Simon Johnson

Simon Ainsley Johnson (born 9 March 1983) is an English football coach and former professional player who played as an attacking midfielder. He is currently serving as first-team coach at club Redditch United. He played in the Premier League for Leeds United and made 175 Football League appearances spread over eight clubs before moving into non-league football. He represented England at under-20 level.

Playing career Johnson was born in West Bromwich and attended Stuart Bathurst Catholic High School. He left at 14 to join Leeds United, and continued his education at Boston Spa Academy. He signed his first professional contract at Elland Road in July 2000, but with a number of strikers ahead of him in the pecking order, he did not make his senior debut until he was loaned to Hull City. A 2003 feature on the Football Association's website likened him to Smith, as a "tenacious and skillful target man [who] knows where the goal is."

Over the next two seasons, Johnson only made sporadic appearances for Leeds and was loaned to Blackpool, Sunderland, Doncaster Rovers and Barnsley for first-team experience. He was released by Leeds at the end of the 2004–05 seasonhe later stated he had not been informed by the club but had found out via a newspaper headline. He joined Hereford United on 8 August 2007, initially on a short-term contract, which was later extended. In his first season at Edgar Street he was used mainly as a winger and made little impact until he scored a last-minute equaliser against Wycombe in December 2007. He made his first league start of the season in the following match, and featured regularly for the remainder of the season as Hereford won promotion to League One. The following season, Johnson was used mainly as a substitute, failed to score, and left the club by mutual consent on 21 April 2009.

Johnson joined Bury on a three-month deal in August 2009, and made his debut as late substitute in a 3–0 loss to AFC Bournemouth, but left the club after the first month.

He moved into non-league football with Halesowen Town and Solihull Moors, Johnson made 11 appearances as Guiseley won the Northern Premier League Premier Division, and committed his future to the club ahead of their upcoming campaign in the Conference North. After being linked with Hibernians in Malta, Johnson rejoined Solihull Moors on loan in September 2010, before signing permanently in January 2011. He finished his playing career with Hinckley United and Hinckley, before coming out of retirement to make one substitute appearance in the FA Vase for Highgate United during a short spellJuly 2021 to January 2022as manager of the Midland League club.

Coaching career On 4 December 2024, Johnson was appointed first-team coach at Southern League Premier Division Central club Redditch United.

Career statistics + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals

2002–03 Premier League

2003–04 Premier League

2004–05 Championship

11!!0!!0!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!12!!0 Hull City (loan) 2002–03 League Two

2006–07 League Two

66!!9!!3!!0!!3!!1!!4!!0!!76!!10

2007–08 League Two

2008–09 League One

62!!5!!6!!1!!2!!0!!2!!0!!72!!6 Bury 2009–10 League Two

Halesowen Town 2009–10 Southern League Premier Division

Solihull Moors 2009–10 Conference North

Guiseley 2009–10 Northern Premier League Premier Division

2010–11 who had left Solihull Moors for Romulus before the start of the season. Conference North

2011–12 Conference North

Hinckley United 2011–12 Northern Premier League Premier Division: 2009–10 Northern Premier League Peter Swales Shield: 2009–10