Liverpool FC player profile - Glen Johnson

Glen Mcleod Cooper Johnson more commonly known as Glen Johnson, Liverpool and England footballer, was born on 23 August 1984 in Greenwich, London. As a teenager Glen Johnson became part of West Ham United's youth system where at the age of sixteen he signed a three year professional contract. In his first season Glen Johnson was unable to break into the first team and the following season the right sided defender went out on loan for a month to Championship side Millwall. At Millwall Glen Johnson made his professional debut and after further extensions to his loan deal he was recalled to West Ham United midway through the season. Glen Johnson's West Ham debut finally came on 22 January 2003 in an away match against Charlton Athletic where he featured as a substitute. Throughout the 2002/03 season Glen Johnson made 16 appearances and signed an extension to his existing contract with 'the Hammers', however, relegation to the then English First Division at the end of the season led to Glen Johnson's transfer to Premiership side Chelsea in July 2003 for £6 million.

Glen Johnson's Chelsea debut came on 13 August 2003 in a Champions League qualifier against Slovakian side MSK Zilina and in the return leg two weeks later Glen Johnson scored his first goal for Chelsea. On 17 August 2003 the Premiership debut for Glen Johnson came in an away win at Liverpool FC, his first Premiership goal came three months later on 9 November 2003 in a 5-0 win over Newcastle United. It was at this time that Glen Johnson made his senior international debut coming on as a substitute in England's match against Denmark, he spent 2 years as a regular in the England squad before falling out of favour following a poor performance. In 2005 Glen Johnson won his first competitive medals with Chelsea as they won both the Premiership and the English League Cup, later in June 2006 he went out on a season long loan to Premier League club Portsmouth FC. Glen Johnson returned to Chelsea briefly at the start of the 2007/08 season before completing a permanent move to Portsmouth on 31 August 2007. Glen Johnson began to feature in the England international squad once again after being recalled by new manager Fabio Capello in January 2008.

Glen Johnson made 68 appearances scored 5 goals and won the 2008 FA Cup with Portsmouth and, after signing a new contract in January 2009, he seemed to have pledged his immediate future to the south coast side, however on 26 June 2009 Glen Johnson signed a four year contract with Liverpool FC. Glen Johnson's Liverpool FC Premier League debut came on 16 August 2009 at the start of the 2009/10 season in a 2-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur. Three days later Glen Johnson opened his goal scoring account for 'the Reds' in a Premier League win over Stoke City.