Willie Johnston

Infobox Football biography
playername = Willie Johnston


fullname = William McClure Johnston
dateofbirth = Date of birth and age|1946|12|19|df=yes
cityofbirth = Maryhill, Glasgow
countryofbirth = Scotland
dateofdeath =
cityofdeath =
countryofdeath =
height =
position = Outside left
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1964–1972
1972–1979
1979–1980
1979–1980
1980
1982
1982–1984
1983
1984–1985
clubs = Rangers
West Bromwich Albion
Vancouver Whitecaps
→ Birmingham City (loan)
Rangers
Vancouver Whitecaps
Heart of Midlothian
→ South China AA (loan)
East Fife
caps(goals) =

41 (3)


18 (0)


nationalyears =
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 22 (?)

William McClure "Willie" Johnstoncite book | last = Matthews | first = Tony | title = The Who's Who of West Bromwich Albion | publisher = Breedon Books | date = 2005 | pages = p126 | isbn = 1-85983-474-4] (born 19 December 1946 in Maryhill, Glasgow) is a Scottish former professional football player for Lochore Welfare F.C., Rangers, West Bromwich Albion, Vancouver Whitecaps, Birmingham City (on loan), Heart of Midlothian and Scotland.

'Bud' was a talented player, whose left-wing trickery was a catalyst for the Rangers team which won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1972. He scored twice in the final as Rangers defeated Dynamo Moscow 3-2 in Barcelona. In December 1972 he moved to England to join West Bromwich Albion, making his debut against Liverpool in the same month. Albion paid a club record £138,000 to bring him to The Hawthorns. [cite book
last = Matthews
first = Tony
coauthors=Mackenzie, Colin
title = Albion! A Complete Record of West Bromwich Albion 1879–1987
publisher = Breedon Books
date = 1987
pages = p294
isbn = 0-907969-23-2]

However, his career included some controversial incidents. In 1978 when playing in the World Cup he was found to have taken a banned stimulant during the opening game against Peru. His subsequent expulsion from the squad ended his international career at 22 caps. While playing for the Vancouver Whitecaps he once mooned the opposing bench following a goal, and on another occasion took a swig from a fan-offered beer before taking a corner kick in San Jose assisting on a goal from the kick. His volatile temperament also ensured he was sent off around 10 times in his career, once for attempting to kick a referee, which saw him receive a fine as well as a five-match ban for bringing the game into disrepute.

Aberdeen player John McMaster had to be given the kiss of life during a game against Rangers on Sept 3rd 1980 after Johnston stamped on the players neck in a particularly unsavoury incident at Ibrox.

In 2004 Johnston was named as one of West Bromwich Albion's 16 greatest players, in a poll organised as part of the club's 125th anniversary celebrations. [cite news
date=2004-08-04
url=http://www.wba.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0,,10366~547701,00.html
title=The wraps come off 125th anniversary mural
publisher=West Bromwich Albion F.C.
accessdate=2008-05-10] He now works in the Port Brae pub in Kirkcaldy.

ee also

*List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences

References