.[7]
Johnson signed as a trainee at Manchester United in 2001. Two years later, he was part of their FA Youth Cup-winning team, scoring in the final againstMiddlesbrough,[8] and had his first involvement with the first team.[9] He made his debut for United on 28 October 2003 againstLeeds United when he came on as a 112th-minute substitute in a 3–2League Cup victory atElland Road.[9]
Johnson was loaned out to the Belgian clubRoyal Antwerp in January 2004 where he made 11 appearances, scoring five goals,[10][11] including a 20-yard strike on his debut against Heusden-Zolder.[12] In July 2004, he was sent on loan toChampionship-sideCoventry City for the2004–05 season in order to gain first-team experience.[13] He scored on his Coventry debut in a 2–0 victory againstSunderland on 7 August 2004,[14] before he scored a second later that month in a 4–1 defeat ofNottingham Forest.[15] Johnson did not score again until October, when he scored three times in four games, but they proved to be his last goals of the season.[16] He finished his stay with Coventry with 26 appearances.[1]
In July 2005, Johnson again moved on loan this time returning to Crewe Alexandra in a six-month deal.[6] It took him eight games to score his first goal which came in a 1–1 draw withPlymouth Argyle on 13 September 2005.[17][18] Three more goals followed by the end of 2005[18] including one on Boxing Day againstHull City,[19] who then offered him a permanent deal.[20] Hull and Manchester United agreed a fee for Johnson but he decided to extend his loan deal at Crewe until the end of the2005–06 season.[20] It was not until the last game of the season againstMillwall that he scored another to bring his tally to five from 22 games.[18][21] Having failed to make an impact at Manchester United, Johnson was among seven United players given a free transfer at the end of the 2005–06 season. He was offered a contract at Crewe,[22] but also attracted interest fromBarnsley andBradford City,[23] the latter of whom he joined on a two-year deal in June 2006.[24]
The start of Johnson's career atLeague One side Bradford City was marred by an ankle ligament injury in a pre-season friendly atBoston United which was expected to keep him out of the first month of the season.[25] He recovered to make his debut in City's2006–07 season's opening game atNottingham Forest as a late substitute.[26] Two weeks later he scored his first Bradford goals by netting twice against his former club Crewe in a 3–0 Bradford victory.[27] Johnson struggled for goals at City, and had only scored another two by the time he was ruled out for a month after going off at half-time againstChesterfield on 16 December 2006 with a shin injury.[28] He returned to the City team after a six-game absence for a Friday night game withTranmere Rovers, which ended 1–1.[29][30] He had a goal disallowed againstYeovil Town a week later for offside.[31] Following a poor run of form, City managerColin Todd was sacked,[32] with his replacementDavid Wetherall converting Johnson from astriker to amidfielder after an injury toMarc Bridge-Wilkinson.[33] However, City were relegated after a defeat to Chesterfield with Johnson finishing the season with just four goals.[34][35]
At the start of the2007–08 season, new managerStuart McCall continued to employ Johnson in a midfield role, and he was rewarded with goals in back-to-back games and the club's player of the month in September.[36][37] In November, he was ruled out for 11 weeks because of a back injury,[37] before he was sidelined again when he gashed his shin in his comeback game againstWrexham on 26 January 2008.[38] Johnson returned two weeks later as a second-half substitute againstBury.[39] He was used in his former striker's role later in the season, and scored his sixth league goal in a 1–0 victory overMorecambe on 5 April 2008.[40] Johnson scored again three days later in a 1–1 draw withBarnet,[41] as he tried to secure a new contract with Bradford.[42] However, on 29 April 2008, Johnson was deemed to be surplus to requirements at Valley Parade and was released by managerStuart McCall along with 13 other Bradford players.[43] McCall said releasing Johnson was one of the hardest decisions in his first year as manager, adding: "It went right down to the wire with Eddie. He's got terrific energy, a good engine and has enjoyed himself at this club."[44] Johnson played a total of 71 games in all competitions for City, scoring eight goals.[1]
In June 2008, Johnson was offered a two-year contract by fellowLeague Two sideChester City,[45] but two weeks later, he turned down the deal.[46] Instead he returned to Crewe Alexandra on trial after he and his mother went to see coachDario Gradi,[47][48] and scored twice in a 4–1 pre-season friendly victory overQuorn on 16 July 2008.[49] Despite spending the rest of the summer with Crewe, the club decided not to offer Johnson a full-time contract, because coachSteve Holland felt he was not better than the club's other forwards.[50]
Instead, Johnson was given another chance with Chester City, with whom he trained in the run up to the start of the2008–09 season.[51] He scored in a friendly against anEverton reserve team,[52] but despite the club wanting to sign Johnson, the transfer was put on hold because of the club's salary cap. Johnson had to wait a number of weeks to sign for Chester, after a deal to takePaul Rutherford toNorthwich Victoria, freeing up money to pay Johnson, failed to go through before the 2008 summer transfer deadline closed.[53] Johnson finally signed for Chester on 15 October, agreeing a two-year contract with his hometown club.[54] His debut came three days later in a home game withPort Vale, with Chester losing 2–1, when he had two opportunities to score and was substituted late in the second half.[55] His first goal for Chester was a consolation goal in a 2–1 defeat toMorecambe on 15 November.[56] He missed four weeks out through injury, which coincided with the club's improvement in form under new managerMark Wright,[57] until he returned as a last-minute substitute against his former side Bradford City.[58]
The following month, with Chester in financial hardship, Johnson was allowed to talk toUnited Soccer Leagues First Division sideAustin Aztex, managed byAdrian Heath, who was caretaker manager during Johnson's loan spell at Coventry City.[59] Johnson's contract was terminated by Chester City on the final day of the January transfer window to allow him to move to the Austin Aztex.[60] His last game for Chester had been during December;[61] he played just 11 times during his six months with Chester, scoring only once.[1]
Johnson's move to Austin Aztex was finalised in March and completed their initial starting side, which included fellow English playersAlex Tapp andGifton Noel-Williams and WelshmanGareth Evans.[62][63] Upon Johnson's transfer, team manager Adrian Heath said: "I think it's fair to say that Eddie has lost his way recently and I hope we can get him back on the right path to where he is again one of the bright young players in English football."[63] Johnson played in the club's first game, which was a 2–0friendly defeat toMajor League Soccer'sNew England Revolution and scored in another pre-season match.[64][65] Johnson scored his first goal for Austin on 25 April against fellow expansion side theCleveland City Stars when he scored in the 13th minute of play. Johnson scored his second goal in the final minute of the match.[66] In the 2009 season, Johnson played 22 league matches, scoring five goals making him the Aztex leading goalscorer,[67][68] but he was forced to miss part of the season because ofwork permit problems after he returned to England with Evans.[69] Johnson also played in two of the Aztex's threeUS Open Cup matches, playing in the first round, scoring the second goal in a 2–0 win overMississippi Brilla[70] and in Austin's 2–0 defeat toHouston Dynamo in the third round.[71]The Austin Chronicle named Johnson the city's best player. The newspaper's citation said: "he's been out there hustling every game and providing leadership and a steadying influence on and off the field. At 24, with a background that includes Manchester United and English national youth teams, he might not be with us much longer, but it's a treat while it lasts."[72] He went on to win one of the club's player of the season awards.[73]
During the close-season, Johnson sought a possible new club back in England,[74] and before the start of the 2010 season in America, he was given a trial with Major League Soccer sideSeattle Sounders FC joining them for their pre-season training camp.[75] Having trained with Sounders, Johnson decided to stay with Austin Aztex and signed a new two-year contract.[76] In the first game of the Aztex season, Johnson hit the goalpost with a 20-yard curling shot, butLawrence Olum scored with the rebound, helping the Aztex to a 2–0 victory againstMontreal Impact.[68] During May, Johnson scored five goals,[77] including two in a 3–3 draw withTampa Bay[78] and made two assists to help Austin record an unbeaten spell.[77] He again scored two goals in a 2–1 Aztex victory overMiami[79] and helped take his team to the top of the table by being the club's leading goalscorer throughout the campaign.[80] Heath also used him in his original position in attack, including as a sole striker in a defeat toPuerto Rico Islanders. It was a result that saw the Aztex lose their top spot for the first time in three months.[81] A week later, Johnson scored his tenth goal of the season to give his side their fourth win in five games by defeatingCarolina RailHawks 3–2.[82] The Aztex returned to the top of the table with a 2–0 victory againstNSC Minnesota Stars with Johnson scoring the opening goal of the game.[83] Aztex qualified for the end-of-season play-offs where they faced Montreal Impact over two legs. Johnson scored one of Aztex's two goals in the second leg but their season finished with a 5–2 aggregate defeat.[84] Johnson played a total of 28 games during the season, scoring 15 goals,[85] and earned a place in the2010 season best XI.[86]
Johnson's form for the Aztex attracted the attention of thePortland Timbers, aMajor League Soccer expansion side for the 2011 season. At the end of the 2010 league season, Johnson was announced as one of the Timbers first four signings, along withSteve Cronin,Ryan Pore andBright Dike.[87] Because Portland had second draft pick behind fellow expansion sideVancouver Whitecaps, they announced they had previously signed Johnson, by taking him to their formerUSL side before the transfer deadline on 14 August and loaning him back to the Aztex for the remainder of the 2010 season.[88] He was listed on the Timbers' roster as a forward.[89] Johnson was a late substitute forJorge Perlaza in the Timbers' first MLS home game and fourth in all, as they defeatedChicago Fire 4–2 on 15 April 2011.[90]
Johnson announced his retirement on 20 April 2012, the same day that Portland acquired forwardMike Fucito.[91]
In July 2014, Johnson was announced as the new under-20 manager forDundee.[92]
Johnson has represented England atunder-16,under-18,under-19 and20 levels.[93] His form during his time at Manchester United earned him a place in theEngland team in the2003 FIFA World Youth Championship, after scoring twice in a friendly game before the tournament.[94][95][96] Johnson played in all three of England's games againstJapan,Egypt andColombia during the tournament in theUnited Arab Emirates, but England picked up just one point and were eliminated in the group stage.[97][98][99]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester United | 2003–04 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2004–05 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2005–06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Royal Antwerp (loan) | 2003–04 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 11 | 5 | |
| Coventry City (loan) | 2004–05 | 26 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 5 |
| Crewe Alexandra (loan) | 2005–06 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 5 |
| Bradford City | 2006–07 | 32 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1[B] | 0 | 37 | 4 |
| 2007–08 | 32 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 4 | |
| Total | 64 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 71 | 8 | |
| Chester City | 2008–09 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Austin Aztex | 2009 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 6 | ||||
| 2010[A] | 26 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 2[C] | 1 | 29 | 15 | |||
| Total | 48 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 53 | 21 | |||
| Portland Timbers | 2011 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | ||||
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Career total | 188 | 43 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 206 | 46 | |
Johnson married during the off-season between the 2010 and 2011 American League seasons.[100]
