Footballers who have played league football for PNE & Ipswich since 1888
A-K
425) BURNS Mick (PNE signed 1936/37 12 apps 0 gls) (Ips 160 apps 0 gls)
880) FULLER Ricardo (PNE signed July 2002 58 apps 27 gls) (Ips 3 apps 2 gls)
667) JOHNSON David (PNE signed Oct 84 24 apps 3 gls (Ips 136 apps 35 gls)
Player Profile DAVID JOHNSON
David Edward Johnson was born in Liverpool on 23rd October 1951 and signed for Everton as an apprentice. After showing his ability in early matches, Liverpool Manager Bill Shankly tried to get Everton's counterpart Harry Catterick to sell the young striker, but was rebuffed.
During his first spell with Everton, Johnson scored an hat trick in an 8-0 victory against Southampton and scored against Liverpool in the Merseyside derby in 1971.
After scoring for Everton on his debuts in the Central League, Football League, FA Cup and European Cup Johnson signed for Bobby Robson's Ipswich Town in November 1972 after making 49 appearances and scoring 11 goals for the Toffees.
Johnson made his debut for Ipswich on 4th November 1972 at home to Leeds . During the 1972/73 season he made 27 appearances scoring 7 goals. Johnson also represented England at Under 23 level in March 1973 against the Czech's at Villa Park in a 1-0 win.
The following season saw Johnson’s most successful season in an Ipswich shirt as he scored 13 goals in 40 appearances.
Johnson made his debut for England full team in 1975 and represented England three whilst at Ipswich . Johnson made his debut for England on 21st May 1975 against Wales scoring both goals in a 2-2 draw. He represented England again 3 days later against Scotland in a 5-1 win and also against Switzerland in September 1975 in a 2-1 victory.
Johnson's last game for Ipswich was on 24th April 1976 at home to Derby . When after 136 appearances scoring 35 goals he was transferred to Bob Paisley's Liverpool for a club record £200,000 at the start of the 1976/77 season.
Johnson made his Liverpool debut at home to Norwich on 21st August 1976 in a 1-0 victory. In his first season for Liverpool he was a frequent substitute, vying for the right to partner Kevin Keegan with both John Toshack and David Fairclough as Liverpool were chasing an historic treble.
Johnson picked up his first domestic honour with a league title and was selected as Keegan's striking partner for the FA Cup Final against Manchester United. But Liverpool lost 2-1 and Johnson was substituted with Ian Callaghan in the second half.
For the European Cup Final against Borussia Monchengladbach in Rome Paisley kept the team that finished the Cup Final three days earlier leaving Johnson on the bench although he did get on picking up a medal as Liverpool won 3-1.
The following year Johnson was in the side that retained the European Cup but lost the League title and the League Cup Final to Nottingham Forest . In 1979 and 1980 he was a free scoring centre forward who struck up a good understanding with Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool regained and retained the title. In 1981 Liverpool won their third European Cup and their first League Cup.
However, a sign of things to come was in that first League Cup success as After a 1-1 draw with West Ham he was replaced by a young Ian Rush for the replay.
Rush became Dalglish's regular partner in the 1981/82 season as Johnson was used less frequently but still won a final league title medal and winning the League Cup again as a substitute in 1982.
He had mad a further 5 appearances for England whilst with Liverpool, scoring twice in one match in a 3-1 victory against World Champions Argentina at Wembley which saw the first appearance in England of Diego Maradona.
Johnson was also the first player to score a derby winner for both Everton and Liverpool .
After making 148 appearances scoring 55 goals he career came full circle as he rejoined Everton for £100,000 in August 1982. But he could not reproduce his old form scoring only 4 goals from 40 appearances.
Johnston had a brief spell with Barnsley on loan in February 1984 scoring 1 goal from 4 appearances before signing for Manchester City in March 1984 scoring 1 goal for 6 appearances at the end of the 1983/84 season.
Johnson had a short spell in America with Tulsa Roughnecks before Joining Preston in October 1984 under Alan Kelly Senior.
Johnson made his debut for Preston on 13th October 1984 in a 2-0 home defeat against reading. His first goals for the club were a brace in a 4-3 victory in the First Round of the FA Cup against Bury. His first league goal was from the penalty spot in a 4-2 home defeat against York .
Even with his experience he could not help Preston's slide. Even after Alan Kelly resigned as manager and Tommy Booth took over in a temporary capacity it made little difference as Preston conceded 100 goals for the season. Johnson last game for PNE was in the final game of the season and he was substituted for Paul Welsh. Although Preston beat York 1-0 they were already relegated to the Fourth Division for the first time. Johnson had made 24 League appearances for Preston scoring 3 goals.