Damien Johnson

Damien Michael Johnson (born November 18, 1978 in Lisburn) is a Northern Ireland Northern Ireland national football team football (soccer) midfielder who currently plays for Birmingham City F.C..

Club career

Blackburn Rovers

His first team was Blackburn Rovers F.C., for whom Johnson signed as a trainee in 1997, making his debut in the Football League Cup on September 30, 1997, a 1–0 defeat to Preston North End F.C., in which he picked up a yellow card.

Loaned to Nottingham Forest F.C. on January 28, 1998, Johnson played in five games, and, despite accruing a yellow card in his last February appearance, performed well for the team.

Birmingham

On March 8, 2002, Johnson moved to Birmingham City F.C. and in September 2004, he signed a new three-year contract.

Johnson was named the Birmingham City captain for the 2006–07 season but in one of his first games as captain, he angered fans when he first threw his captain's armband and then his shirt on the floor when he was substituted late on.

On October 28 2006, Johnson's jaw was broken in two places after he was elbowed in the face by West Bromwich Albion F.C. defender Paul Robinson (defender born 1978) during a tackle that has since drawn criticism.
Despite the broken jaw, Johnson played on until the final whistle.

He has since signed a new 3 year deal that will keep him at Birmingham City until 2010.

At the opening of the FA Premier League 2007-08 season he injured his hamstring in a pre-season exhibition game. Further injuries followed, and Johnson regained fitness only in December. He played his first league game on December 15 2007, replacing the suspended Mehdi Nafti.

Currently Damien Johnson has made more appearances than any other team-mate for Birmingham City.

International career

Johnson earned his first call-up to the Northern Ireland national football team on May 29 1999, when he came on as a substitute (football) in the 1–0 away win against the Republic of Ireland national football team. Further appearances as substitute followed against Finland national football team, Luxembourg national football team, Malta national football team, and Hungary national football team, before he made his first full appearance versus Yugoslavia national football team at Windsor Park, Belfast, in August 2000.

On March 28 2007, he made his 46th appearance for Northern Ireland, in the home European Championship Qualifying victory (2–1) over Sweden national football team. A valuable player in his national team, Johnson is also hugely popular with the "Green and White Army" of Northern Ireland fans, not least for his 100% effort and commitment.