Jeff Johnson (footballer)

Jeff Johnson
Personal information
Full nameJeffrey David Johnson[1]
Date of birth26 November 1953[1]
Place of birthCardiff, Wales[1]
Playing positionMidfielder
Youth career
Clifton Athletic
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1970–1973Manchester City6(0)
1972→ Swansea City (loan)38(5)
1973–1976Crystal Palace87(4)
1976–1981Sheffield Wednesday180(5)
1981–1982Newport County34(2)
1982–1985Gillingham88(4)
1985–1986Port Vale10(1)
1986–?Barrow?(?)
Total443(21)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (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]

Honours

Individual
with Sheffield Wednesday
with Port Vale

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 154. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel. Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company Limited. p. 330. ISBN 0907969542.
  3. ↑ Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel. Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company Limited. p. 245. ISBN 0907969542.
  4. ↑ Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. pp. p173–5. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.