Glen Johnson (English footballer)

Infobox Football biography
playername = Glen Johnson


fullname = Glen McLeod Cooper Johnson
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1984|8|23|df=yes
cityofbirth = Dartford
countryofbirth = England
height = height|meters=1.82
position = Right back
currentclub = Portsmouth
clubnumber = 5
youthyears = 2000–2001
youthclubs = West Ham United
years = 2001–2003
2002
2003–2007
2006–2007
2007–
clubs = West Ham United
→ Millwall (loan)
Chelsea
→ Portsmouth (loan)
Portsmouth
caps(goals) = 15 (0)
08 (0)
42 (3)
26 (0)
33 (2)
nationalyears = 2003–2006
2003–
nationalteam = England U21
England
nationalcaps(goals) = 14 (0)
09 (0)
pcupdate = 19:18, 13 September 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 18:27, 6 September 2008 (UTC)

Glen McLeod Cooper Johnson (born 23 August 1984 in Dartford, London) is an English footballer who plays for Portsmouth in the English Premier League, and has won nine caps for England. He is a defender in the right back position, and can also play at left-back or on the right of midfield.

Club career

West Ham

Johnson started his career as a junior team player with Leicester City F.C.. He was released as a 12 year old and then found himself as a West Ham United F.C. junior. Johnson was a product of the West Ham United youth system, becoming a 15 year-old first year scholar in 2000. [cite news | title=All Change | url=http://www.whufc.com/page/News/0,,12562~1139396,00.html | publisher=West Ham United F.C. | date=2001-05-01 | accessdate=2008-08-19] He signed a three-year professional contract for the Hammers on 1 August 2001 at the age of 16, and was given the number 23 shirt.cite news | title=Glen Johnson Career Statistics | url=http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=32697 | publisher=Soccerbase | date=2008-08-17 | accessdate=2008-08-19] cite news | title=Hammers clinch Johnson deal | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/2861165.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2003-03-18 | accessdate=2008-08-19] [cite news | title=Numbers Finalised | url=http://www.whufc.com/page/News/0,,12562~1134739,00.html | publisher=West Ham United F.C. | date=2001-08-16 | accessdate=2008-08-19] In the 2001-02 season, he made regular Reserves appearances for West Ham, but was unable to break into the first team. [cite news | title=Tony: Be Patient With Glen | url=http://www.whufc.com/page/News/0,,12562~1141304,00.html | publisher=West Ham United F.C. | date=2002-01-25 | accessdate=2008-08-19] He eventually signed an initial four-week loan deal with local rivals Millwall on 17 October 2002, making his Championship debut in an away loss against Norwich City on 19 October. [cite news | title=Glen: I Can't Wait | url=http://www.whufc.com/page/News/0,,12562~1134942,00.html | publisher=West Ham United F.C. | date=2002-10-17 | accessdate=2008-08-19] cite news | title=Johnson signs on | url=http://www.millwallfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10367~314640,00.html | publisher=Millwall F.C. | date=2002-12-12 | accessdate=2008-08-19] His loan was twice extended by a month, before he was recalled early to Upton Park after having spent seven weeks at The Den, his final appearance in a Millwall shirt coming in another away defeat to Crystal Palace on 7 November. [cite news | title=Hammers recall duo | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_ham_utd/2584177.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2002-12-17 | accessdate=2008-08-19] His Premiership and West Ham debut came on 22 January 2003 in another away defeat to a London club, this time against Charlton Athletic, when he came on for midfielder Édouard Cissé. [cite news | title=Charlton 4-2 West Ham Match Report | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/2674795.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2003-02-11 | accessdate=2008-08-19] [cite news | title=Two Good Debuts | url=http://www.whufc.com/page/News/0,,12562~1135113,00.html | publisher=West Ham United F.C. | date=2002-01-23 | accessdate=2008-08-19] He made a total of 15 League appearances - and a solitary FA Cup appearance - in the 2002-03 season, becoming a more significant member of the West Ham side as the year went on. He even signed a new four-year deal to remain in East London on 18 March 2003, appearing keen to help keep the club in the top flight. However, his last outing in a Hammers shirt was to come on the final day of the season, 11 May 2003, in an away draw with Birmingham - the must-win match which saw his club relegated to the First Division. [cite news | title=Birmingham 2-2 West Ham Match Report | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/2978071.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2003-05-11 | accessdate=2008-08-19]

Chelsea

Just two months after that fateful Saturday in May, he was to join London rivals Chelsea, signing on 15 July for a fee of £6 million. [cite news | title=Johnson seals Chelsea move | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/3055361.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2003-07-15 | accessdate=2008-08-19] The first purchase of the Abramovich era, he made his debut on 13 August in an away win against Žilina in the 2003-04 Champions League - and his first Chelsea goal came in the corresponding home leg two weeks later. [cite news | title=Chelsea 3-0 MŠK Žilina Match Report | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/champions_league/3179275.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2003-08-26 | accessdate=2008-08-28] His league debut came on 17 August in a rare Anfield win against Liverpool, but he had to wait until 9 November for his first League goal, netting the opener of a 5-0 romp over Newcastle United. [cite news | title=Liverpool 1-2 Chelsea | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3140907.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2003-08-17 | accessdate=2008-08-28] [cite news | title=Chelsea 5-0 Newcastle | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/3233007.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2003-08-17 | accessdate=2008-08-28] He eventually made 63 appearances in all competitions over the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons.

As the 2005-06 season unfolded, Johnson was still only a squad player at Chelsea with Paulo Ferreira being the regular at right-back. Johnson made one appearance in the Premier League for Chelsea that season, starting the 4-0 win against West Bromwich Albion in place of Ferreira. Versatile squad player Geremi also provided extra competition for Johnson at right-back under José Mourinho. As a result, Johnson joined Portsmouth in a season long loan in June 2006.

Glen Johnson wore the number 4 shirt. Johnson made a fine start to his first spell with Portsmouth as part of the defence that didn't concede a single goal in the first five games of the 2006-07 season but his form dipped in the later stages of the season. The purchase of Lauren in January seemed to signal that Portsmouth would not make Johnson's signing permanent after his loan expired.

Portsmouth

Johnson now wears number 5 shirt. On 31 August 2007, transfer deadline day, Johnson signed for Portsmouth on a four-year contract, for a fee believed to be £4million. [cite news | title=Portsmouth sign full-back Johnson | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/6972186.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2007-08-31 | accessdate=2007-08-31] He was handed a start in the first match after his return in a 3-1 defeat at Arsenal and has become the club's regular right-back.

On October 20, Johnson scored his first goal in over 3 years against Wigan Athletic [cite news | title=Wigan 0-2 Portsmouth | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7043008.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2007-10-20 | accessdate=2007-10-20] after dribbling from the halfway line. He played in and won the 2008 FA Cup. Shortly after Johnson's cup success, he amongst other Portsmouth players, had his winners medal stolen.

[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7578439.stm] He scored his second goal in the 3-0 victory at Goodison against Everton, pointing to his best friend in football Jermain Defoe in celebration.

International career

During his time with the England U21s, Johnson was handed his full England début on 18 November 2003 against Denmark, coming on as a substitute for the injured Gary Neville after 16 minutes.

Following a poor performance in England's friendly in Denmark in August 2005 he lost his position as Gary Neville's understudy in the squad to Luke Young, who played in both the subsequent World Cup qualifiers. Johnson did not make any further England appearances under Sven Goran Eriksson or his successor Steve McClaren but was named in Fabio Capello's first squad in January 2008. He played in the 2-0 defeat of Andorra.

Controversy

Johnson reportedly had several rifts with José Mourinho, most notably when he forgot his passport for the second leg of the Champions League match against Barcelona. [cite news |title=Boozy ace missed flight |url=http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006110124,00.html | work=The Sun | date= | accessdate=2007-08-31]

In January 2007, Glen Johnson received an £80 on-the-spot fine when he was caught with friend and fellow footballer Ben May attempting to steal a toilet seat and other bathroom fittings from a B&Q Warehouse store in Dartford, Kent. [cite news | title=Footballer fined for toilet seat fraud | url=http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1994430,00.html | work=Guardian Unlimited | date=2007-01-19 | accessdate=2007-08-31]

Career statistics

List of honours

Portsmouth F.C.
* FA Cup: 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.footballdatabase.com/site/players/index.php?dumpPlayer=1261 FootballDatabase profile]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/players/j/johnson_249096.stm BBC profile]
*soccerbase|32697|Glen Johnson
* [http://www.4thegame.com/club/chelsea-fc/player-profile/3718/glenjohnson.html Profile, stats, photo] at 4thegame.com
* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/searchresults.asp?FootballHeroName=Glen+Johnson Photos and stats] at sporting-heroes.net
* [http://premierleague.com/fapl.rac?command=forwardOnly&nextPage=enPlayerProfile&playerId=249096 Photo and profile] at premierleague.com

Persondata
NAME=Johnson, Glen McLeod
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= No Worries
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Footballer
DATE OF BIRTH=23 August 1984
PLACE OF BIRTH=London, England
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=