Paul Johnson (footballer, born 1955)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Anthony Johnson[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 19 September 1955[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England[1] | ||
| Date of death | August 2025 (aged 69) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1976–1982 | Stoke City | 56 | (0) |
| 1978 | → Southern California Lazers (loan) | 24 | (2) |
| 1982–1983 | Chester | 19 | (0) |
| – | Altrincham | ||
| Total | 99 | (2) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Paul Anthony Johnson (19 September 1955 – August 2025) was an English footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League for Chester and Stoke City.[1] During his time at Stoke he is referenced by his full name to avoid confusion with another Paul Johnson who was at Stoke at the same time.[1]
Career
Johnson was born in Stoke-on-Trent and began his career with local side Stoke City progressing to the first team in 1976.[1] At the same time another youth team player of the same name started to break into the first team.[1] Johnson was the more successful of the two playing in 60 matches for Stoke before joining Chester in 1982.[1] In the summer of 1978, Johnson was loaned to the second division American Soccer League side Southern California Lazers, for whom he made 24 appearances before returning to Stoke.[2][3] He went on to play for non-league Altrincham.[1]
Death
Johnson died in August 2025, at the age of 69.[4]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Group Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Stoke City[1] | 1976–77 | First Division | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 8 | 0 | |
| 1977–78 | Second Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 | 0 | ||
| 1978–79 | Second Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1979–80 | First Division | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 15 | 0 | ||
| 1980–81 | First Division | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | 15 | 0 | ||
| 1981–82 | First Division | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 15 | 0 | ||
| Total | 56 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | 60 | 0 | |||
| Southern California Lazers | 1978 | ASL | 24 | 2 | – | – | – | 24 | 2 | |||
| Chester | 1982–83 | Fourth Division | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Career Total | 99 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 109 | 2 | ||
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
- ^ "1978 Southern California Lazers". Fun While It Lasted. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ "1978 Southern California Lazers Statistics". Stats Crew. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
- ^ Smith, Peter (25 August 2025). "Former Stoke City midfielder dies at 69". Stoke on Trent Live. Retrieved 25 August 2025.