Tommy Johnson Straight Talk | Episode 20

Tommy Johnson talks to Peter Martin about his career as a striker in the Premier League for Aston Villa and Everton and in the Scottish Premier League for Celtic and Kilmarnock. He also played for Notts County, Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday, Gillingham, Sheffield United and Scunthorpe United, before finishing his career with Tamworth and Rocester.

Tommy Johnson Interview Highlights:

00:00 Intro to Tommy Johnson
00:53 Notts County football apprenticeship
03:43 Signing for Celtic Football Club
11:41 Martin O’Neill Celtic
19:55 Which Football (Soccer) Position
26:00 Best football matches and players
32:08 Tosh McKinlay Henrik Larsson fight
38:50 Tommy Burns Celtic manager
41:31 Neil Lennon Celtic
42:51 Making your parents proud

About Tommy Johnson:

Tommy Johnson had a knack for finding the back of the net and propelled Notts County through two successive promotion playoffs, landing them in the First Division in 1991. Despite their brief stay at the top and missing out on the inaugural Premier League season, his contribution of 47 goals in 118 league games marked him as a standout player.

The Football League Odyssey
A mid-season move in 1992 saw him join Derby County, an ambitious club eyeing Premier League football. His tenure here included a memorable playoff final appearance and a solid record of 30 goals in 98 league appearances. By 1995, he finally made his Premier League debut with Aston Villa, becoming a key player in a season of rebuilding and transition for the club.

At Villa, he shared the pitch with notable talents like Dalian Atkinson, Dean Saunders, and later, Dwight Yorke and Savo Milosevic. His time at Villa was highlighted by a League Cup triumph in 1996, though the arrival of new talents gradually limited his first-team opportunities.

Celtic and Beyond
His career took a northward turn when he joined Celtic in 1997 for £2.4 million. Despite injury setbacks, he experienced moments of glory, including scoring pivotal goals that contributed to league titles and cup victories. His journey continued with stints at Everton, Sheffield Wednesday, and Kilmarnock, before moving on to Gillingham, Sheffield United, and finally Scunthorpe United, where his playing career faced challenges due to injuries.

Non-League and Retirement
The twilight of his career saw him embrace the grassroots of football with Tamworth and eventually Rocester, where he continued to share his passion for the game.

Transition to Coaching
Post-retirement, his knowledge and experience found new avenues in coaching and scouting. Rejoining Notts County in a coaching capacity, he also contributed to the Northern Ireland U23s and worked as a scout for Cardiff City. His current role as a coaching assistant for the Northern Ireland national team signifies his continued influence in the game, shaping the next generation of talent.

Legacy
His journey underscores the diverse pathways within football, from the highs of scoring in top-flight leagues to the invaluable experience gained in coaching and scouting roles. It’s a testament to the evolving nature of careers in football, where the love for the game transcends beyond playing days. As he shapes future stars, his legacy continues, echoing the journey of a true football journeyman.

#everton #interview #celticfc

Welcome to this one to one on straight talk I’m Peter Martin I’m delighted to say my guest this week is Tommy Johnson former Celtic Striker Aston Villa uh and more than a few clubs in between that as well Sheffield United and of course uh from a boy from Gates head the only one

Missing there is Newcastle um was it said that you’ve been on Wikipedia aren’t you yeah I have whereabouts is it Newcastle Gates head Newcastle no different oh dear me is that we start again no does that get you any trouble oh I yeah why what’s the difference he

Sunland over the river if you’re born in Newcastle you’re Jordie okay if you’re south of the river you’re not well that’s what happens when you come from the west of Scotland and you don’t get the differences in the tribalism did you always want to play for Newcastle of

Course yeah what happened no I could have could have went as an apprentice but don’t know I went down to nots County early doors and then loved it you know I just 16 and Nots County were smaller Club if I probably better chance of making it or getting in the first

Team earlier and trainer thought was if I didn’t like it away from home I could always go back yeah and I’m still I’m still away did your family did you did your family want you to play for you yeah de I yeah but I just well I know

How it turned out I made the right decision but uh yeah it was obviously a difficult decision P pressure as well and as you said family wanted us to play or mates did but uh I just thought no if I go away don’t make it I’ll just come

Back home but as I said it went all right for a few years I who was the gaffer that convinced you to go to nots County Jimmy sell good old Scott y good M with Alex Sir Alex Ferguson and I just went down and you know I was 14 1 14 and

Just loved it and you know helped doing jobs and by 15 I was going down in school holidays and then playing for the reserves as it was then and he offered me an apprenticeship and I thought that’s where I wanted to start me career yeah I saw a great YouTube video of you

With a I think it was a young Mark Draper uh and the the two of you there um you know talking about playing standard you were playing in at the time what was that area like who the players that were that you were playing alongside so we yeah obviously draps I

Grew up with draps you know and then we ended up playing together with Villa again uh still speak to him all the time he’s still annoing him Craig short Chris short Dean YZ we didn’t have a Neil Warner came in uh when I I think I just

Turned Pro and he just like he is Galvanized a team got the players out he didn’t want four players in we want who were good in the dressing room and you know we got promotion from League one as it is now and then hope to the championship and then the next year from

The championship into the as premier league as it is now so yeah what was the football like you were playing because everybody has this stigma attached to Neil warock yeah well drapes got told once if he ever dribbled in his own half again he’d be sold so that was but gaffa

Played our strength we had we played it was probably like a 433 at home and then he changed and and play a sweeper away from home so we’d have a big Target man up front and then there’d be me and say Kevin Bartlett Phil Turner either side

And basically it was like a free row yeah me you mentioned Jimmy sirell Neil waru there when I look at the the list of managers uh that you’ve worked under it’s absolutely incredible who had the greatest impact on you from an early age it was all different I went to you know

Uh the Gaff I keep calling everyone gaffa so I’m going have to name them on I so Neil waro when I went uh to not County then Arthur Cox when I went to Derby Brian little signers at Aston Villa and the first thing he said he

Says I want you to play like Steve McManaman role I was like no I’m a center forward and worked out I was he cleared us as a 10 and I had a free role his his man management was brilliant uh and then obviously coming up to Celtic

With Tommy Burns even though I was his last Sig and and didn’t really have a lot of time to work with him before he left the club uh his enthusiasm when I came up before I’d signed and just sat in the in the dressing room as it was in

I think it must have been about two or three hours just talking what he wanted to do with us and how he seen his play where he watched us I think the first time he seen us when I was at Derby so that was probably three four years

Before he actually signed us and kept tabs on us he was just so enthusiastic uh working with him and Billy Billy star and H God bless Frank Connor and then you’ll probably go through the managers I I think I almost had six or seven managers when I was at Celtic

Andart from Tommy I think the only one who uh who I loved shall I say or made us feel part of it was uh Martin O’Neil Yeah you mentioned all those names and and by the way there were more than a few at Celtic is one come in didn’t work

Out failed and on to the next one from your perspective um when you look at your overall playing career is there a sense of frustration at Tommy Johnson that everybody was raving about when you were younger and then that little period of injury seemed to curtail what I

Thought would have been an even better development although some people would bite their right arm off for for what you’ve won and the people you’ve played for yeah like I always do things now and interviews podcasts whatever and if you said at 16 what what would you do in

Your career and you’re right you’d snap your hands off you know yes I had the injuries I think the way I look at it is I started Nots County progressed to Derby no disrespect of the clubs yeah but like progress to Derby then progress to Aston Villa then Celtic and then when

You leave Celtic unless you Henrik and go to Barcelona like you you’re going down the way aren’t you Peter but the injuries yeah uh I get that you know I was four and a half years and I would have played even though we goal scoring records it’s quite good I think but yeah

Of course I wanted to play a lot more you know but these things happen and what can you do but as I go back to it I’ve won trophies you know had a great time played 19 years as a professional so yeah there was couple of bad injuries

Time with Celtic and and I know I should have played more but I didn’t for circumstances you forget though when uh Vim came in and I was fit so he just didn’t like us or whatever you know I wasn’t part of the squad and there was a

Few of us who Wen yeah the strange thing about it is when I think of every time somebody mentions your name to me I always think optimism there’s a smile comes to my face because you were always kind of a happy go-lucky positive attitude um was that something that you

Felt um you know was part of your makeup in the darkest days when you when you were having injuries because your lesson uh over the period of your playing career is something that maybe a number of footballers will look at and think God if I had those injuries and i’ have

Hit that you know you hit that dark day when you think am I ever going to kick the ball again was it a moment like that oh definitely you know I D M it was innocuous it was I remember it was against dun Ferman in midweek I think we

Had a cup final The League Cup Final a week 10 days later and them he there was players hav carrying knocks there was players suspended there was players going to be rested for the Cup Final and I knew I wouldn’t be involved but for this particular game I

Was sub and then I I went on and then that’s the first time I done went up for head just come down and it went and you just think oh my God waited all this time to play and then you go and do your knee and then I think I came back and

The priest this was a February come back preseason done all preseason and then their first game back I think it wasn’t no sorry it was in the in the May time it was a week before the season finished I came back and then I was with Danny

Danny mcgrain down one to one I mean they just snapped come back from that had a cartilage operation then we had pre-season and done all preseason and then we first came back in I think we’re in Holland and then I totally went so so

I think in TOT I was out for a year which but we had a great dressing room you know yes I was going in I think Morton had done his KN a few weeks later so and obviously what we had in the dressing room with the players that we

Had in the camarad we you know there’s loads of us still keeping touch together but what was I going to do Peter was I going to lie down and let get and I didn’t want to be class as a failure yeah you a person who’s a half

Glass uh you know that the glass is half full um that’s the first all there yeah I’m looking I go I’m from Newcastle and you ask anyone who’s played professional football you know that’s all every anybody wanted to do as a kid yeah I was fortunate and to do it so you can

Mention injuries you can mention managers you can mention not playing but as I said if you to say it to him would you there you are you’ve had 19 years as a player you’ve won this you’ve won that you’ve played at these clubs would you

Take it of course you would yeah and of those 19 years that you’ve mentioned de I would say the 75% that we’re going to talk about that filled with moments that again as as we talk about people who have dreams to to to win silver we great

To score a goal that you’re forever remembered for to win the league title is you know that that must have just put it all into perspective for you it does I could have left many a time before at Celtic clubs had come in obviously not playing under certain man managers and

I’m like no I went to everon which didn’t really turn I I was there for two 3 months and when John bondes was here but as I said like from being an apprentice and then I played at Wembley twice before I was 20 promot like playoff scoring at Wembley and stuff

Like that and you think oh this is great this is going to happen every year yeah obviously it doesn’t work out like that and as I said my career just got better and better and and as you said top it off uh in 2001 I against St M first

Touch was rubbish first touch was magnificent what you on about off for your well some went down the line henrik’s got the ball if I’m Henrik I’m shooting from there you know I mean there no obviously the kind of player he was he laid it into his and

Yeah ruled under me for but when you say I’ll go like that when I score because when it did roll on before F you could see the crowd going or he would go again he’s missed it again and luckily enough fell on me right God

Knows how it went in yeah cuz there was a block on the line and then it’s gone through him and under the keeper legs but didn’t matter I just went in that was the main thing still a special moment and the good thing about it is

You had one of those Gaffers that you know he gave people pelters Martin was one of those guys even when I when I see him sometimes in your company and the players there’s that camaraderie there’s that you know cajoling each other and noising each other up about your first

Touch but you still scored the goal what was your memories of that day got a bit hay after that I remember me family being up it was an early kickoff it was red H it’s grand national day it’s the first week in April I think it was so and we’d all

Obviously we didn’t know we were going to win the league that day but we’ all doing supporters do that night so I was down first and foremost obviously win the game I think we played dund day on the Wednesday and we knew we won on the Saturday so said 12:00 kickoff red off

I’m playing I scored and then I got a bit of cramp that’s what I come off and think don’t want anybody else go go on just be nice for a change so but no as long as we won the game it didn’t matter and then it was a Grand National and I

Always remember it we had a sweep stick and I won it and the horse was red Marauder I’m not a gambler but it’s 33 to one and I only picked it red cuz I used to have red air yeah can you imagine that one and then me and Ne

Lennon were down in as doing the sport uh dinner Sports dinner Sports dinner and all that and then like Y and sty all the other Lads were around Glasgow doing their d as well so we came back up and then all you see is it’s green and white

Everywhere yeah and then we met all the women in town as well afterwards and it was so I can remember everything about it probably not after about 10:00 at night but then next year we went out again a few of us went out again next year and but was brilliant and and you

Mentioned the gaffa i’ SP spoke to him the other day you know I’m still very very close to him and uh I think he’s over in uh Northern iseland in a couple of weeks so I’m meeting up with him then but he was just his man management you

Know you speak to anybody and he had good staff staff who we trusted John Robertson Steve Walford you know he had Terry jeno and then when I worked with him again at Forest a few just a few years ago like scouting for him so but

He uh and you can’t argue with him he won W the European Cup with for us twice you know won the league and his management career was unbelievable and what made him special I think if he when he just from the first moment he walked into the room there was just that a

About him and you had respect for him and when he spoke you listen to him players like knowing that they’re going to have a part to play was that something that um from your point of view another manager comes in this time there’s a wee bit more expectation to be

Perfectly honest with you Celtic fans sensed there was going to be a fair bit of money spent did you was it crucial for you to know that he you had a part to play with him yeah I obviously you mentioned managers there who just one who probably didn’t think I was

A good player and that’s why I never played or but did I have respect for some of them no because the way we were treated and then John Barnes had gone and then Kenny had took over with Tommy Burns had come back in and we won The

League Cup and I played scored against abedine so you’re thinking great please give Kenny and Tommy the job you know that that was from my perspective didn’t get it so not a problem and then when the G would come in and I knew John Robertson from nottingam De and all that

And I thought yeah one year left on me contract and I think he just come in and as you mentioned there was going to be be spent Chris suon came straight in Juice big juice came in Tomo came in so you could say there was something was

Happening I remember the first I think it was a we dund united we won I think 2-1 s he scored and Henrik and then the following week I wasn’t sub and I’m thinking oh he would go again so the Gaffers brought us in and he’s went I’m

Going like this I’m like and I went oh go I don’t need this it’s Last year me con I said I’ve had all this in the past I says I just want to be involved and I want to I want to not I don’t want to to

Want to put an arm around us but just let me be I want to be part of it basically I’m like I’ll show you you know what I mean and he just sat he got sat us down and he went don’t want worry you’ll be part of this and I went yeah

And he went yeah I went okay that’ll do for me that must have sent you through the roof oh I because of all well you had this we of he not B yeah but he could have a go here but then but making you 10t tall as well

Yeah we’ll probably go on that when we when we did win the league you know he was he’s uh he’s just got this way about him where he was brilliant so I went okay then yeah we’ll see how it goes in and I was I was part of it so he got

Injured I got in the team you know I probably played that season more than I played in any I need of me time at SEL yeah and and of course special team um you mentioned the players that were there um there was a sense in that side

That it was going to take maybe four or five years to catch Rangers but you you guys just seem to you know hit the ground running and suddenly you know all started to click yeah from the start Peter from when I signed the dress moon was always good always brilliant you

Know uh I think then over the time I was there there was a lot more foreigners coming in and you know and at first I think everybody knows the story about Henrik and and Tosh and all that but that galvanized us yeah because it was a

Split and I think you speak to anybody who was at the time then who was at the club at the time and there was a split but that galvanized us and then just carried on and on and Joseph come in and unfortunately we didn’t win the league

Then you know and he and you said Rangers were they were a good team and they had some players you know I think def fact advocat was in at the time W had been there and they they’ signed some really really good players and we but when the gaffa came in and we

Started realizing the way he wanted to play and what we were doing in training and you know we just had the confidence that we weren’t going to get beat yeah going out onto the pitch and saying right come on let’s put these to bed in 20 minutes you know it didn’t always

Work out like that but we we give us a confidence and we had confidence in ourselves that we’re going to do it is that the best team you’ve ever played in um and do you think it would have do you think it was a team that would have

Beaten every team that you’ve played for before belter I just thought about it I know it just came out my head as I said like from knots League one yeah to Championship we had a special way of playing when the want and you look at the team then and the players who gone

On and to do better things was a hell of a lot Derby we spent a lot of money in the championship at that time yeah didn’t get promotion ironic that we let Bri was manager of Leicester at the time when we played them in the playoff final

Leicester win Brian little goes to vill and then signs me six months later you know so but if Derby had won I would have signed a new contract would have been in the Premier League those sliding doors moment oh it’s fighting and then obviously V we had a we were fourth and

Fifth in the league well am I right thinking You’ Dwight York was milosovic Sav mosovich was sers there no Dino was I signed in the January and Dino left in the summer right but G South Gate Paul McGrath you go good rest y Mark D Andy towns in Steve St Nigel that would

Have been some game Villa’s best side against Celtic yeah because the gaap I’m Brian little gaffa played 352 oh it’s a matchup isn’t it yeah then Morton comes in and that’s the way we played as well yeah absolutely where do you think your best position was that I

Love that L there when you said I had a free rooll now free rooll to me I can CER anywhere I want in behind those that’s the way it was it was before I’d even seen Pilla we were sat in the room and and I speaking to the guffer and he

Went I don’t see you as a center forward when I was what was I 23 and I was like well like you stubborn you know of course I’m a center for I want want to do is score goals I think when I was an apprentice I played

Midfield at Nots County I played left I played right wing and then when the Neil War put us up front and then just do what he want Derby I started as a Winger yeah got played as a Winger but then I moved Center forward and then when I

Went to Villa he went I want you as a 10 and he’s right I loved it yeah I absolutely loved it you scored some screamers I mean I think you scored a screamer against um Leicester in a 4-4 um which was a lovely the you didn’t see the ones I

Missed actually Yori scored one goal I’m two yards from the lane I at the bar and Yori thank God had followed up and put it in the net but you ask any of that who a player with just used to shoot on S side I going to see you Strikers have got that

Special um attitude that if you miss one there’ll be another one coming along shortly I don’t shoot if I don’t shoot I won’t score that was my and it was even more when I came up to sell it because you’re getting a lot more chances yeah

We’ll go back to S M game when we won the league I almost Miss three or four before that before that one went in yeah well listen the most important one is K of used to say check the record books you know if it says we won great you

Know let me ask you this um you you mentioned people who lifted you boosted your your confidence um players you’ve got um and and the players that you played with are really really talented I mentioned mosovich I mentioned the likes of D York but it’s Celtic you know

You had Sutton you had Larson you also had lubo I mean of all the players give me the two or three special ones that you think that was a joy to say I’ve played with them a poor McGrath Villa yeah never trained obviously he had a

Few problems off the pitch yeah used to come in go on these exercise bike and then join in on a Friday and then go out on a Saturday as if like the reading he’s dodging a the reading of the game was unbelievable unbelievable I find the Paul McGrath story incredible that he

Could sustain we always say how would he been if he had decent needs he might not have been the player that he was was he quick or was it just he just read the game once he got into his stride he was quick but he was just that Split Second

Ahead of knew where the ball was going to go and he probably admit he was he wasn’t the best on the ball but his reading was unbelievable of the game yeah a great fellow like a great blow as well I’m going to ask then this is something that I’ve asked most of the

The guys um who’ have come on uh to talk about their career um and it’s quite simply give me your five aside team then of all the players youve played with preempted by Mr Darren Jackson Who over to say this weekend Gordon Marshall Mal Mal maai have said if you’re going

On you’ll have to name your five SES or I’m going oh my gosh I said I’d put them three in to start with yeah who would have in oh dear you I got ask this at Villa yeah uh and did you find yourself swaying towards the guy who’s in Villa you as usual

Uh and it was vill it was Villa players and the asked us for and I didn’t put marck in because it was fire aside and I said would he be able to get WR would his KN be all right you know I mean but You’ got to have him in who would have

In goal probably bosnich yeah Mark bosnich Mark bosnich is career the best of it was F is that and then what him and he’ll probably tell him himself was the back pass R cuz he he had about size 13 ft You’ be on the phone now you know me

So he’s your goalie so I need a defend I yeah it’s got to be Mak hasn’t it m Midfield oh so you’re I don’t even know what formation I’m playing well it’s five a s so you’re playing bosnich you’re playing McGrath then you’ve got your then you’ve got you’ve got utility

Play anywhere enri right so he’s a definite oh gosh I so who’s your other two are we classing Internationals as well can we anybody you’ve played in a team with Alan Sher England under 21 so it’s a technicality you can get him in he’ll be delighted Shear lson you’ve got one more

Oh we don’t put ourselves in then no you can’t put yourself in I need a midfielder then don’t God it’ll probably be between Burley Craig Berle and Mark dper both of them better than Lio now you’ve chucked a span in the work why don’t I just play with no one

At the back yeah well ml M gives you a chance to win bosnich will save he needs to roll the ball out anyway so you’ve got L you got sheerer is it definitely side it’s five aside whether it’s a squad game now you’ve get n you’ve got nine Subs at all got

Bosy say BOS right luo Henrik and alen Sher that’s a good fight and then ble Craig Bley and Mark dber so you’ve got seven so it’s a squad game yeah right so they would they would come on to help you that five would actually stand you in

Good stead in any any competition from my point of view and I look at uh the games that you’ve played in is St mirin’s up there is there is there one in that you look back on with great fondness as well out with that one because that one sets you into Celtic f

It just you know no one remembers the injuries no one remembers who manages or the the bad times that we had when we were there yeah when I’m doing dos I’ve got one next week in Northern Ireland and they just talk about the goal which is great

Isn’t it it’s brilliant I yeah I mean if you’ve got an ultimate High and a moment in life where everybody but as a footballer overall is there is there a game that you enjoyed out with that that one sets you apart over your 19 years

Guy like as I said I was 18 19 at not County yeah winning two promotions via the playoffs you nearly made it to the Premier League I’m right we did with not which was the year before the Premier League started yeah so and our first game was man united away Brian

Robson went the same school as him you know I mean yeah I’m a bit younger than him before you start we we in the same class and all that so Mar was playing against the batter I think I touched the ball three times but then you realize

Like wow this is a 50 60,000 Old Trafford and then Villa we play we when we won The League Cup uh we played Arsenal in the samis meren bur Camp Ian right and you’re like and we drew 2-2 away we’re 2-0 down after 20 minutes and I would probably

Say that was probably me best game for Villa we got back to 22 Yori scored and probably wanted find him like if I had scored it it would have been probably the best goal i’ I just hit this volley from about 30 yards which hit the bar

And then it bounced in and Seaman got touch onto the B and then Yoki was following him Seamon got up from where he was how he saved it I’ll never know and saved the rebound but that was probably me the best game that I I ever

Played in yeah and in the final you mentioned that your family were there for 2001 were they all there for the League Cup yeah every uh ad Villa yeah yeah everyone was God from Nottingham from Newcastle everyone went down because the one or two years before before under Ron

Ainson against man united yeah uh but and then we had we won that and then we had the semi-final of the fa couple week later but and then against Liverpool that was the time when they played Man United and had them in the final when C

AR scored they had them white suits on yeah uh was that 96 96 and we played at Old Trafford and Rob PA scor arrick as he does you’re firing off some great names here I was discussing with you the play that you played with that stick in

Your mind that are special what about the players you’ve played against give me a sense of uh two or three that stick in your mind because you you know it’s great for you being a professional has played at the top level but other players that you sometimes watched and

Thought they’re on another planet henrik’s won fine everybody knows that but are there other players against we played I think it was Palmer when I first joined Celtic preseason lilan two I’m play unbelievable unbelievable thinking wow French International and you’re just like well this is where we’ve got to try and get

To be yeah never happened for and then when I played in England like Stewart Pierce at Forest you wouldn’t get away with h like especially nowadays cuz at not as I said I had that free rul so I used to always start on the right yeah and we played forest and

Within the first five minutes he booted us about 10 times so I right say I was just about to say I’m just going over the other side now first tackle threee oh I put you right just put you in the stand but would he get away with it now

No but he probably could tail it now so he’d make sure we’d win the ball yeah and in your role in your position is there a player that you played against that you thought you know outrageous just a joy to watch luo who 33 34 when he signed yeah two

Footed just come in and just start bending balls in top corners with both feet three kicks and Corners putting them on a six P strange I can remember Celtic fans when he when he first signed that the Celtic got a corner and he he went over and curled it in with his

Right foot and then 60 seconds later the corner was over the other end and he went over and curled it in with his left foot and I thought to myself these supporters are looking they just couldn’t believe the skill that he did have absolutely frightening yeah

Ridiculous I tell you what it is good though is the despite all that your career you seem to have a really strong bond with those players H you mentioned that the the qualities that they possessed that kept you going in the dressing room but the friendships that

Last a lifetime that’s why I’m over here this weekend Peter you know probably come over two three times a year Aon Jackson Gordon Marshall maliky mcki you know we just meet up go out in edver just have a laugh basically but you could I seen Simon Donnelly and Jackie

Mamara month ago in Belfast it’s like you’ve never been away from each other that’s the thing uh and we keep in touch we do uh and it’s great as you said we’ll have a laugh we’ll reminisce to the make out of each other yeah that’s

How it should be it’s it’s one of those strange situations where it’s very much like a family isn’t it especially if you win and lose together is there is there moments of that period in Celtic are there some crazy moments that you can reflect on that you can share with us

I’m not going to tell you apart from the really mad ones is there is there things in the dressing rooms that you what was what was you been through your head when you thought about the Henrik and the and the Tosh situation because it was just

Brewing Tosh was Tosh he looks back in it sometimes with a little bit of I wish I hadn’t I wish I hadn’t get involved in it you know but I I don’t know if whoever you speak to about it if it wasn’t TSH and Henrik it might have been

It might mean someone else because them God bless you know we won the league and all that but before then it there was a split yeah was it was like for players in the British yeah and it just and as I mentioned earlier it just galvanized it

What if if it wasn’t empty it would have been something else cuz the the tackles that used to Flying and training and because we weren’t playing I was never involved it was like trade M to Friday say m and it was like that for about six

Or seven of us which if you put yourselves in our position pet no matter what you done you weren’t involved yeah you know you could go and play for the reserves the funny sorry we were playing to Johnson away H for the reserves and so made up so I think we played Ross

County early on in the weekend for jacko’s first game back after he’s uh operation on his brain and I I think I scored a Hardrick and it I know I know would say this day I wish I could find set the Mal last year when I went up and seen him at

DW has anyone got that video of that game like cuz it was brilliant first jack’s first game back I scored a hat rck vim’s not there I think on the Wednesday night we played St Johnson away in the reserves so it be me Jacko again probably Marsh Tosh was playing

Was right before halftime gets the ball left back dries hit this worldly from about 30 yards in the top corner so we’re all celebrating and vims at the game and it was a minute before off time and and it’s so walking off TSH I bet he didn’t even say it he’s probably gone

Downstairs for steak pie we were like and that just summed us up you know that our group which we were what was the camarad like in the dressing room because I get the feeling from you guys sledging was part and partial of absolutely slaughtering each other oh

Whatever like we had our group I lived in Newton man’s so yeah either lived in Newton men’s or Bodwell if you’re from Glasgow and then obviously the Edinburgh LS like w Jacko and Marsh and Jackie M Mar lived over in Edinburgh but as a say for us you’re

Either in bwell or newon man so I lived in Newton mans so there was me Burley was next door Craig Bley Morton was across the road big Yan Jonathan G trying to think with stsy so youve got six off the top of me head and like obviously driving in

Together remember we were late one morning me and I think me stsy and I went from Newton Mo went the backway through the where the ground stadium was I don’t know if it’s still there the industrial estate shawfield yeah and I’m trying I put my foot down a bit to get

In and then the police have followed us and now I’ve gone and they stopped us right outside Park are stubs he there it was just us two and he went don’t say anything to them I went all right he says just be calm and see

It so he comes out winds a window down I went says what there are you stopping me I says come on I says I’m doing 35 and a 30 I I wasn’t going mad I says going cash some murderers or some drug dealers or something like that was that you not

Saying anything and then stsy just turned and he’s G he’s and he said like that and he says used to call us scal or Jordy or whatever and he says shut up and I’m going well come on man I said we’re L for training I says how are

You and he’s polican went get out of the car I went oh here we go and he says listen you don’t need to speak to us like I saids I know I apologize I said but we’re we’re being caught in traffic I said we’re going to be late and I’ll

Get fined and I’ve just you’ve just caught us at a bad moment and he just went right say you later so I’m getting in the car and st’s going you idiot what you like you know I mean but how lucky was that know he’s a Celtic fan I think he could

Have been you could have been hucked and got a f but as you said the dressing room you’d walk in if you had dodgy gear On You’ get hammed you know and I think we positioned ourselves where as you in the old dressing room Marsh was at the

Bottom I think Jacko and gy were that side and then you had May stsy at the back Lambo and then when ble sainted he was next to us uh and then after that when Lenny Neil Lennon I even mentioned Lenny God when he signed when burs left Lenny SED

And then he was sat next to us so and then you had suon we know what he’s like you can see him on the tell now and yeah I think he’s just he just w we know what he’s like so you can see him on the tell

Just like he just Chucks a couple of grenades in don’t he and he absolutely um just on that point though um you mentioned all the players and I think it’s great that you were talking about the fact that you still go uh to some of the supporters get togethers were you

Surprised by the fanaticism of the fans because even now they still embrace you with great affection yeah you know at the time when you sign how big it is you know Newcastle it’s only a couple hours away you knew it was Celtic Rangers and then you signed for the club and it’s

Wow I think when I signed and you and then walked out to the front where the reception is and all that and there’s 200 300 people there and you’re like who they come they come see me oh you’re all right and and you’re like until you’ve actually witnessed it

Or played for them they can’t comprehended yeah were you in were you overd in the early days or did you just think this is the theater I belong here yeah if I was a young I think I was 27 when I signed so I’d done

A not I’d went from knots to Derby for big money then yeah at 21 and from Darby deela 23 24 so no I embraced it I was couldn’t wait just think get me out I want to and especially cuz they would just building the stand to the left of

The tunnel there was just a new thing I can’t wait to play can’t wait yeah um you mentioned Tommy saying you maybe not got as much time as you would have liked with them um but having known him for such such a long period of time I loved

Him because his patter was magnificent um did you absolutely um what are your what are your fun memories of him well that first time when I met him was in the dressing room two two and two and a half hours three hours just talking football and I was

Like Wow first and foremost what a great BL second he knows what he’s talking about yeah then again maybe not cuz he just signed me so it was but he was just he s enthusiasm got to know obviously his wife who me and the kids and oh I

Was got like absolutely GED when he left yeah I think it was three or four weeks after i’ say yeah made the biggest decision in me career cuz when I was ADV Villa Brian uh Brian L rang us up and said I need to speak to

You and I was oh haven’t done anything what what have I done yeah and he’s cuz we used to live about five miles from each other in Nottingham leester and he said come on I need to speak to you and I went oh God and that’s when he said

Selic could come in for you but because of the relationship we had he says I wanted to speak informally like this uh but then when I signed him when when Tommy left no ab and cuz when I signed it was like it was all negative

It was club and crisis and all that and I’m going what’s what’s happened here yeah obviously Rangers were going for 10 in the row uh and I just thought oh my gosh what have I done yeah did you like uh playing in the the old firm games oh gosh I yeah

What was your first thought give me your thought coin off the back of me head in first and in a reserve game I think we played B head or I Brook getting a coin started off me head but no and there was 20 30,000 there I think but no I loved

It no I didn’t play that many but I think the best one was when we’d already won the league and uh and we went to H box it was brilliant you don’t we’ already won it yeah and then we battered them luos I think L I don’t know if he scored

Arck well Neil Lenin tells a great story on that uh basically um Lambert and Lenin are moaning that luo is not tracking any runners whatsoever and just about to say his recollection of it is Martin Slaughters the two of them including a Champions League wion says just let

And he scored two in the second half brilliant all so that great I used to r with Lenny when when I first came it was stsy then when he left so room with Lenny when he signed DM so probably going back to the when we won the league

Against it so we used to be in a hotel even home games underwear games the ga had this and we used to stay up it oh my God done Blain yeah D Blan Hy Jo is it yeah yeah so we used to stay there so remember the game’s 12:00 I love me K

So I’m in like would have a game of cards or Robo and all that a few The Lads and then see a ten right I’m gone bedtime for me so I mean Lenny’s in the bath at 12:00 midnight all with his music on and light all the lights are on and he’s and

He’s scale and I’m going what he says we’re going to win the league tomorrow and I’m like well Lenny let me get some sleep first and want to concentrate on that the you know what I mean but as I said you going back to the camarad

And that inner in a feeling that we we’re going to do something and that just typifies at what Lenny said we knew we were going to win it against the nothing was going to stop us Yeah you mentioned there one one particular player that I um you know absolutely

Love he’s in my alltime Scotland 11 um that you talk about with you know obviously great Ness is John Robertson um Robo for me as a player when I was a kid I just absolutely loved him off either foot you know Martin says over 100 yards slowest guy ever over five

Could beat anybody um it must have been pinching yourself I mean Martin okay great part of that great Foreside but Brian KF said to me he was just when I interviewed Brian kff he just said Robertson number one number one and and Mark dra favorite player of all time is

That exactly the same so I knew obviously from Notting him living in nottingam for year even when I went to Villa I still lived there yeah so until I moved to Celtic I moved to Glasgow but Robo class so when Robo came up so like

You have the banner and all that so we have used to have a young ve old on a Friday and then the yellow BB you you pick see old on one he pick one out the young and they used to have the W this yellow top every wanted sign

It so Rob used to play for us on a Friday and he used to have this old n like I don’t know what it would look it was like a tto probably older than him that he’d had for years and he and he used to just

Stand on the wing used to feed him the and he do exactly the same because the lads didn’t know him and all that and probably some of them probably never knew what he’ done in his career give him the little shimmy whip the ball in

It all he was class he was he was Brant and as I said mentioned earlier GAA had stuffer we trusted and he could let them get on with it and obviously Rob or Wally they were brilliant for him and and and we see we all say that gaffa was

Magnificent but if he didn’t have his stuff tell me about your family is there someone that was a really huge influence on you not really no I mean Dad couldn’t kick the ground you know what I mean it was uh I’ve done some it last week and the one about when

You were a kid when you played and all that it was just I remember at the back of ours when I was young there was a field there and then like the house in the state was all around it and then all the older players

All the older kids had play out and I just remember being up looking out the window and going oh I wish I could go and play and then they go come on so you but they were all a lot older than me so you had to be your decision making had

To be quicker you had to be well look I was quick yeah to get away from you would get launched and I think it just grew from there by playing against all the jumpers for goal post everyone you know 15 aside on a and that’s how I remember growing up when

Then playing for the school when I was seven or something like that eight and then how did your mom and dad view the fact that this could be a career for you I don’t know if they they did until later on yeah they obviously they were

Proud and all that yeah uh but it was me dad is my mom was okay about us going to nting him it was my dad who wanted us you’re not going and then but it was years later and he said to the Scout and this is not my dad

At all I imagine that area hard especially Newcastle yeah you know uh not tough on us but like you know you respect everybody and all that and I remember he said the Scout told us years later you know your dad actually said it was H it was the best move for

Him and that’s not me dad my dad wouldn’t have said that to me yeah but the Scout told us brilliant and then they used to come yeah they couldn’t drive they never drove so I was getting buses when I was a kid or people who I

Was playing for was picking us up and dropping us off so I would say would we have watched a dozen games when I was a kid probably not but that was because they couldn’t drive were you a person then let me just touch on that

Then and say were you a person then if you as a professional footballer when you mentioned all those highs and you luckily enough said my family were there were you a person who would wait on a word from your mom or dad saying well done we’re proud of you or you just no

No it’s it’s I don’t know it’s weird it is weird yeah it is cu you must have been you must have been it strikes me then that you are one of those guys who has got a lot of self motivation you know how some people need a left but you

No I just got on with it to be honest yeah obviously the course were proud you know yeah then they say it but uh and it was like it was a not a CH getting them to games but right and I was fortunate enough I could pay for them you know I

Mean and say right I need to sort the train out or something you know I mean know get a bus here and get a train or if someone was coming up from Newcastle to Celtic like can you bring me Mom and Dad up you know and I’ve got a younger brother as

Well I was I was I we I was I was 15 when he was born born so so then you got to think about him as well yeah he’s only little he was mascot a few times and all that but you got to think about things like that and then

Cuz they couldn’t drive so I would imagine if they could drive they’ probably come of course they would have come in followed you long yeah um okay I’ve got a couple of things to ask you before you finish you’ve been in a bit of trouble obviously because you’ve

Named five and your mates will be absolutely slaughtering you because they’ve been left out of the five ASA team so what we do on this program is say you’re on a road trip you’re in the car you’re driving and you have to take three people famous living or dead with

You in the car who’s going in the car with you where are we going first and foremost you down the Route 66 in America you’ve got the music on and you’ve got three people that you think would be good on the trip uh Peter care okay a laugh right absolutely top top

Draw Tiger Woods right just golf stories I love golf I ABS BL spot yeah love golf going to have to take a woman aren it we can’t have three blocks most people have a woman in the car definitely got to have a woman then who do I like when I was growing up

Shanai twin yeah she was absolutely gorgeous what the car that is Shia Twain tigerwood and Peter K me yeah and you that is one heck of a car by the way I can see and if it was a three of the lad so I’ll be taking it was probably three

Of the lad I’m going to say this weekend isn’t it so yeah Jack Maly and Marsh yeah that would be uh that would be one heck of a road trip with those three in it as well if you bring your cameras to Ed it’s if I walked in I walked into

That restaurant where you four are sitting down it would be an absolute ho listen it’s been uh it’s been a joy because I loved rolling Back The Years with you um and savoring some of the moments that some I’ve witnessed some I didn’t I had to actually go and look at

A few goals along the way but some of the memories have been an absolute Joy Tommy Johnson you very much thank you man