Johnson: Seth Art Maurice (Seth)

2001-2005 (Player Details)

Midfield

Born: Birmingham: 12-03-1979

Debut: v Tottenham Hotspur (h) (substitute): 04-11-2001

5’10” 11st (2005)

When he was young, Seth attended Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School, the same school as former Crewe striker Dean Ashton. Johnson began his career as a trainee with Crewe Alexandra, turning professional in 1996. A hard working midfield player, Johnson's potential led Derby to offer £3 million for his signature in 1999. The transfer went through, but Johnson's loyalty to Crewe meant he insisted on staying to help their relegation fight, delaying his move to Derby by two months. In the end, Crewe avoided relegation by a single point. He scored seven times in a hundred and three appearances for Crewe of which seven were as a substitute. His continued progress led to a solitary appearance for England, against Italy in November 2000, and further interest in his services. After scoring twice in eighty-one appearances for Derby, of which two were from the bench, big spending Leeds United ultimately paid £7 million to acquire Johnson in 2001, but a series of horrendous injury problems restricted him to around fifty appearances in four years at Leeds. There is a story that when Johnson arrived at Leeds to discuss his contract, his agent wanted to hold out for £13,000 a week. Peter Ridsdale entered the room and said "Right, I'm sorry but I can only offer you thirty thousand a week". Johnson's agent uttered some exclamation of disbelief and so Ridsdale said "Alright, thirty-seven thousand then”. Sad but probably true! It had been hoped that Johnson might take over the midfield anchor role which the injured David Batty had performed with distinction, but unfortunately Johnson had disciplinary problems and a mounting susceptibility to injury. With the club approaching financial meltdown in the mid-season of 2002-03, a fee was agreed with Middlesbrough and he was sent-up to the north-east, but such were the concerns about his knee problems that the transfer fell through. Such was United’s dirth of fit midfielders at that time that he was welcomed back by then Manager Terry Venables. He only made three starts in the League in 2002-03 and only four in 2004-05 as he spent more time in the treatment room than on the playing field. He was released by Leeds in August 2005. It was believed they did this due to clauses in the deal when signing him, whereby they had to pay a further fee to Derby after he had started fifty League games, but also due to his excessively large £37,000 a week wages, which Leeds couldn't afford after their financial crisis. Johnson returned to Derby County where the fans’ favourite successfully resurrected his career and played his final game for the club at Wembley Stadium, where he helped the club win promotion to the Premier League. However, during the play off final Johnson injured his knee, which was a huge blow to his chances of playing with Derby in the Premier League the following season. He made fifty-four starts for Derby in his second spell there and another eleven off the bench, and scored four times. On the 1st June 2007, it was announced that he, along with seven other players had been released. Apart from his one full England Cap, he represented his country at Youth level and fifteen times at Under-Twenty-one level.