Steve Johnson (English footballer)

Steve Johnson
Personal information
Full name Stephen Anthony Johnson
Date of birth (1957-06-23) 23 June 1957 (age 67)
Place of birth Liverpool, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Bangor City
Altrincham
1977–1983 Bury 154 (52)
1983–1984 Rochdale 19 (7)
1984–1985 Wigan Athletic 51 (18)
1985–1986 Bristol City 21 (3)
1985–1986Rochdale (loan) 6 (1)
1986Chester City (loan) 10 (6)
1986–1988 Scunthorpe United 72 (20)
1988–1989 Chester City 38 (10)
1989 Husqvarna IF
1989–1990 Rochdale 24 (4)
1990 Limerick 4 (2)
1990 Cork City 1 (0)
Northwich Victoria 3 (1)
Radcliffe Borough
Castleton Gabriels
Caernarfon Town
Haslingden
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Stephen Anthony Johnson (born 23 June 1957) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. He played in the Football League for six different clubs and also played in non-league football and abroad.

Playing career

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Johnson played non-league football for Bangor City and Altrincham before being signed by Football League side Bury in November 1977.[2] He spent six years at Gigg Lane and then had a relatively short spell with Rochdale before moving to Wigan Athletic in February 1984. 13 months later Johnson joined Bristol City for £40,000,[2] but he could not settle in the area[2] and returned north by rejoining Rochdale on loan and then reuniting with his former Wigan manager Harry McNally at Chester City in March 1986 in a further loan deal.

Johnson's aerial power was a welcome asset to Chester's attack[3] and he scored six times in the final 10 games of the season to seal promotion from Division Four. Johnson then spent two years with Scunthorpe until he joined Chester on a permanent basis ahead of the 1988–89 season. He played regularly alongside Carl Dale in the Chester attack as they narrowly missed the Third Division play–offs. During his spell at Chester, his all action playing style earned him the nickname 'Mean Machine'. After spending the summer months playing in Scandinavia, Johnson joined Rochdale for a third time to bring the curtain down on his league career.

He later played for Limerick, where he made a scoring League of Ireland debut on 1 September 1990, and in October 1990 he made one league appearance for Cork City. He also played for non-league teams Northwich Victoria, Radcliffe Borough, Castleton Gabriels, Caernarfon Town and Haslingden, while working as a financial advisor.[2]

Honours

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Chester City

Football League Fourth Division runners-up: 1985–86

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References

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  1. ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 320. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  2. ^ a b c d Player Memories, Chester City v. Rochdale matchday programme; 26 February 1994; pg. 24
  3. ^ Chas Sumner (1997). On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885–1997. Yore Publications. p. 102. ISBN 1-874427-52-6.