Réda Johnson Explained

Réda Johnson
Fullname:Réda Johnson[1]
Birth Date:21 March 1988
Birth Place:Marseille, France
Height:1.91 m[2]
Position:Defender
Currentclub:Cardiff City (under-15 manager)
Years1:2005–2007
Clubs1:Gueugnon
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:2007–2009
Clubs2:Amiens
Caps2:7
Goals2:0
Years3:2009–2011
Caps3:42
Goals3:2
Years4:2011–2014
Caps4:75
Goals4:18
Years5:2014–2016
Clubs5:Coventry City
Caps5:32
Goals5:7
Years6:2016–2020
Clubs6:Eastleigh
Caps6:77
Goals6:8
Years7:2021–2022
Clubs7:Dover Athletic
Caps7:4
Goals7:0
Totalcaps:237
Totalgoals:35
Nationalyears1:2009–2014
Nationalcaps1:12
Nationalgoals1:0
Club-Update:20:17, 25 May 2022 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:5 March 2017

Réda Johnson (born 21 March 1988) is a former professional footballer who played as a defender. He is currently under-15s manager at Cardiff City.

He most notably played for Sheffield Wednesday, Gueugnon, Amiens, Plymouth Argyle and Coventry City. Born in France, he played for the Benin national team.

Club career

Born in Marseille, Johnson began his career as a professional footballer in 2005 with Gueugnon.[3] He spent two years with the club but didn't make an appearance in Ligue 2 before joining Amiens. He made his debut on 24 August 2007 and went on to make a further eleven appearances in all competitions during the 2007–08 season.[3] He was restricted to eight league appearances the following season as Amiens were relegated to Championnat National.[3] New manager Serge Romano identified Johnson as one of the club's more saleable assets and agreed that he could leave if a suitable offer materialised.[3] He joined Scottish club Aberdeen on trial in July 2009,[4] and looked set to join them permanently after impressing their manager Mark McGhee.[5]

He then played in a pre-season game for English club Plymouth Argyle,[3] and joined permanently for an undisclosed fee on a three-year contract a few days later.[6] He made his debut on 22 August 2009,[7] and made a further 24 appearances in his first season with the club.[2] He won earned many plaudits for his performances but couldn't prevent Argyle from being relegated.[8] He scored his first senior goal in September 2010 against Colchester United,[9] while captaining the team in the absence of Carl Fletcher.[10] Johnson was sold to Sheffield Wednesday in January 2011 for an undisclosed fee.[11] He scored on his league debut to rescue a point for his new club against Charlton Athletic.[12]

It was announced on 5 July 2014 that Johnson had signed for Coventry City on a one-year contract, with a negotiation clause for a further year.[13] He scored twice on his debut for Coventry, in a 3–2 defeat to Bradford City.

On 5 February 2020, Eastleigh Football Club released a statement that the contract with Reda had been terminated with immediate effect.

On 24 June 2021, Johnson was announced to have joined Dover Athletic in the role of player-coach.[14] Johnson was released by the club after one season following relegation.[15]

International career

On 11 February 2009, Johnson made his debut for Benin in a friendly against Algeria.[16]

Coaching career

In late-2023, Johnson joined Cardiff City as a coach on placement,[17] taking the club's under-15 side to victory in the regional floodlit cup final.[18]

Personal life

On 5 January 2011, Johnson appeared in court charged with false imprisonment of a woman whilst at the house of an unnamed Blackburn Rovers player. Both Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth Argyle, his club at the time of the incident, claimed to have no knowledge of the incident until the court appearance.[19]

The case was dropped due to lack of evidence at his return to court on 7 April 2011, with Johnson later talking of his innocence and relief that his name had been cleared.[20]

He went on to win the PFA Player in the Community award in 2014.[21]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Amiens2008–09Ligue 270100080
Plymouth Argyle2009–10Championship2500000250
2010–11League One172001010192
Total422001010442
Sheffield Wednesday2010–11League One16330193
2011–12League One247402000307
2012–13Championship1660010176
2013–14Championship1922100213
Total75189130008719
Coventry City2014–15League One205110010226
2015–16League One122000000122
Total327110010348
Eastleigh2016–17National League2135000263
2017–18National League1310000131
2018–19National League3320020352
2019–20National League1022110133
Total7787130879
Dover Athletic2021–22National League40100050
Career total23635193405026538

Honours

Sheffield Wednesday

Notes and References

  1. News: Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13 . The Football League . 18 May 2013 . 24 . 23 June 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130717125933/http://www.football-league.co.uk/staticFiles/4e/bd/0%2C%2C10794~179534%2C00.pdf . 17 July 2013 . dmy-all.
  2. http://www.pafc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10364~48026,00.html "Réda Johnson"
  3. http://www.pafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10364~1735678,00.html "Argyle sign Johnson"
  4. http://sport.stv.tv/football/110058-dons-run-rule-over-johnson/ "Dons run rule over Johnson"
  5. http://sport.stv.tv/football/111677-mcghee-closes-on-johnson-signing/ "McGhee closes on Johnson signing"
  6. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/plymouth_argyle/8164817.stm "Plymouth snap up defender Johnson"
  7. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/8202243.stm "Derby 2–1 Plymouth"
  8. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/plymouth_argyle/8632434.stm "Argyle defiant despite relegation"
  9. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/8967842.stm "Colchester 1–1 Plymouth"
  10. http://www.pafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10364~2151435,00.html "Happy Réda"
  11. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_wed/9338413.stm "Sheffield Wednesday sign Plymouth Argyle's Reda Johnson"
  12. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/9359395.stm "Sheff Wed 2–2 Charlton"
  13. News: Reda Johnson: Coventry City sign Sheffield Wednesday defender. BBC Sport. 5 July 2014. 6 July 2014.
  14. Web site: REDA AGREES TO JOIN. www.doverathletic.com. 24 June 2021.
  15. Web site: RETAINED LIST 2022/23. www.doverathletic.com. 25 May 2022. 25 May 2022.
  16. http://www.dzfoot.com/fiche-4182.php "Algeria 2, Benin 1"
  17. Web site: How Premier League offers coaches from all areas paths to the top. www.premierleague.com. 20 December 2023. 17 July 2024.
  18. Web site: City’s U15s crowned EFL Floodlit Cup winners. www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk. 9 May 2024. 17 July 2024.
  19. http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Argyle-defender-accused-imprisonment/article-3070639-detail/article.html.stm "Former Plymouth Argyle defender is accused of false imprisonment"
  20. http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/owls_my_relief_says_sheffield_wednesday_s_reda_johnson_after_name_is_cleared_1_3271443 "‘My relief’, says Sheffield Wednesday’s Reda Johnson after name is cleared"
  21. http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11703/9219010/championship-sheffield-wednesdays-reda-johnson-crowned-pfa-player-in-the-community "Championship: Sheffield Wednesday's Reda Johnson crowned PFA Player in the Community "