822 Simon Johnson

Biography

Simon Ainsley Johnson was born in West Bromwich but moved to Yorkshire at 14 and joined the Leeds United academy system. In July 2000 Johnson signed his first professional contract but had not broken into the Leeds first team by the summer of 2002. Meanwhile new City manager Jan Molby was looking to build a squad capable of lifting the Tigers out of the fourth tier and in August 2002 Johnson was signed by the Tigers on a three month loan. The feisty right-sided midfielder and forward was slotted into Molby’s first team squad the following day, coming on as sub for his debut, scoring a late equaliser against Bristol Rovers and looking like a promising capture. A second goal a fortnight later at Bury, in his first Tigers’ start, reinforced Johnson’s credentials but unfortunately Molby himself proved to be a rudderless manager seemingly intent on creating arguments rather than managing the squad. Johnson drifted around the first team for two more months, used mostly as a late substitute, but when Molby was dismissed in October 2002 Johnson soon returned to his parent club.

Johnson spent three further seasons at Leeds United, making his Premier League debut in April 2003 against Charlton Athletic. He spent a month on loan at League Division 2 side Blackpool during December 2003 and January 2004, scoring once in five appearances, and in the 2004/05 season he had three loan spells at Championship side Sunderland (5 appearances), League One side Doncaster Rovers (three goals in 11 appearances) and ended the season at League One side Barnsley (two goals in 11 appearances). When he left Leeds United in the 2005 close season Simon had made 12 first team appearances for the Whites.

Johnson joined League Two side Darlington in July 2005 and for two seasons he played regularly in the Quakers’ first team, scoring 13 goals in 76 appearances. In the latter stages of the 2006/07 season Johnson had fallen out of favour at Darlington and in August 2007 he joined League Two rivals Hereford United. At Edgar Street Simon maintained his reputation as a hard working attacking player with an eye for goal and contributed six goals during the 2007/08 season as the Bulls won promotion to League One. He played less regularly in the 2008/09 season as Hereford were immediately relegated back to the fourth tier. In two seasons at Hereford Simon scored six goals in 72 first team appearances, exactly half of which came off the bench.

He signed a month-to-month contract for Bury in the 2009 close season but after 6 appearances in August and September 2009 Johnson dropped down the footballing ladder – for the next five years he played for various non-league sides and had a two year spell in Malta. His playing days came to a close in 2014 with fans-owned phoenix club Hinckley AFC, he then undertook coaching roles at West Bromwich Albion and set up the Simon Johnson Universal Soccer Academy in the Birmingham area, a coaching organisation aimed at developing promising 16 to 18 year olds. In July 2021 season he was appointed manager at Midland League side Highgate United, but he left the club in January 2022 having made one appearance as a player in an FA Vase tie.

Details

Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 9 March 1983, West Bromwich
Hull City First Game: 13 August 2002, Bristol Rovers A (League Division 3), 19 years, 157 days old
Hull City Final Game: 12 October 2002, Rochdale H (League Division 3), 19 years, 217 days old

Clubs

Leeds United (2000-2005), Hull City (2002, loan), Blackpool (2003-2004, loan), Sunderland (2004, loan), Doncaster Rovers (2004-2005, loan), Barnsley (2005-loan), Darlington (2005-2007), Hereford United (2007-2009), Bury (2009), Halesowen Town (2009-2010), Solihull Moors (2010), Guiseley (2010), Hibernians (2010-2012), Hinckley United (2012-2013), Hinckley AFC (2014), Highgate United (2021)

Hull City Record

Career: 13 apps, 2 goals

Simon Johnson

Season	LGE App	LGE Gls	FAC App	FAC Gls	FLC App	FLC Gls	EUR App	EUR Gls	OTH App	OTH Gls
2002/03	4 (8)	2	–	–	0 (1)	0	–	–	–	–