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Sam Johnson (footballer, born 1992)

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Samuel William Johnson (born 1 December 1992) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for National League club Halifax Town. He is the club's captain and record appearance maker.[4]

Sam Johnson
Johnson warming up for Port Vale in 2013
Personal information
Full name Samuel William Johnson[1]
Date of birth (1992-12-01) 1 December 1992 (age 31)[1]
Place of birth Newcastle-under-Lyme, England[2]
Height 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)[3]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 FC Halifax Town
Number 1
Youth career
Stoke City
2007–2010 Port Vale
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2017 Port Vale 23 (0)
2011 → Stafford Rangers (loan) 11 (0)
2014 → Alfreton Town (loan) 4 (0)
2015–2016 → FC Halifax Town (loan) 25 (0)
2016–2017 → Gateshead (loan) 11 (0)
2017 → FC Halifax Town (loan) 19 (0)
2017– FC Halifax Town 304 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:21, 12 May 2024 (UTC)

Johnson turned professional at Port Vale in April 2011 and played on loan at non-League Stafford Rangers later in the year. He made his debut for the Vale in October 2012 and helped the club to secure promotion out of League Two in 2012–13. He was loaned out to Alfreton Town in November 2014, and FC Halifax Town in December 2015, and won the FA Trophy with Halifax in May 2016. He was loaned to Gateshead in June 2016. He returned to Halifax on loan in January 2017 and joined the club permanently four months later after he helped Halifax to win promotion out of the National League North via the play-offs. He was named as Halifax's Player of the Year for the 2018–19 season. He again won the FA Trophy in 2023.

Career

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Port Vale

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Born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire,[3] Johnson started his career in the youth system at local club Stoke City before being released at age 14.[5] He quickly joined the city's other local professional club – Port Vale, after youth-team coach Mark Grew spotted his potential.[5] In the 2010–11 season, he was handed a squad number after the club's number 1, Chris Martin, picked up a stomach bug.[5] Aged only 17, he still towered over the rest of the dressing room at six-foot six.[5] Johnson was not fazed by the prospect of a first-team debut, Grew comparing him to Paul Musselwhite in his unflappable, rather laid-back personality.[5] In April 2011, he was offered a one-year professional contract at the club.[6]

He spent September 2011 on loan at nearby Northern Premier League Premier Division club Stafford Rangers.[7] He made his debut in a 5–4 defeat by Hednesford Town at Keys Park on 29 August, though manager Greg Clowes refused to blame Johnson for the five goals conceded.[8] The loan was then extended into October.[9] He then went on to concede just nine goals in his next ten matches, and returned to Vale Park having played a total of thirteen matches. He agreed a new one-year contract with the Vale in May 2012.[10]

Chris Neal and Johnson were the club's only two professional goalkeepers in 2012–13. After Neal picked up a groin strain, manager Micky Adams had little recourse but to hand Johnson his debut on 9 October, in a Football League Trophy match with Walsall at the Bescot Stadium.[11] Before the match, Adams said "We think an awful lot of him in terms of his development, but he's a first-year professional and he'll either sink or swim."[12] Despite making "a string of important saves", he was unable to prevent the two Walsall goals in a 2–2 draw; however, in a remarkable turn of events he saved three penalties and then went on to score the winning penalty as the 22nd penalty taker of the penalty shoot-out.[13][14][15]

"We were having a laugh before the game saying I was going to score the winning penalty, but I never dreamed it would happen. I've never actually taken one before, so to score one on my debut, and for it to be the winner, is just incredible. I've never, ever felt so nervous before I stepped up to take it. I just picked my corner and hoped their keeper would go the other way. Luckily he did."

— Johnson speaking after making "a debut that dreams are made of".[16]

Vale secured promotion to League One at the end of 2012–13. Though Johnson did not feature in any league matches, he was named as the club's Young Player of the Season.[17] He signed a new two-year contract with the club in May 2013.[18]

Johnson made his debut in the Football League on 30 November 2013, again away to Walsall, and impressed after keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 victory. After the match, Adams confirmed Johnson would keep goal in the absence of Chris Neal, who had injured his wrist in training.[19] He played seven league matches before Neal recovered and was returned to the first-team.[20] He returned to the first-team after Neal picked up another injury on 22 March.[20]

Johnson started 2014–15 as the club's first-choice goalkeeper.[21] Neal regained his first-team place after six matches. Johnson was loaned out to Alfreton Town of the Conference Premier in November 2014 to gain more first-team experience.[22] He played four matches for Nicky Law's Alfreton before a shoulder injury cut his loan spell short.[23] He signed a new one-year contract with the Vale in June 2015.[24]

As Neal picked up an injury in pre-season, Johnson was due to start 2015–16 as first-choice goalkeeper.[25] However, manager Rob Page signed Jak Alnwick days before the opening match of the season after Johnson had a shaky pre-season, leaving Johnson as the club's third-choice goalkeeper.[26] He joined National League club FC Halifax Town on 27 November 2015 on a one-month loan.[27] His loan was extended to the end of the season after he gained a first-team place.[28] He played a total of 25 league matches for the club but could not prevent Halifax from being relegated at the end of 2015–16. He did, though play at Wembley Stadium in the 2016 FA Trophy final and kept a clean sheet as Halifax beat Grimsby Town 1–0.[29]

In June 2016, it was announced that Johnson would spend 2016–17 on loan at National League club Gateshead.[30] He played the first ten league matches of the season, before losing his first-team place to Dan Hanford.[31] Having failed to win back a starting place, the loan was cancelled in January 2017.[32]

FC Halifax Town

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On 1 January 2017, Johnson returned to FC Halifax Town – now in the National League North – on loan until the end of 2016–17.[33] He kept three clean sheets in a row in February.[34] Halifax qualified for the play-offs after finishing in third place, and beat Chorley 2–1 in the play-off final to secure promotion at the first attempt.[35] He was released by new Port Vale manager Michael Brown in May 2017 and signed a two-year contract with Halifax.[36][37] He made 47 appearances across the 2017–18 campaign as the "Shaymen" posted a 16th-place finish under the stewardship of Jamie Fullarton. He won the club website Player of the Year and runner-up for the Halifax Town Supporters Club award.[38]

He remained an ever-present over the course of the 54 game 2018–19 season, keeping 19 clean sheets, and subsequently was named as Halifax's Player of the Year, as well as Players' Player of the Year.[39][40] Showing modesty at this achievement, he stated that he thought Nathan Clarke would have won the award and thanked Clarke and Matty Brown for providing experience to the Halifax defence.[41] He made 41 appearances in the 2019–20 season, which was permanently suspended on 26 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic in England, with Halifax in the play-offs in sixth-place.[42] The play-offs took place four months later and Halifax were eliminated by Boreham Wood.[43]

Johnson played 45 games in the 2020–21 season, as Halifax missed out on the play-offs after losing to Chesterfield on the final day.[44][45] Speaking shortly after playing his 200th game for Halifax, Johnson said that he thought he had his weakest season for the club but had benefited from being tutored by goalkeeping coach Paul Oakes.[46] He signed a new two-year contract in June 2021.[47] He featured 51 times in the 2021–22 campaign, keeping 19 clean sheets to help Pete Wild's side to qualify for the play-offs with a fourth-place finish.[44][48] However, they were beaten 2–1 by Chesterfield in the play-off quarter-finals.[49] He was named in the National League Team of the Season.[50][51]

He was an ever-present again in the 2022–23 campaign, keeping three clean sheets and being the victorious goalkeeper in three penalty shoot-out wins en route to the club's entirely away-from-home journey to the 2023 FA Trophy final.[44] He kept a clean sheet in the final as Halifax defeated Gateshead 1–0 to win the FA Trophy for the second time.[52] He was appointed as club captain in August 2023, which he described as a great honour.[53][54] He made 49 appearances in the 2023–24 campaign and said "I'm probably having one of my best seasons".[44][55] He added that "I'd love nothing more than to be the one to take us into the Football League" as his side entered the play-offs, only for them to lose to Solihull Moors at the eliminator stage.[56][57]

Career statistics

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As of match played 24 April 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Port Vale 2010–11[58] League Two 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2011–12[59] League Two 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2012–13[60] League Two 0 0 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 1 0
2013–14[61] League One 16 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 17 0
2014–15[62] League One 7 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 8 0
2015–16[63] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2016–17[64] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 23 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 26 0
Stafford Rangers (loan) 2011–12[65] Northern Premier League
Premier Division		 11 0 — — 2[b] 0 13 0
Alfreton Town (loan) 2014–15[44] Conference Premier 4 0 — — — 4 0
FC Halifax Town (loan) 2015–16[44] National League 25 0 — — 8[b] 0 33 0
Gateshead (loan) 2016–17[44] National League 11 0 0 0 — 0 0 11 0
FC Halifax Town (loan) 2016–17[44] National League North 19 0 — — 3[c] 0 22 0
FC Halifax Town 2017–18[44] National League 44 0 1 0 — 2[b] 0 47 0
2018–19[44] National League 46 0 5 0 — 3[b] 0 54 0
2019–20[44] National League 37 0 1 0 — 4[d] 0 42 0
2020–21[44] National League 42 0 1 0 — 2[b] 0 45 0
2021–22[44] National League 43 0 4 0 — 4[d] 0 51 0
2022–23[44] National League 46 0 2 0 — 6[b] 0 54 0
2023–24[44] National League 46 0 1 0 — 2[e] 0 49 0
2024–25[44] National League 0 0 0 0 — 0 0 0 0
Total 323 0 15 0 — 26 0 364 0
Career total 397 0 16 0 1 0 37 0 451 0
  1. ^ Appearance in Football League Trophy
  2. ^ a b c d e f Appearances in FA Trophy
  3. ^ Appearances in National League North play-offs
  4. ^ a b 3 appearances in the FA Trophy and 1 appearance in the play-offs.
  5. ^ 1 appearance in the FA Trophy and 1 appearanc in the play-offs.

Honours

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Port Vale

FC Halifax Town

Individual

References

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  1. ^ a b "Sam Johnson". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  2. ^ "FootballSquads – Port Vale – 2015/2016". footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Sam Johnson eager to make his mark". The Sentinel. Stoke. 29 May 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  4. ^ "Club Statistics". FC Halifax Town. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Young 'keeper drafted in". Port Vale F.C. 20 August 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  6. ^ Shaw, Steve (22 April 2011). "Port Vale: Ede tips young stars for bright future". The Sentinel. Stoke. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  7. ^ "Johnson Joins Stafford Rangers". Port Vale F.C. 29 August 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  8. ^ "Football: Possible keeper boost for struggling Rangers". The Sentinel. Stoke. 2 September 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  9. ^ "Duo go on Loan". Port Vale F.C. 30 September 2011. Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  10. ^ "Four players put pen to paper on new deals". The Sentinel. Stoke. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  11. ^ Johnson, Dave. "Micky announces his team over 24 hours before the Walsall match". Port Vale F.C. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  12. ^ "Port Vale at Walsall: Young keeper Sam Johnson to make first-team debut in trophy clash". The Sentinel. Stoke. 9 October 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  13. ^ "Match report v Walsall". The Sentinel. Stoke. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  14. ^ "'Nervous' Port Vale keeper Sam Johnson hits winning JPT penalty". BBC Sport. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  15. ^ "Keeper Sam Johnson won't be fazed by hero status, says assistant boss Mark Grew". The Sentinel. Stoke. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  16. ^ "Debut boy Sam Johnson the hero in penalty shoot-out at Walsall". The Sentinel. Stoke. 10 October 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  17. ^ "Tom Pope wins player-of-the-year award". The Sentinel. Stoke. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  18. ^ Pearson, Guy (31 May 2013). "Birchall and Johnson sign but Rob Page linked with Sheffield United job". The Sentinel. Stoke. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  19. ^ Baggaley, Mike (30 November 2013). "Adams set to stick with 'terrific' Johnson while Neal is out for at least a month". The Sentinel. Stoke. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  20. ^ a b Baggaley, Mike (24 March 2014). "Goalkeeper Chris Neal set to miss rest of season". The Sentinel. Stoke. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  21. ^ "Sam Johnson says he faces huge challenge from Chris Neal". The Sentinel. Stoke. 11 August 2014. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  22. ^ Baggaley, Mike (20 November 2014). "Goalkeeper Sam Johnson joins Alfreton on loan". The Sentinel. Stoke. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  23. ^ Baggaley, Mike (8 December 2014). "Sam Johnson suffers shoulder injury". The Sentinel. Stoke. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  24. ^ Baggaley, Mike (9 June 2015). "Keeper Sam Johnson signs new contract". The Sentinel. Stoke. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  25. ^ "Port Vale: Keeper Sam Johnson will not let us down – Adam Yates". BBC Sport. 3 August 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  26. ^ Baggaley, Mike (6 August 2015). "Rob Page forced to be ruthless as Jak Alnwick is poised to replace Sam Johnson". The Sentinel. Stoke. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  27. ^ "FC Halifax: Johnson, Clappison and McDonald join on loan". BBC Sport. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2015.
  28. ^ Baggaley, Mike (29 January 2016). "Sam Johnson extends deal at Halifax". The Sentinel. Stoke. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  29. ^ a b "Non-League finals Day: Halifax Town and Morpeth Town cause double Wembley upset". BBC Sport. 22 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  30. ^ "Johnson joins Gateshead on season loan". BBC Sport. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  31. ^ "Gateshead 0 Solihull Moors 0: Battling point from long trek north". Birmingham Mail. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  32. ^ Baggaley, Mike (1 January 2017). "Sam Johnson returns to Port Vale from Gateshead". The Sentinel. Stoke. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  33. ^ Baggaley, Mike (1 January 2017). "Port Vale keeper Sam Johnson joins FC Halifax". The Sentinel. Stoke. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  34. ^ "Loan watch". Port Vale F.C. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
  35. ^ a b Wobschall, Leon (13 May 2017). "FC Halifax Town 2 Chorley 1 (AET) – Garner's strike extra special as Shaymen earn return at first attempt". Yorkshire Evening Post. Leeds. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  36. ^ "Port Vale: Thirteen senior players leave club after relegation to League Two". BBC Sport. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2017.
  37. ^ Baggaley, Mike (24 May 2017). "Sam Johnson joins FC Halifax Town after leaving Port Vale". The Sentinel. Stoke. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  38. ^ "End of Season Awards – FC Halifax Town". FC Halifax Town. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  39. ^ a b Scargill, Tom (22 April 2019). "FC Halifax Town: Goalkeeper Sam Johnson named Player of the Year". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  40. ^ "Sam Johnson". FC Halifax Town. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  41. ^ Scargill, Tom (25 April 2019). "FC Halifax Town: "I thought Clarkey was going to win it" says Johnson after being crowned player of the year". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  42. ^ "National League clubs vote to end regular season immediately". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  43. ^ "Boreham Wood 2–1 FC Halifax Town". BBC Sport. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  44. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "S. Johnson". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  45. ^ Scargill, Tom (29 May 2021). "FC Halifax Town 1–2 Chesterfield: Shaymen's play-off hopes ended after final day defeat". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  46. ^ Scargill, Tom (22 April 2021). "FC Halifax Town: "Everyone knows my love for the club" – Johnson hoping to extend his stay with Shaymen". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  47. ^ Scargill, Tom (24 June 2021). "FC Halifax Town: "It feels like home for me" – Johnson eyes promotion after signing new deal with Shaymen". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  48. ^ Scargill, Tom (21 April 2022). "The contenders in the running to be FC Halifax Town's player of the year". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  49. ^ Scargill, Tom (24 May 2022). "FC Halifax Town 1–2 Chesterfield: "Our quality in those moments that matter has cost us," says Wild after play-off defeat". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  50. ^ a b Berry, Mark (6 June 2022). "FC Halifax Town goalkeeper Johnson named in National League Team of the Season". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  51. ^ Scott, Tom (5 June 2022). "Vanarama National League Team of the Season Announced". The Vanarama National League. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  52. ^ a b "Jamie Cooke nets winner as FC Halifax seal Isuzu FA Trophy glory". The FA. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  53. ^ Scargil, Tom (4 August 2023). "Shaymen keeper Johnson named as new club captain". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  54. ^ Scargill, Tom (21 September 2023). ""It's just a massive honour walking out with the armband on every week" - From quiet loanee to Halifax captain: The evolution of Town skipper Sam Johnson". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  55. ^ Scargill, Tom (14 March 2023). ""We've worked hard all season and we're not going to give it up now" - Town skipper Johnson on The Shaymen's chances in the race for the play-offs". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  56. ^ Scargill, Tom (22 April 2024). ""I'd love nothing more than to be the one to take us into the Football League," says Town skipper Johnson as Halifax prepare for play-off eliminator at Solihull". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  57. ^ "Moors beat Halifax to reach play-off semi-finals". BBC Sport. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  58. ^ "Games played by Sam Johnson in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  59. ^ "Games played by Sam Johnson in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  60. ^ "Games played by Sam Johnson in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  61. ^ "Games played by Sam Johnson in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  62. ^ "Games played by Sam Johnson in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  63. ^ "Games played by Sam Johnson in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  64. ^ "Games played by Sam Johnson in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  65. ^ "Reports 2011–2012". Stafford Rangers F.C. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  66. ^ Sherwin, Phil; Johnson, Dave (2013), Port Vale This Side Up: 2012-2013 Promotion Celebration, BGL, ISBN 978-0-9926579-0-1
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