Jeff Johnson (footballer)

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Jeff Johnson
Personal information
Full name Jeffrey David Johnson[1]
Date of birth (1953-11-26) 26 November 1953 (age 71)[1]
Place of birth Cardiff, Wales[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Clifton Athletic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1970–1973 Manchester City 6 (0)
1972 → Swansea City (loan) 38 (5)
1973–1976 Crystal Palace 87 (4)
1976–1981 Sheffield Wednesday 180 (6)
1981–1982 Newport County 34 (2)
1982–1985 Gillingham 88 (4)
1985–1986 Port Vale 10 (1)
1986–? Barrow ? (?)
Total 443 (22)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jeffrey David "Jeff" Johnson (born 26 November 1953) is a Welsh former footballer. In addition to his club career – playing over 400 games in the Football League, he also represented his country at youth and under-23 level.

He began his career at Manchester City in 1970, and played on loan at Swansea City in 1972, before joining Crystal Palace the following year. He moved on to Sheffield Wednesday in 1976, and was voted Player of the Year in 1980, and helped the club to win promotion out of the Third Division in 1979–80. He signed with Newport County in 1981, before moving on to Gillingham the next year. He joined Port Vale in June 1985, and played a minor role in the club's promotion out of the Fourth Division, before he joined non-league Barrow in May 1986.

Playing career

Johnson started his professional career with Manchester City in 1970, when Joe Mercer was finishing his six-year reign. He made six First Division appearances in 1970–71, 1971–72 and 1972–73. He also had a lengthy spell on loan at Swansea City, playing 38 games in the Third Division. In December 1973,[2] Johnson rejoined his former Manchester City manager, Malcolm Allison, at Crystal Palace, but suffered relegation from the Second Division in 1973–74. The "Eagles" were four points off the promotion places in 1974–75 and three points shy of the promotion places in 1975–76, although Palace reached the F A Cup semi-final that year. Johnson made 26 league appearances that season and played in four out of eight games in the cup run.[3] Johnson left Selhurst Park in July 1976,[2] and moved on to Len Ashurst's Sheffield Wednesday, who finished six points behind Palace in 1976–77, who occupied the third and final promotion place. Jack Charlton then took over at Hillsborough, and Wednesday dropped to 14th in 1977–78 and 1978–79. He was voted the club's Player of the Year in 1979–80, as the "Owls" won promotion in third place. Wednesday adapted comfortably to the Second Division in 1980–81, though at the end of the season Johnson dropped back down a division to sign with Newport County, and was reunited with Len Ashurst at Somerton Park. The "Exiles" posted a 16th-place finish in 1981–82.

He then moved on to Keith Peacock's Gillingham, and became a key first team player at Priestfield Stadium.[4] The "Gills" finished 13th in the Third Division in 1982–83, eighth in 1983–84, before missing out on the promotion places by one place and four points in 1984–85. He joined John Rudge's Port Vale in June 1985, making his debut on 17 August 1985 in a 1–0 defeat at Exeter City.[1] He suffered a massive setback in October 1985 when he broke his foot.[1] Unable to regain his first team spot with the "Valiants", who went on to win promotion out of the Fourth Division in 1985–86, he was given a free transfer in May 1986 to Northern Premier League club Barrow.[1] After leaving the game he spent many years as a taxi driver in Manchester.[5]

Statistics

  • Sourced from Jeff Johnson profile at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Swansea City (loan) 1972–73 Third Division 38 5 0 0 2 0 40 5
Manchester City 1970–71 First Division 5 0 0 0 2 0 7 0
1971–72 First Division 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0
Total 6 0 0 0 3 0 9 0
Crystal Palace 1973–74 Second Division 22 2 1 0 0 0 23 2
1974–75 Third Division 36 1 0 0 3 0 39 1
1975–76 Third Division 29 1 4 0 3 1 36 2
Total 87 4 5 0 6 1 98 5
Sheffield Wednesday 1976–77 Third Division 34 1 2 0 5 0 41 1
1977–78 Third Division 39 1 1 0 5 1 45 2
1978–79 Third Division 38 3 9 1 4 0 51 4
1979–80 Third Division 35 1 1 0 0 0 36 1
1980–81 Second Division 34 0 1 0 3 1 38 1
Total 180 6 14 1 17 2 211 9
Newport County 1981–82 Third Division 34 2 0 0 4 0 38 2
1982–83 Third Division 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
Total 34 2 0 0 5 0 39 2
Gillingham 1982–83 Third Division 31 2 3 1 3 1 37 4
1983–84 Third Division 32 2 5 0 1 0 38 2
1984–85 Third Division 25 0 1 0 6 0 32 0
Total 88 4 5 0 6 1 99 5
Port Vale 1985–86 Fourth Division 10 1 0 0 6 0 16 1
Career Total 443 22 28 2 49 4 520 28

Honours

Individual
with Sheffield Wednesday
with Port Vale

References

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