Lee Johnson (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Lee David Johnson is an English
footballer who plays for Bristol City
as a midfielder
who is currently on loan at Chesterfield.
Although born in England, Johnson is eligible to play for the Scotland
national team through his parentage but has yet to be capped by either at international level.
, Johnson started his career as a youth player with Arsenal
, but left the club aged 17 after falling out with one of the club's coaches. He joined Watford
, whose youth system was run by his father Gary
. He did not make a first team appearance for the club. He went on to have a spell with Brighton
, scoring in his only appearance for the club against Cardiff in the LDV Vans Trophy, before joining Conference
side Yeovil Town
in 2001. Managed by his father Gary, Yeovil achieved two promotions, reaching the Football League Second Division
. In this time, Johnson won the player of the year award three times in a row.
Johnson joined Scottish Premier League
club Hearts
on 11 January 2006 for £50,000, signing a two-and-a-half year contract. His debut came in a 4–1 victory over their Edinburgh
rivals Hibernian
.
Less than two months after Johnson joined Hearts, the man who signed him, Graham Rix
, was sacked. After that Johnson had only made one substitute appearance for the club. In August 2006 he left to re-join his father, Gary, at Bristol City
.
On 12 August 2006, Huddersfield Town
manager Peter Jackson was sent to the stands after grabbing Johnson around the throat in a touchline incident 10 minutes from full-time. Johnson was part of the City team that won promotion to the Football League Championship
in the 2006–07
season.
In the 2007–08
season Johnson enjoyed his season for Bristol City as they pushed for promotion to the English Premier League. Johnson was a figure in the team during their run to the play-off
final, a game in which his side lost 1–0 to Hull City
and missed out on promotion.
On 1 January 2010, Johnson joined fellow Championship side Derby County
on an initial one month's loan. He played his first game for Derby the next day in an F.A. Cup game away at Millwall, a game which ended 1–1.
Johnson returned to the Bristol City squad after the month's loan at Derby County came to an end. Derby did want to retain Johnson's services until the end of the 09/10 season, however Bristol City would not agree to his extension citing a large number of games in a short period of time may lead to Johnson being required and a 24 hour recall clause was needed. Derby did not want a short term loan deal so their interest ended. Lee has now gone on a 6 month loan to Chesterfield in August 2011.
Hearts
Bristol City
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who plays for Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who is currently on loan at Chesterfield.
Although born in England, Johnson is eligible to play for the Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
national team through his parentage but has yet to be capped by either at international level.
Career
Born in Newmarket, SuffolkSuffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, Johnson started his career as a youth player with Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, but left the club aged 17 after falling out with one of the club's coaches. He joined Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
, whose youth system was run by his father Gary
Gary Johnson (footballer)
Gary Johnson is an English football manager and former player. He was most recently the manager of Npower League Two's Northampton Town....
. He did not make a first team appearance for the club. He went on to have a spell with Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
, scoring in his only appearance for the club against Cardiff in the LDV Vans Trophy, before joining Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
side Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
in 2001. Managed by his father Gary, Yeovil achieved two promotions, reaching the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. In this time, Johnson won the player of the year award three times in a row.
Johnson joined Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
on 11 January 2006 for £50,000, signing a two-and-a-half year contract. His debut came in a 4–1 victory over their Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
rivals Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
.
Less than two months after Johnson joined Hearts, the man who signed him, Graham Rix
Graham Rix
Graham Cyril Rix is an English former football player and coach. He was fired by Heart of Midlothian in March 2006, which was his most recent role in professional football...
, was sacked. After that Johnson had only made one substitute appearance for the club. In August 2006 he left to re-join his father, Gary, at Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
.
On 12 August 2006, Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
manager Peter Jackson was sent to the stands after grabbing Johnson around the throat in a touchline incident 10 minutes from full-time. Johnson was part of the City team that won promotion to the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
in the 2006–07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
season.
In the 2007–08
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
season Johnson enjoyed his season for Bristol City as they pushed for promotion to the English Premier League. Johnson was a figure in the team during their run to the play-off
Football League Play-Offs
The Football League play-offs are an annual series of football matches to determine some of the promotion places within the Football League. Essentially, each division of the league offers a certain number of automatic promotion places to the top two or three clubs. A further promotion place is...
final, a game in which his side lost 1–0 to Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
and missed out on promotion.
On 1 January 2010, Johnson joined fellow Championship side Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
on an initial one month's loan. He played his first game for Derby the next day in an F.A. Cup game away at Millwall, a game which ended 1–1.
Johnson returned to the Bristol City squad after the month's loan at Derby County came to an end. Derby did want to retain Johnson's services until the end of the 09/10 season, however Bristol City would not agree to his extension citing a large number of games in a short period of time may lead to Johnson being required and a 24 hour recall clause was needed. Derby did not want a short term loan deal so their interest ended. Lee has now gone on a 6 month loan to Chesterfield in August 2011.
Honours
Yeovil TownYeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
- FA TrophyFA TrophyThe Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
champion: 2001–02 - Nationwide ConferenceFootball ConferenceThe Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
champion: 2002–03Football Conference 2002-03-Overview:This season the number of teams promoted to the Football League Division Three was increased from one to two, and play-offs| were introduced in order to determine the second team to be promoted, along with the Conference champions... - Coca-Cola League TwoFootball League TwoFootball League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
champion: 2004–05The Football League 2004-05The 2004–2005 season was the 105th completed season of The Football League.-Overview:This season the league was contested through three divisions. 2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football...
Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
- Bank of Scotland Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
runner up: 2005–06 - Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
champion: 2005–06
Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
- Coca-Cola League OneFootball League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
runner-up: 2006–07The Football League 2006-07The 2006–2007 season was the 107th completed season of the Football League.-Overview:The Football League was contested through three Divisions in England and Wales. The divisions were the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League Two... - Coca-Cola ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
play-off final runner-up: 2007–08The Football League 2007-08The Football League is contested through three divisions in England and Wales. The divisions are the League Championship, League One and League Two. The winner and the runner up of the League Championship will be automatically promoted to the Premier League and they will be joined by the winner of...