Willie Johnston
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | William McClure Johnston[1] | ||
Date of birth | 19 December 1946 | ||
Place of birth | Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland | ||
Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[2] | ||
Position(s) | Outside left | ||
Youth career | |||
1962–1964 | Rangers | ||
1962–1964 | → Lochore Welfare (loan) | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1964–1972 | Rangers | 211 | (89) |
1972 | Hakoah Sydney | ? | (?) |
1972–1979 | West Bromwich Albion | 207 | (18) |
1979 |
Vancouver Whitecaps | 41 | (3) |
1979–1980 | → Birmingham City (loan) | 15 | (0) |
1980–1982 | Rangers | 35 | (2) |
1982 |
Vancouver Whitecaps | 18 | (0) |
1982–1985 | Heart of Midlothian | 58[3] | (9) |
1983 | → South China AA (loan) | ||
1985 | East Fife | 3 | (0) |
Total | 585 | (124) | |
International career | |||
1965–1978 | Scotland | 22 | (0) |
1969–1970 |
Scottish League XI[4] | 2 | (1) |
1969–1970 |
Scotland U23[5] | 2 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
William McClure Johnston (born 19 December 1946) is a Scottish former professional
Career
First spell at Rangers
Born in
The
In the
Over the next three seasons, Johnston's personal output included 65 goals from 137 appearances (as well as four caps for Scotland), but this yielded only one minor Glasgow Cup win during the period; arch-rivals Celtic had begun a period of dominance at that time,[12][22] and overwhelmed Rangers 4–0 in the 1969 Scottish Cup Final[23] less than a month after Johnston had scored a hat-trick against them in a cup tie at Celtic Park.[24] There was further disappointment as the club was twice eliminated from the latter stages of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup by English opponents, both of whom went on to win the trophy (Leeds United in 1968,[25] Newcastle United in 1969).[26] Johnston missed the home leg against Newcastle through suspension after he was sent off in the previous round against Athletic Bilbao.[27]
Celtic's domination of the Scottish league continued into the 1970s, and ultimately Johnston would end his spell at
Johnston scored twice in
West Bromwich and later years
On 1st December 1972 Johnston joined a struggling West Bromwich Albion[33] who were 1 point above England's top tier[34] relegation positions. Albion paid a then club record £138,000.[35] He debuted against Liverpool that month.[36][12][37] Johnston ended his first season in England with relegation to the Second Division. West Brom remained there for three seasons before winning promotion at the end of the 1975–76 Football League season. He was not selected for the Scotland 1974 FIFA World Cup squad. Indeed he was not capped at all in between November 1970 and April 1977.[38]
His career included some controversial incidents. Widely regarded as possessing a short temper to match his quickness and skill,
While playing for the
Johnston returned to Rangers in 1980 to play under former teammate
He then had a spell at Hearts under another old Gers colleague, Alex MacDonald, where he was sanctioned by the SFA for apparently headbutting Celtic's David Provan and clashing with their manager Billy McNeill (a former on-field adversary), and later for commenting on the incident in a newspaper.[12]
In 2004 Johnston was named as one of West Bromwich Albion's 16 greatest players, in a poll organised as part of the club's 125th anniversary celebrations.[52]
Personal life
Johnston was brought up in Cardenden, working as a miner after leaving school.[7][10]
He now lives in Kirkcaldy.[7][43] The Port Brae Bar pub in the town was run by his son Dean until a dispute with the Belhaven Brewery led to the pub being boarded up, locking Johnston's collection of memorabilia inside.[9]
Honours
- 1980–81
- 1970–71[b]
- 1971–72
- Runner-up 1966–67
- Runner-up
Vancouver Whitecaps
See also
- List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences
Notes and references
- ^ "Willie Johnston". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
- ^ "Willie Johnston". Worldfootball.net. 19 December 1946. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
- ^ "Willie Johnston". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "Willie Johnston – Scotland Football League Record from 05 Sep 1969 to 18 Mar 1970 clubs – Rangers". London Hearts Supporters Club. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
- ^ "Scotland U23 profile". Fitbastats. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Hall of Fame Profile: Willie Johnston". Rangers F.C. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Interview: Willie Johnston, ex-Scotland winger". The Scotsman. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Spiers, Graham (29 March 2003). "A bitter pill to swallow Willie Johnston reflects on a career ultimately blighted by that bizarre incident in Argentina". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
- ^ a b "Bud's plea: Give me back my memorabilia". Fife Free Press. 10 March 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
- ^ ISBN 9780857900852.
- ^ a b c d "Rangers player profile". Fitbastats. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Murray, Scott (23 December 2008). "The forgotten story of ... Willie Johnston". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
- ^ "1964 Scottish League Cup Final match reports". The Celtic Wiki. 24 October 1964. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "1965 Scottish League Cup Final match reports". The Celtic Wiki. 23 October 1965. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "1966 Scottish Cup Final Replay match reports". The Celtic Wiki. 27 April 1966. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "William Johnston Scotland profile". Fitbastats. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "From the archive: Poland stun Scotland at Hampden". The Scotsman. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "1966 Scottish League Cup Final match reports". The Celtic Wiki. 29 October 1966. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "REID BRINGS JOY TO BERWICK". Evening Times. Glasgow. 28 January 1967. p. 1. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "When Euro glory evaded Rangers". BBC Sport. 30 May 2007. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- Evening Times. 9 June 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "League Cup triumph of 1970 remains special for McCloy". The Scotsman. 12 March 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "1969 Scottish Cup Final match reports". The Celtic Wiki. 26 April 1969. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "Celtic 3–4 Rangers, Glasgow Cup Semi-Final match reports". The Celtic Wiki. 4 April 1969. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
- ^ "European Nights: Leeds United 2 Rangers 0 (report and contemporary newspaper scans)". Leeds United F.C. History. 9 April 1968. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "Newcastle United v Glasgow Rangers: The battle of St James' Park in 1969". ChronicleLive. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "Athletic Bilbao 2:0 Rangers FC" (in German). n-tv Sport. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
- ^ "1970 Scottish League Cup Final match reports". The Celtic Wiki. 24 October 1970. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "1971 Scottish Cup Final Replay match reports". The Celtic Wiki. 12 May 1971. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ Harris, Daniel (4 September 2014). "The forgotten story of … Rangers' 1972 European Cup Winners' Cup win". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "Rangers great Sandy Jardine remembers happier times". BBC Sport. 26 May 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "A sporting nation: Rangers triumph in Europe 1972". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ [1]
- ^ https://www.11v11.com/league-tables/league-division-one/01-december-1972/
- ^ "Player Archive profile: Willie Johnston". Albion Till We Die. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ISBN 1-85983-474-4.
- ISBN 0-907969-23-2.
- ^ "West Bromwich Albion statistical history". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "Midfield cramp our style..." The Herald. 30 May 1977. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "0–0 Vs Wales in British Championship". Fitbastats. 28 May 1977. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "Sat 28 May 1977 Wales 0 Scotland 0". London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ a b Schofield, Kevin (30 December 2008). "Revealed: Argentinians wanted to jail shamed Scotland star Willie Johnston". Daily Record. Glasgow. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
- ^ Timko, Brandon (9 June 2011). "A memorable moment in the Whitecaps FC-Sounders FC rivalry". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
- ^ Sapienza, Joseph (8 September 2012). "This day in Whitecaps FC history". WhitecapsFC.com. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
- ^ Irvine, Neil (20 January 2002). "No more late hate shows". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
- ^ "When two tribes go to war". The Herald. 2 February 2001. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "Aberdeen v Rangers – their rivalry explained". Glasgow Live. 24 September 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "JOHN MCMASTER PART-ONE "WHEN I WAS INJURED THE BOSS MADE SURE I RECEIVED MY BONUSES"". 6 October 2019.
- ^ Reynolds, Jim (11 May 1981). "McAlpine spoils a fairytale ending". The Herald. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "Six of the best Scottish Cup finals: Rangers 4 Dundee United 1 (1981, replay)". The Herald. 24 May 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "The wraps come off 125th anniversary mural". West Bromwich Albion F.C. 4 August 2004. Archived from the original on 2 February 2008. Retrieved 10 May 2008.
- ^ "Image of original scoresheet". Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
External links
- Willie Johnston at the Scottish Football Association
- West Bromwich Albion profile at Sporting-Heroes.net
- Profile Archived 16 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine at Old Baggies (WBA Former Players Association)