Denny Johnstone

Denny Johnstone
Personal information
Full name Denny Johnstone[1]
Date of birth (1995-01-09) 9 January 1995[1]
Place of birth Dumfries, Scotland
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current team
 Greenock Morton
Number 9
Youth career
2003–2008 Queen of the South
2008–2013 Celtic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2014 Celtic 0 (0)
2014–2016 Birmingham City 2 (0)
2014–2015 → Macclesfield Town (loan) 9 (3)
2015 → Cheltenham Town (loan) 5 (1)
2015 → Burton Albion (loan) 5 (1)
2015–2016 → Greenock Morton (loan) 35 (14)
2016–2018 Colchester United 30 (2)
2017–2018 → St Johnstone (loan) 20 (2)
2018– Greenock Morton 4 (0)
National team‡
2010–2011 Scotland U16 4 (1)
2011–2012 Scotland U17 10 (1)
2013 Scotland U18 1 (0)
2013–2014 Scotland U19 9 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 September 2018
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 25 August 2018

Denny Johnstone (born 9 January 1995) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Scottish Championship club Greenock Morton.

Johnstone began his senior career with Celtic, leaving the club in 2014 without making a first-team appearance and signing for English Championship club Birmingham City. Johnstone spent time on loan with Conference club Macclesfield Town and League Two clubs Cheltenham Town and title-winners Burton Albion in 2014–15 and spent the 2015–16 season on loan at Greenock Morton in the Scottish Championship. Johnstone departed the Blues and signed for League Two club Colchester United in June 2016. He joined St Johnstone in a season-long loan for 2017–18 before being released by Colchester at the end of the season.

Johnstone has represented Scotland at under-16, under-17, under-18 and under-19 levels.

Club career

Early career

Born in Dumfries, Johnstone joined the youth system at local club Queen of the South at 8 years old until he joined Celtic at 13 years old.[3] At Celtic, Johnstone scored the opening goal in the under-19s first match in the 2012–13 NextGen Series at home to Sporting Lisbon,[4] whilst he also contributed to Celtic winning the Scottish Premier under-20 League and scored with his first touch of the ball to confirm their Scottish Youth Cup 3–1 win over Dunfermline Athletic's under-20s team.[5]

Celtic's qualification for the group stages of the 2013–14 Champions League meant that their youth team would play in the UEFA Youth League, in groups that mirrored those of the senior team. Johnstone scored versus Barcelona's youth team [6] and produced a good performance playing in the lone striker role in a 4–1 win versus Ajax.[7] Johnstone thought that the competition had improved his understanding of the game and having been an unused substitute for Celtic's first-team, Johnstone thought he was ready for first-team football or perhaps a loan deal elsewhere.[8] Scottish Sun columnist and Celtic supporter Des McKeown suggested that Celtic's determination to win every competition they enter, at any level, hindered the progression of youngsters out of the youth teams.[9] By the end of the season, Johnstone had made no senior appearances and rejected the offer of a new contract with Celtic. Johnstone was attracted by a move to Dundee United but the clubs were unable to agree a compensation figure and United pulled out of any deal because of the uncertainty of a fee set by any tribunal.[10][11]

Birmingham City

Ahead of the 2014–15 season, Johnstone trained with English Championship club Birmingham City, where Alan Thompson (who Johnstone knew from his time at Celtic) was the development coach. It was reported that Birmingham had attempted to persuade Celtic to accept a huge sell-on fee but by the end of July 2014, their budget had stretched to an acceptable figure and Johnstone signed a three-year contract.[12] Johnstone started his first professional match on 19 August 2014, replacing Wes Thomas in the 81st minute of a 2–2 draw versus Ipswich Town.[13]

Macclesfield Town loan

Johnstone joined Conference Premier club Macclesfield Town on 27 November 2014, on a one-month loan spell, having scored 4 goals in 7 development squad matches.[14] Johnstone made his debut as a second-half substitute in a 3–1 defeat versus Barnet on 29 November 2014 [15] and scored his first goal on his fifth appearance, six minutes after appearing as a substitute during the 5–1 win versus Alfreton Town on 20 December 2014.[16] Despite his loan being extended on two occasions, firstly to 7 January 2015 and then extended until the end of that season,[17] Johnstone was recalled by Birmnigham on 2 February 2015, which was the final day of the transfer window, although he was loaned out to League Two club Cheltenham Town for the remainder of the campaign. Cheltenham had wanted to secure the player on a permanent contract but Birmingham wouldn't release him from his contract.[18] Johnstone had scored three goals in nine Conference appearances for Macclesfield.[19]

Cheltenham Town loan

Johnstone made his debut for Cheltenham on 7 February 2015 in their 3–1 home defeat versus Burton Albion.[20] Johnstone scored his first Football League goal in the 24th minute in his third appearance for the club, with Cheltenham losing the match 2–1 versus Bury on 14 February 2015.[21] Johnstone was recalled by Birmingham in early March 2015, after scoring once in five league appearances at Cheltenham.[22]

Burton Albion loan

On 26 March 2015, Johnstone joined League Two leaders Burton Albion on loan until the end of the season.[23] Johnstone made his Burton debut on 3 April 2015, playing the first sixty minutes of a 1–1 away draw versus Plymouth Argyle.[24] In Johnstone's third appearance, after Carlisle United took an early lead, he needed lengthy treatment following a clash of heads but was able to return to the field of play, only to then score an equaliser in the eighth minute of stoppage time after a goalmouth scramble.[25] Johnstone was an unused substitute in Burton's last match of the season, which confirmed the club as EFL League Two Championship winners.[26] Johnstone played on five occasions for Burton.[19]

Greenock Morton loan

Johnstone joined Renfrewshire club Greenock Morton on 31 July 2015 on loan for the 2015–16 season. Birmingham included an option to recall the player in January 2016.[27] Johnstone made his debut the following day in a 5–0 win versus Elgin City in the League Cup, back-heeling Morton's second goal and showing "good hold-up play and an ability to bring others into play".[28] Johnstone helped the Greenock club to a fifth-place finish in the Scottish Championship, scoring 17 goals in all competitions and providing six assists also.[29]

Colchester United

League Two club Colchester United signed Johnstone on a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee on 28 June 2016.[30] He made his debut for the club as a second-half substitute for Chris Porter in Colchester's 1–1 draw with Hartlepool United at Victoria Park on the opening day of the 2016–17 season,[31] before scoring his first goal from the bench on his home debut in a 2–0 win against Cambridge United on 13 August.[32] He was ruled out for the remainder of the season having made 32 appearances and scoring two goals after tearing knee cartilage during Colchester's 2–1 defeat at Accrington Stanley on 18 February.[33]

In August 2017, Johnstone moved on loan to Scottish Premiership club St Johnstone.[34] He made his club debut as an 81st-minute substitute in St Johnstone's 1–1 draw with his former club Celtic.[35] He scored his first goal for the club on 16 December in a 3–1 win at Rangers.[36]

At the end of the 2017–18 season he was released by Colchester.[37]

Return to Morton

After his Colchester release, Johnstone returned to Scotland for a second spell at Greenock Morton on a one-year contract.[38] He made his first appearance since his return, scoring two goals, in a 3–0 reserve win over Falkirk at the Falkirk Stadium.[39]

International career

Johnstone has represented Scotland at under-16, under-17, under-18 and under-19 levels.

He made his international debut for the under-16 team against Jersey on 24 August 2010 in a 3–0 International Challenge Match win for Scotland. He made four appearances for the under-16 team, scoring once against Northern Ireland.[40]

Johnstone first appeared for the under-17 team on 12 January 2011 in a 1–0 win away to Malta. He scored once in 10 appearances at under-17 level in a 2–1 defeat to Croatia.[41]

He played just one game for the Scotland under-18 side, a 1–0 defeat to Israel in April 2013.[42]

Johnstone first represented Scotland at under-19 level on 6 February 2013, scoring in the 2–1 defeat to Netherlands. He scored twice more for the under-19s, the only goal against Belarus on 12 October 2013, and a goal in the 1–1 draw with Germany three days later. He made nine appearances for the under-19s.[43]

Career statistics

As of 29 September 2018
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Birmingham City 2014–15[19] Championship 20—00—20
2015–16[44] Championship —————
Total 20—00—20
Macclesfield Town (loan) 2014–15[2] Conference Premier 93——1[lower-alpha 1]093
Cheltenham Town (loan) 2014–15[19] League Two 51———51
Burton Albion (loan) 2014–15[19] League Two 51———51
Greenock Morton (loan) 2015–16[44] Scottish Championship 35144142—4317
Colchester United 2016–17[45] League Two 28210102[lower-alpha 2]0322
2017–18[46] League Two 2000100030
Total 302102020352
St Johnstone (loan) 2017–18[46] Scottish Premiership 20220——222
Greenock Morton 2018–19[47] Scottish Championship 4000000040
Career total 1102371623012626
  1. ↑ Appearance in FA Trophy
  2. ↑ Appearances in EFL Trophy

Personal life

Johnstone's great-grandfather was the East Fife and Queen of the South Scottish League international footballer Bobby Black and several other members of his extended family played football professionally.[48][49]

Johnstone attended St Ninian's High School, Kirkintilloch, as a beneficiary of the partnership between the school and Celtic.[50]

References

  1. 1 2 "Denny Johnstone". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  2. 1 2 "D. Johnstone". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  3. ↑ "Homecoming win was special to Denny". Greenock Telegraph. 27 August 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  4. ↑ Haggerty, Anthony (7 September 2012). "NextGen Series: Celtic 1 Sporting Lisbon 2". Daily Record. Glasgow. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  5. ↑ Temple, Alan (2 May 2013). "Dunfermline U20 1–3 Celtic U20: Kennedy's side champs". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  6. ↑ Fisher, Stewart (2 October 2013). "Celtic youth taught a lesson by world's brightest young talent". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  7. ↑ Henderson, Mark (4 November 2013). "Johnstone's Euro target for young Celts". Celtic FC. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  8. ↑ Friel, David (12 December 2013). "Den's big thank EU". Scottish Sun. Glasgow. Retrieved 5 August 2014 – via NewsBank.
  9. ↑ McKeown, Des (7 December 2013). "Left out in the Gauld". Scottish Sun. Glasgow. Retrieved 5 August 2014 – via NewsBank.
  10. ↑ "Time running out in battle to get Curtis Good fit for final". The Courier. Dundee. 30 April 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  11. ↑ "Dundee United end interest in Celtic striker". The Courier. Dundee. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  12. ↑ Tattum, Colin (30 July 2014). "Birmingham City sign Scotland under-19 international Denny Johnstone". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  13. ↑ "Birmingham City 2–2 Ipswich Town". BBC Sport. 19 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  14. ↑ "Johnstone joins Macclesfield on loan". Birmingham City FC. 27 November 2014. Archived from the original on 28 November 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  15. ↑ "Barnet 3–1 Macclesfield Town". BBC Sport. 29 November 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  16. ↑ "Alfreton Town 1–5 Macclesfield Town". BBC Sport. 20 December 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  17. ↑ Thomason, Eleanor (24 December 2014). "David Gonzalez: Macclesfield Town midfielder departs". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
    "Johnstone loan spell extended". Birmingham City FC. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  18. ↑ Dick, Brian (2 February 2015). "Birmingham City: Denny Johnstone joins Cheltenham on loan after Blues refuse to sell him". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 "Games played by Denny Johnstone in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  20. ↑ "Cheltenham Town 1–3 Burton Albion". BBC Sport. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  21. ↑ "Cheltenham Town 1–2 Bury". BBC Sport. 14 February 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  22. ↑ "Denny Johnstone: Cheltenham loanee returns to Birmingham". BBC Sport. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  23. ↑ Putnam, Sam (26 March 2015). "Official: Denny Johnstone joins Burton Albion". Birmingham City F.C. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  24. ↑ "Plymouth Argyle 1–1 Burton Albion". BBC Sport. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  25. ↑ "Burton Albion: Johnstone salvages late draw for Brewers to ease frustration". Derby Telegraph. 16 April 2015. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  26. ↑ "Cambridge United 2–3 Burton Albion". BBC Sport. 2 May 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  27. ↑ "Denny Johnstone heads out on loan". Birmingham City FC. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  28. ↑ Crawford, Kenny (1 August 2015). "Greenock Morton 5–0 Elgin City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  29. ↑ Mitchell, Jonathan (20 May 2016). "Johnstone: 'I reaped the rewards from Morton loan spell'". Greenock Telegraph. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  30. ↑ "Denny Johnstone: Birmingham City forward joins Colchester United". BBC Sport. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  31. ↑ "Hartlepool United 1–1 Colchester United". BBC Sport. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  32. ↑ "Colchester United 2–0 Cambridge United". BBC Sport. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  33. ↑ Waldron, Jonathan (23 February 2017). "Denny Johnstone and Frankie Kent will be sidelined for the rest of Colchester United's League Two campaign". Daily Gazette. Colchester. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  34. ↑ "St Johnstone: Striker Denny Johnstone arrives on loan from Colchester". BBC Sport. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  35. ↑ English, Tom (26 August 2017). "Celtic 1–1 St Johnstone". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  36. ↑ "Rangers 1–3 St Johnstone". BBC Sport. 16 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  37. ↑ "Colchester United: Doug Loft among four players leaving club". BBC Sport. 8 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  38. ↑ Mitchell, Jonathan (26 June 2018). "Denny Johnstone returns to Morton". Greenock Morton F.C. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  39. ↑ Mitchell, Jonathan (20 August 2018). "Match report: Falkirk Res 0–3 Morton Res". Greenock Morton F.C. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  40. ↑ "Denny Johnstone U16 Squad Matches". Scottish FA. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  41. ↑ "Denny Johnstone U17 Squad Matches". Scottish FA. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  42. ↑ "Denny Johnstone U18 Squad Matches". Scottish FA. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  43. ↑ "Denny Johnstone U19 Squad Matches". Scottish FA. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  44. 1 2 "Games played by Denny Johnstone in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  45. ↑ "Games played by Denny Johnstone in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  46. 1 2 "Games played by Denny Johnstone in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  47. ↑ "Games played by Denny Johnstone in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  48. ↑ McLean, Kirk. "Legends – Bobby Black". Queen of the South FC. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  49. ↑ Ponting, Ivan (23 September 2012). "Bobby Black: Footballer considered unlucky not to be capped by Scotland". The Independent. London. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  50. ↑ McGregor, Derek (12 April 2014). "Kids get football lessons". Scottish Sun. Glasgow. Retrieved 4 January 2017 – via NewsBank.
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