Gary Johnson (footballer, born 1959)

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

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[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)
1977–1981 Chelsea 19 (9)
1980–1983 Brentford 60 (13)
1984–1985 Plate Glass Rangers
1985–1988 Aldershot 75 (20)
Leatherhead
Total 154 (42)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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 two-and-a-half 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[lower-alpha 1] 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.
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