Andrew Johnson (footballer, born 1981)
Template:Short description Template:Multiple issues Template:For-multi Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates
Template:Infobox football biography Andrew Johnson (born 10 February 1981) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. He played for Birmingham City, Crystal Palace, Everton, Fulham and Queens Park Rangers.
A legend at Crystal Palace, Johnson scored more than one goal per every other game in 140 appearances and helped Crystal Palace win promotion to the Premier League
He was capped eight times for England.
Club career
Birmingham City
Johnson was born in Bedford, Bedfordshire,<ref name=Hugman1011/> and started his career at Luton Town's Academy.Template:Citation needed He moved on to Birmingham City, where he signed his first professional contract on 11 March 1998.<ref name=Hugman1011/> He missed a deciding penalty in the 2001 League Cup Final penalty shoot-out defeat to Liverpool.<ref name=2001LC>Template:Cite news</ref>
After making over 100 appearances for the Blues, he was sold to Crystal Palace in 2002, following Birmingham's promotion into the Premier League. Johnson was used as the makeweight in a transfer deal for Clinton Morrison, valued at £750,000 for the purposes of the transaction.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Crystal Palace
Johnson's made a strong start to his career at Palace by scoring a hat-trick in the 5–0 thrashing of rivals Brighton & Hove Albion on 26 October 2002,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and then another, in the next match, at Walsall.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Despite this, he made few appearances until manager Trevor Francis was dismissedTemplate:Citation needed with the Eagles mid-table, and replaced by Steve Kember.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Kember was replaced by Iain Dowie a few months into the 2003–04 season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Under the new manager, Johnson ended the season as top scorer in the 2003–04 First Division season with 32 goals.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Palace reached the play-offs and were promoted into the Premier League for 2004–05 after beating West Ham United 1–0 in the final.<ref name="2004CPO">Template:Cite news</ref>
Despite Palace's relegation back into the Championship the following season, Johnson was the highest scoring English player with 21 goals and the second highest overall in the Premier League.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> his form attracted the attention of England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Johnson requested a transfer,Template:Citation needed but signed a new five-year contract with Palace in August 2005.<ref name="transfer request">Template:Cite news</ref>
Johnson was soon playing alongside Clinton Morrison, who had rejoined Palace from Birmingham for a fee of £2 million,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> three years after Birmingham had bought him in a deal for £4.25 million plus Johnson.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, due to injury to Johnson, and Morrison's lack of form, the pairing was limited in the early part of the season.Template:Citation needed With a return to fitness and form, the two soon became Dowie's first choice pairing as the season progressed, with Dougie Freedman adding experience to the strike force.Template:Citation needed
Palace comfortably made it into a top-six position but in the play-offs failed to recover from a first leg defeat at the hands of Watford,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> being beaten on aggregate in the semi-final.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Johnson scored 15 goals in the Championship that season.Template:Citation needed
In 2005, Johnson was voted into Palace's Centenary XI, the only player at the club at the time to be selected, and, together with Nigel Martyn, the only members of the XI then playing on a professional basis.Template:Citation needed
Everton
After Crystal Palace's failure to return to top-flight football, speculation about Johnson's future at the club began with a transfer to a Premier League club seeming highly likely.Template:Citation needed However, when an initial bid from Everton of £7.25 million was rejected, it looked more likely that the club would be able to keep Johnson for a further year after all.Template:Citation needed Nevertheless, the departure of manager Iain Dowie only increased the likelihood of Johnson's departure, and on 24 May 2006 Palace accepted an £8.5m million offer from Wigan Athletic for Johnson.Template:Citation needed This bid was matched by fellow Lancashire club Bolton Wanderers a day later, which was also accepted.Template:Citation needed
With Johnson having indicated a preference for a move to Merseyside, Everton, prompted by the two other bids, improved their offer to £8.6 million the following day.Template:Citation needed On 30 May 2006, he passed his medical and completed the move to Goodison Park, signing a five-year contract.Template:Citation needed Johnson's move set new club transfer records, both as Everton's most expensive purchase and Palace's most expensive sale.Template:Citation needed
Johnson scored his first goal for Everton on his debut on 19 August 2006, in a 2–1 win over Watford.Template:Citation needed He continued a good start to his Everton career by scoring against Tottenham Hotspur away to end a 21-year victory drought there and then scoring twice in the 3–0 derby victory against Liverpool.Template:Citation needed Johnson was Everton's top scorer in the 2006–07 FA Premier League with 11 goals (and one in the FA Cup).Template:Citation needed However, Johnson was allegedly affected by allegations of simulation, going 13 matches without scoring a goal at one stage.Template:Citation needed
After a league match with Chelsea on 17 December 2006, Chelsea manager José Mourinho branded Johnson "untrustworthy" following a challenge with Chelsea goalkeeper Henrique Hilário. Everton issued a statement threatening legal action and calling on Mourinho to apologise,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> which he did two days later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Mourinho was not the first to air such sentiments about Johnson; former Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock also having accused Johnson of resorting to "gamesmanship" to win a penalty in a Premier League match between the two clubs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Everton manager David Moyes took the unusual step of contacting the Professional Game Match Officials Board in order to counter these accusations.Template:Citation needed The board's general manager Keith Hackett agreed that Johnson was being treated harshly and had been denied several clear penalties.Template:Citation needed
On 6 November 2007, Johnson signed a new five-year contract with Everton.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the new season, Johnson scored some vital goals for Everton, including a Premier League winner away to West Ham.Template:Citation needed He scored Everton's first goal in the 2–1 away victory against Wigan Athletic, and was denied a winning goal at Blackburn Rovers, adjudged to have been offside.Template:Citation needed
Johnson scored twice in Everton's 6–1 thrashing of SK Brann in the UEFA Cup.Template:Citation needed He scored Everton's second and sixth goal and the last goal was a driven shot from outside the box.Template:Citation needed Johnson also scored in Everton's Round of 16 tie against Fiorentina.Template:Citation needed He picked up a groin injury in Everton's match at the Craven Cottage against Fulham.Template:Citation needed
Fulham
In July 2008, Everton accepted an offer of "an eight figure sum" from Fulham for Johnson.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was reported that problems had arisen from his medical, prompting a possible renegotiation of the fee,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but the move was completed on 7 August 2008, the player signing a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee, thought to be in the region of £10.5 million.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He made his debut for the club in a 2–1 win over Bolton Wanderers at Craven Cottage on 13 September 2008.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Johnson was sent off against West Ham United on 27 September 2008 for two bookable offences.Template:Citation needed He scored his first and second Fulham goals against Wigan Athletic on 29 October 2008.Template:Citation needed
Johnson finished the 2008–09 season with 10 goals helping Fulham to finish in seventh place and qualify for the UEFA Europa League.Template:Citation needed He made only 13 appearances for Fulham in 2009–10, scoring three goals, as he missed much of the season due to a troublesome knee problem.Template:Citation needed He also missed most of the early part of the 2010–11 season with injury.Template:Citation needed He made a good start to the 2011–12 season, scoring a Premier League hat-trick on 2 October in the 6–0 win over West London rivals Queens Park Rangers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Johnson also scored twice in Fulham's 4–1 win over Wisła Kraków on 4 November 2011, putting them on the brink of securing a place in the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> These goals were Johnson's seventh and eighth in the UEFA Europa League; he also scored against NSÍ Runavík, Crusaders, RNK Split, Twente and Odense.<ref name=SW/>
Johnson's contract at Fulham expired in June 2012 and he was released after four years at the club.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Queens Park Rangers
In June 2012, Johnson signed for Queens Park Rangers on a two-year contract.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Johnson made his debut as a substitute in the first match of the season at home against Swansea City.<ref>"QPR 0–5 Swansea". BBC Sport. 18 August 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.</ref> Johnson made his first start away at Manchester City, providing an assist for Bobby Zamora's equalising goal.<ref>"Manchester City 3–1 QPR". BBC Sport. 1 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.</ref> On 17 September 2012, it was announced that Johnson was likely to miss the majority of the season with a cruciate ligament injury.<ref>"QPR's Andy Johnson could miss most of the season with injury" BBC Sport. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.</ref> In August 2013, Johnson scored the winning goal in Queens Park Rangers' opening fixture of the Championship season against Sheffield Wednesday.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was released on 1 July 2014 following the end of his contract.Template:Citation needed
Return to Crystal Palace
On 3 September 2014, Johnson signed a short-term contract with Crystal Palace on a free transfer, and was given some coaching responsibility with academy players.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He left the club at the start of January 2015 when that contract expired, having made a solitary appearance in the League Cup.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
On 30 March 2016, Johnson returned to Crystal Palace as an ambassador. His duties would again involve some coaching responsibility as well as involvement with the community.<ref name=Ambass>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
International career
Johnson was first capped for England at U20 level, being selected in the team for the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship alongside Stuart Taylor, Ashley Cole, Peter Crouch and Matthew Etherington.Template:Citation needed The team finished bottom of their group, losing all three matches without scoring.Template:Citation needed
As the top English goalscorer in the 2004–05 Premier League, there were many calling for him to be selected for the full England squad.Template:Citation needed Midway through the season, Johnson revealed that he would accept a call-up to the national team of Poland, after being eligible through his grandfather being born in Poland.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This subsequently hurried then England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson into giving Johnson his first call-up, to face the Netherlands on 9 February 2005, and he made his first international appearance in that match.<ref name = England>Template:Cite news</ref>
A second cap came when Johnson made his full debut for England, in a 2–1 friendly win over the United States, during England's tour of America in the summer of 2005.<ref name = England/> On 9 May 2006, Johnson was put on standby by Eriksson in his squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.<ref name = England/> He was also an unused substitute in the England B match against Belarus and the first team's wins over Hungary and Jamaica.Template:Citation needed
When Steve McClaren was installed as England coach, Johnson got further opportunities to play for his country in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers.Template:Citation needed Johnson made substitute appearances against Andorra (at Old Trafford on 2 September 2006) and away to Macedonia (on 6 September 2006).Template:Citation needed Johnson then made his first competitive start for England in the Euro 2008 qualifier with Israel.Template:Citation needed
Post-retirement life
Johnson now runs a property company, and also works for BAND, a business advisory firm.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In February 2024, Johnson was appointed to the role of director of football at AFC Croydon Athletic, a non-league club.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Birmingham City | 1998–99<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | First Division | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||
| 1999–2000<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | First Division | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 2Template:Efn | 0 | 30 | 2 | ||
| 2000–01<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | First Division | 34 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | — | 0 | 0 | 41 | 7 | ||
| 2001–02<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | First Division | 23 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 2Template:Efn | 0 | 28 | 4 | ||
| Total | 83 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 5 | — | 4 | 0 | 104 | 13 | |||
| Crystal Palace | 2002–03<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | First Division | 28 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 34 | 14 | ||
| 2003–04<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | First Division | 42 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | — | 3Template:Efn | 1 | 49 | 32 | ||
| 2004–05<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | Premier League | 37 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 22 | |||
| 2005–06<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | Championship | 33 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 2Template:Efn | 0 | 39 | 17 | ||
| Total | 140 | 74 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 7 | — | 5 | 1 | 160 | 85 | |||
| Everton | 2006–07<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | Premier League | 32 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 12 | ||
| 2007–08<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | Premier League | 29 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7Template:Efn | 4 | — | 39 | 10 | ||
| Total | 61 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 4 | — | 74 | 22 | |||
| Fulham | 2008–09<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | Premier League | 31 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 36 | 10 | ||
| 2009–10<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | Premier League | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4Template:Efn | 3 | — | 13 | 3 | ||
| 2010–11<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | Premier League | 27 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 3 | |||
| 2011–12<ref name=SW>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
Premier League | 20 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13Template:Efn | 8 | — | 34 | 11 | |
| Total | 86 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 11 | — | 112 | 27 | |||
| Queens Park Rangers | 2012–13<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | Championship | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | ||
| Total | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 | |||
| Crystal Palace | 2014–15<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 390 | 114 | 20 | 7 | 32 | 12 | 24 | 15 | 9 | 1 | 475 | 149 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England<ref>Template:NFT player</ref> | 2005 | 2 | 0 |
| 2006 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 8 | 0 | |
Honours
Birmingham City
- Football League First Division play-offs: 2002<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2000–01<ref name=2001LC/>
Crystal Palace
- Football League First Division play-offs: 2004<ref name=2004CPO/>
Individual
- Premier League Player of the Month: October 2004,<ref name=PL/> September 2006<ref name=PL>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- PFA Team of the Year: 2003–04 First Division,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 2004–05 Premier League<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Crystal Palace Player of the Year: 2003–04,<ref name=palacepoty/> 2004–05<ref name=palacepoty>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
References
External links
- 1981 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Bedford
- English men's footballers
- England men's international footballers
- Men's association football forwards
- Luton Town F.C. players
- Birmingham City F.C. players
- Crystal Palace F.C. players
- Everton F.C. players
- Fulham F.C. players
- Queens Park Rangers F.C. players
- English Football League players
- Premier League players
- English people of Polish descent
- Crystal Palace F.C. non-playing staff
- 21st-century English sportsmen