Sam Johnson (footballer, born 1992)’s biography, net worth, fact, career, awards and life story

Samuel William “Sam” Johnson (born 1 December 1992) is an English professional football goalkeeper who plays for National League club F.C. Halifax Town, on loan from EFL League One side Port Vale.
He turned professional at Port Vale in April 2011, and played on loan at non-league Stafford Rangers later in the year, before making his debut for the “Valiants” in October 2012, and helping the club to secure promotion out of League Two in 2012–13. He was loaned out to Alfreton Town in November 2014, and F.C. Halifax Town in December 2015, and won the FA Trophy with Halifax in May 2016. He was loaned out to Gateshead in June 2016, and then returned to F.C. Halifax Town on loan in January 2017.

Playing career

Born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Johnson started his career in the youth ranks at local side Stoke City, before he was released by the “Potters” at age 14. He quickly joined the city’s other local league club – Port Vale, after youth team coach Mark Grew spotted his potential. In 2010–11 he was handed a squad number after the club’s number 1, Chris Martin, picked up a stomach bug. Aged only 17, he still towered over the rest of the dressing room at six-foot six. 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. In April 2011 he was offered a professional one-year deal at the club.

He spent September 2011 on loan at nearby Northern Premier League Premier Division side Stafford Rangers. 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. The loan was then extended into October. He then went on to concede just nine goals in his next ten games, and he returned to Vale Park having played a total of thirteen games. He agreed a new one-year deal with the club in May 2012.

Chris Neal and Johnson are the club’s only two professional goalkeepers in the 2012–13 campaign. 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 clash with Walsall at the Bescot Stadium. 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.” Despite making “a string of important saves”, he was unable to prevent the two “Saddlers” 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.

Vale secured promotion into League One at the end of the 2012–13 season, and though Johnson did not feature in any league games he was named as the club’s young player of the season. He signed a new two-year contract with the club in May 2013.

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

Johnson started the 2014–15 season as the club’s first choice goalkeeper. Neal regained his first team place after six games though, and Johnson was loaned out to Alfreton Town of the Conference Premier to gain more first team experience. He played four games for Nicky Law’s “Reds” before a shoulder injury cut his loan spell short. He signed a new one-year contract with the Vale in June 2015.

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

In June 2016, it was announced that Johnson would spend the 2016–17 season on loan at National League club Gateshead. He played the first ten league games of the season, before losing his first team place to Dan Hanford. Having failed to win back a starting place, the loan deal was cancelled in January 2017. He then immediately returned to F.C. Halifax Town – now in the National League North – on loan until the end of the season.

Style of play

In October 2012, Port Vale manager Micky Adams said that “I wouldn’t say he’s a laid-back character, but he can look horizontal at times. But he’s a nice lad and if my daughter brought him home I’d be delighted.”

Statistics

Honours

with Port Vale

• Football League Two third-place promotion: 2012–13

with F.C. Halifax Town

• FA Trophy winner: 2016

• Sherwin, Phil; Johnson, Dave (2013), Port Vale This Side Up: 2012-2013 Promotion Celebration, BGL, ISBN 978-0-9926579-0-1