Simon Johnson

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. In his first match for the Tigers, on 13 August 2002 at Bristol Rovers, he was brought on as a substitute and scored an 85th-minute equaliser which secured a 1–1 draw. Late in the 2002–03 season he made his Premier League debut for Leeds in the 6–1 defeat of Charlton Athletic, replacing Alan Smith. 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 season – he later stated he had not been informed by the club but had found out via a newspaper headline. In June 2005, he signed for Darlington on a free transfer where he enjoyed regular first-team football, but fell out of favour under manager Dave Penney after nearly signing for Wycombe Wanderers. 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…

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

Hereford United

Football League Two third place: 2007–08 Guiseley

Northern Premier League Premier Division: 2009–10 Northern Premier League Peter Swales Shield: 2009–10