Derek Johnstone
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Derek Johnstone (born November 4, 1953 in Dundee) is a Scottish former professional footballer who played mainly for Rangers. He also had a spell at Chelsea and a brief spell in management with Partick Thistle. He mainly played as a striker but could also perform in central defence, and in midfield. Uniquely, he was selected to play in defence, midfield, and attack for Scotland.
Johnstone, a boyhood Dundee United supporter, signed for Rangers as a schoolboy in 1968. Johnstone was famously thrown into the 1970 Scottish League Cup final by manager Willie Waddell aged just 16. The brave decision by Waddell was to pay off as he headed the winner in Rangers' 1-0 victory against Celtic. Johnstone went on to have a long and successful career with Rangers, scoring 210 goals in 546 appearances and winning the League championship three times, the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup five times each and the Cup Winners' Cup in 1972. His 132 League goals for Rangers stood as a post-war club record until Ally McCoist surpassed it. Unlike McCoist, Johnstone was not the regular penalty taker.
Johnstone joined Chelsea in 1982 but failed to hold down a regular place, and had a month on loan to Dundee United before rejoining Rangers for a forgettable second stint. His reign as player-manager of Partick Thistle was short and unhappy, and he left the professional game in 1987. Since then, he has worked extensively in the football media, including for BBC Scotland, Radio Clyde, and the Glasgow Evening Times.
Preceded by Danny McGrain |
Scottish Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year 1978 |
Succeeded by Andy Ritchie |
Preceded by None |
Scottish PFA Players' Player of the Year 1978 |
Succeeded by Paul Hegarty |
Scotland squad - 1978 FIFA World Cup | ||
---|---|---|
1 Rough | 2 Jardine | 3 Donachie | 4 Buchan | 5 McQueen | 6 Rioch | 7 Masson | 8 Dalglish | 9 Jordan | 10 Hartford | 11 Johnston | 12 Blyth | 13 Kennedy | 14 Forsyth | 15 Gemmill | 16 Macari | 17 Johnstone | 18 Souness | 19 Robertson | 20 Clark | 21 Harper | 22 Burns | Coach: MacLeod |
Categories: 1953 births | Living people | People from Dundee | Scottish football managers | Scottish footballers | Scotland international footballers | Scottish Footballers of the Year | Rangers F.C. players | Chelsea F.C. players | Dundee United F.C. players | Partick Thistle F.C. players | Partick Thistle F.C. managers | British football broadcasters | FIFA World Cup 1978 players