Réda Johnson

Réda Johnson

Johnson with Plymouth Argyle in 2010
Personal information
Full name Réda Johnson[1]
Date of birth 21 March 1988 (1988-03-21) (age 23)[2]
Place of birth Marseille, France
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[2]
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current club Sheffield Wednesday
Number 17
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2007 Gueugnon 0 (0)
2007–2009 Amiens 15 (0)
2009–2011 Plymouth Argyle 42 (2)
2011– Sheffield Wednesday 31 (8)
National team
2009– Benin 8 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16:45, 3 January 2012 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:00, 9 October 2011 (UTC)

Réda Johnson (born 21 March 1988) is a footballer who plays for Football League One club Sheffield Wednesday as a defender, having previously played for Gueugnon, Amiens and Plymouth Argyle. He has been capped by Benin at international level.

Contents

Club career

Born in Marseille, to an Algerian mother and American-Beninese father, Johnson began his career as a professional footballer in 2005 with Gueugnon.[3] He spent two years with the club but didn't make an appearance in Ligue 2 before joining Amiens. He made his debut on 24 August 2007 and went on to make a further eleven appearances in all competitions during the 2007–08 season.[3] He was restricted to eight league appearances the following season as Amiens were relegated to Championnat National.[3] New manager Serge Romano identified Johnson as one of the club's more saleable assets and agreed that he could leave if a suitable offer materialised.[3] He joined Scottish club Aberdeen on trial in July 2009,[4] and looked set to join them permanently after impressing their manager Mark McGhee.[5]

He then played in a pre-season game for English club Plymouth Argyle,[3] and joined permanently for an undisclosed fee on a three year contract a few days later.[6] He made his debut on 22 August 2009,[7] and made a further 24 appearances in his first season with the club.[2] He won earned many plaudits for his performances but couldn't prevent Argyle from being relegated.[8] He scored his first senior goal in September 2010 against Colchester United,[9] while captaining the team in the absence of Carl Fletcher.[10] Johnson was sold to Sheffield Wednesday in January 2011 for an undisclosed fee.[11] He scored on his league debut to rescue a point for his new club against Charlton Athletic.[12]

International career

Johnson had the possibility of playing for four different countries, with his father being an American of Beninian descent, his mother being of Algerian descent and Johnson himself being born in France. He did indicate in an interview that he would consider playing for Algeria. However, on February 11, 2009, Johnson made his debut for Benin in a friendly against Algeria.[13]

Personal life

On 5 January 2011, Johnson appeared in court charged with false imprisonment of a woman whilst at the house of an unnamed Blackburn Rovers player. Both Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth Argyle, his club at the time of the incident, claimed to have no knowledge of the incident until the court appearance.[14]

The case was dropped due to lack of evidence at his return to court on 7 April 2011, with Johnson later talking of his innocence and relief that his name had been cleared.[15]

References

  1. ^ "List of Players under Written Contract Transferred Between 01/01/2011 and 31/01/2011". The Football Association. January 2011. http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/RulesandRegulations/~/media/Files/PDF/TheFA/PlayerRegistrations/2011/January%202011.ashx/January%202011.pdf. Retrieved 17 July 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c "Réda Johnson". Plymouth Argyle. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Argyle sign Johnson". Plymouth Argyle. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  4. ^ "Dons run rule over Johnson". STV. 18 July 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  5. ^ "McGhee closes on Johnson signing". STV. 25 July 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  6. ^ "Plymouth snap up defender Johnson". BBC Sport. 29 July 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  7. ^ "Derby 2–1 Plymouth". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  8. ^ "Argyle defiant despite relegation". BBC Sport. 20 April 2010.
  9. ^ "Colchester 1–1 Plymouth". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  10. ^ "Happy Réda". Plymouth Argyle. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  11. ^ "Sheffield Wednesday sign Plymouth Argyle's Reda Johnson". BBC Sport. 4 January 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  12. ^ "Sheff Wed 2–2 Charlton". BBC Sport. 15 January 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  13. ^ "Algeria 2, Benin 1" DZ Foot. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
  14. ^ "Former Plymouth Argyle defender is accused of false imprisonment". The Herald. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  15. ^ "‘My relief’, says Sheffield Wednesday’s Reda Johnson after name is cleared". The Star. Retrieved 11 April 2011.

External links