Gary Johnson (footballer, born 1959)

For other footballers, see Gary Johnson (disambiguation) § Sports.

Gary Johnson

Personal information
Full name	Gary Jack Johnson [1]
Date of birth	(1959-09-14) 14 September 1959 (age 65) [1]
Place of birth	Peckham, [1] England
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) [2]
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
1970–1977	Chelsea
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1977–1980	Chelsea	19	(9)
1980–1983	Brentford	60	(13)
1984–1985	Plate Glass Rangers
1985–1988	Aldershot	75	(20)
	Leatherhead
Total		154	(42)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Gary Jack Johnson (born 14 September 1959) is an English retired professional footballer who played as a forward in Football League for Aldershot, Brentford and Chelsea. He also played in South Africa.

Career

A forward, Johnson began his career in the Chelsea youth system in 1970. ^[3] He signed his first professional contract in September 1977 and scored 9 goals in 22 appearances, ^[4] before his surprise departure to Third Division club Brentford in December 1980. ^[5] After arriving at Griffin Park in a £30,000 double-deal with Lee Frost, Johnson lacked the pace and presence to establish himself at the club and leg injuries suffered in a car crash during the 1982 off-season effectively ended his career with the club. ^[5] Johnson was released by Brentford at the end of the 1982–83 season, after making 65 appearances and scoring 14 goals during 2+1⁄2-years at Griffin Park. ^[6]

After a spell with Plate Glass Rangers in South Africa, ^[6] Johnson returned to England to join Fourth Division club Aldershot in August 1985. ^[1] Over the course of three seasons at the Recreation Ground, Johnson made 75 league appearances and scored 20 goals and closed out his career in non-League football with Leatherhead. ^{[1] [6]}

Personal life

Johnson is a London taxi driver. ^[7] In December 2016, as the United Kingdom football sexual abuse scandal evolved, Johnson waived his right to anonymity and claimed he had been abused from the age of 13 by Chelsea's then-chief scout, Eddie Heath. ^[8] It was reported that in July 2015, he had been paid £50,000 by Chelsea not to go public with the allegations. ^[7] Chelsea apologised "profusely" to Johnson, ^[9] who demanded further financial compensation from the club. ^[3]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Chelsea	1978–79 [4]	First Division	1	1	1	0	0	0	—		2	1
	1979–80 [4]	Second Division	15	7	1	0	0	0	—		16	7
	1980–81 [4]		3	1	—		1	0	—		4	1
	Total		19	9	2	0	1	0	—		22	9
Brentford	1980–81 [10]	Third Division	22	5	—		—		—		22	5
	1981–82 [10]		30	8	3	0	0	0	—		33	8
	1982–83 [10]		8	0	0	0	0	0	2 [a]	1	9	1
	Total		60	13	3	0	0	0	2	1	65	14
Aldershot	Total		75	20	0	0	0	0	0	0	75	20
Career total			154	42	5	0	1	0	2	1	162	43

1. Appearances in Football League Group Cup

References

1. "Gary Johnson". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
2. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p.  42. ISBN   978-0-356-14354-5.
3. "Gary Johnson demands compensation from Chelsea over sexual abuse claims". The Guardian. 8 December 2016. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
4. "Gary Johnson". 11v11.com. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
5. Croxford, Lane & Waterman 2011, p. 333.
6. Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Yore Publications. p. 88. ISBN   978-0955294914.
7. "I was sexually abused at Chelsea – now I fear the truth will be buried". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
8. "Gary Johnson says Chelsea paid him £50,000 for silence about abuse". The Guardian. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
9. "Chelsea apologises 'profusely' to former player over alleged abuse". The Guardian. 3 December 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
10. Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2011). The Big Brentford Book of the Eighties. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. pp. 422–424. ISBN   978-1906796716.