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Glen Johnson

Birthdate: 23 August 1984 Birthplace: Greenwich, London, England Other clubs: West Ham United (2000-03), Millwall (loan 2002), Chelsea (2003-07), Portsmouth (loan 2006-07 + transfer 2007-09) Bought from: Portsmouth Signed for LFC: £17.5m, 26.06.2009 International debut: 16.11.2003 vs. Denmark International caps: 46/1 (30/1 at LFC) - 26.03.2013

Liverpool debut: 16.08.2009 Last appearance: 19.05.2013 Debut goal: 19.08.2009 Last goal: 09.12.2012 Contract expiry: 2014 Win ratio: 47.89% W: 68 D: 31 L: 43 Total games/goals opposite LFC: 10 / 0 LFC league games/goals: 112 / 7 Total LFC games/goals: 142 / 8

Player profile

Johnson began his career under Harry Redknapp at West Ham but after just 16 appearances and a loan spell at Millwall the 18-year-old became the first signing for new Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in 2003 for £6 million. Johnson made his Chelsea debut against Liverpool on 17 August 2003 while Harry Kewell and Steve Finnan played their first game for the Reds. Chelsea won 2-1 with Johnson playing for 73 minutes before being replaced by William Gallas. Only three months later he played his first game for England against Denmark. Johnson's stock was rising high. He was a regular in the 2003/04 season that turned out to be Claudio Raineri's last and featured in the second half of the 2004/05 Premiership-winning season under Jose Mourinho. Johnson played rarely in the following campaign and spent the whole of the 2006/07 on loan at Portsmouth. After four years with the Blues, Pompey purchased Johnson for £4 million in August 2007. Johnson won the FA Cup with Portsmouth in 2008 and despite Portsmouth finishing just below mid table he was selected at right-back in the PFA Team of the Year 2008/09. His screaming left-foot volley against Hull on 22 November 2008 was BBC's Match of the Day's Goal of the Season.

Johnson was hardly pleased with his first season at Anfield although he appeared in 35 of the club's 56 competitive matches. He scored in two of the opening four League matches to enhance his reputation as an attacking full-back. Defensively he maybe wasn't quite as sound but that is an accusation that could be levelled at a number of his colleagues too. Johnson was injured in the closing stages of Liverpool's victory at Aston Villa between Christmas and New Year and did not play again until coming on as a substitute at Wigan in March. With fitness as well as form being an important factor before England's World Cup squad was announced in May, Johnson came safely through the final few League matches of the season in which he was picked from the start. Like his club captain Steven Gerrard, Johnson played from the start in all four of England's matches in South Africa, being substituted only towards the end of the Last 16 defeat by Germany.

Johnson figured in 28 of the 38 Premier League matches in 2010/11 and added a further seven appearances in the Europa League. Towards the end of the season he was sometimes asked to switch to the left to accommodate the emergence of Jon Flanagan on the right. Although Johnson figured in less than 60% of Liverpool's first-team matches in 2011/12, he took his total of appearances for the club to one short of a century. He won his first winners' medal with the club and scored a tidy penalty in the shoot-out that followed the drawn League Cup final with Cardiff City. Johnson featured for the England team in Euro 2012 and reached the quarter-finals. Since Brendan Rodgers replaced Kenny Dalglish as manager at Liverpool Johnson has been in the best form of his Reds' career. He has played a number of games as a left-winger where he could attack at will and he has shown tremendous desire to succeed that was sadly lacking in his stay at the club until now.

Stats note

Related Articles

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Related Quotes

Glen Johnson is not only the best right back for England – he's also the best in the league. In fact, I'd go so far as to say he could be the best in the world. I really think that. Some people rave about Ashley Cole being one of the best in the world but Johnson on the other side has all the attributes to be even better than him. People also go on about European and South American full backs, but Glen beats them all for me. As a former right-back, I watch him and I can tell you he is one of the very, very best there is and the lad can only keep on improving.

Paul Parker on new Liverpool signing Glen Johnson in June 2009

When you're confined to the couch you'll look at anything, but I am sick of the TV now. Thankfully I've got Football Manager too, which got me through that time - and I won everything with Liverpool!

Glen Johnson on his injury-hit first season at Liverpool