TOMMY JOHNSON cost £2.4million when Celtic signed him from Aston Villa in March 1997.
In rapid succession, the striker played under Tommy Burns, Wim Jansen, Jo Venglos, John Barnes, Kenny Dalglish (caretaker) and Martin O’Neill before he returned to England with Sheffield Wednesday in the summer of 2001.
The highlight of the Gateshead-born hitman’s time in Glasgow was the title-winning strike that gave the Hoops the title in O’Neill’s debut campaign in 2000/01.
Johnson pounced on a low ball into the box, seemed to lose control, but recovered swiftly to whip a drive past St Mirren keeper Ludovic Roy to send a 60,000-capacity crowd at Parkhead into raptures.
He also scored in the 2000 League Cup Final along with Norwegian Vidar Riseth to overcome Aberdeen 2-0 and give Dalglish his only piece of silverware as Hoops’ caretaker gaffer.
CROWNING GLORY…Tommy Johnson hits Celtic’s title winner in 2001 with a low shot past St Mirren keeper Ludovic Roy.
O’Neill had completely transformed the team after he had taken over and had paid big fees to bring in Chris Sutton, Neil Lennon and Alan Thompson with John Hartson to follow a year later.
The Irishman lifted the treble during a momentous crusade – only the second manager to achieve the feat after Jock Stein who claimed domestic clean sweeps in 1966/67 and again two years later.
Unfortunately, Johnson, who also had earlier spells at Notts County and Derby County, saw his Celtic career hampered by injury to the extent he made only 35 league appearances and scored 18 goals.
He also had a short loan spell at Everton during his days at Parkhead before moving to Hillsborough.
Johnson went on his travels after leaving Wednesday and had a brief stint at Kilmarnock, two years at Gillingham, before one appearance for Sheffield United and then switching to Scunthorpe United.
He was loaned to Tamworth and signed a permanent contract and remained until the summer of 2006.
Aged 36. Johnson ended his playing career at Midland Football Alliance club Rocester in 2007.
In November that year, he rejoined Notts County as part of the coaching staff and remained in the post for three years before leaving.
Johnson was named Blackpool’s Head of Recruitment in October 2019.
* TOMORROW: Don’t miss the adventures of another former Celt in CQN’s EXCLUSIVE series.
