EJ Johnson (soccer)
{{short description|American soccer player}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = EJ Johnson
| image =
| image_size =
| fullname = Emmanuel Johnson
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|5|11}}
| birth_place = Fairfield, California, United States
| height = {{convert|6|ft|0|in|abbr=on}}
| position = Defender, winger, forward
| currentclub = Oakland Roots
| clubnumber = 22
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2016
| youthclubs1 = Northbay Elite
| youthyears2 = 2016–2021
| youthclubs2 = Sacramento Republic
| youthyears3 = 2021–2022
| youthclubs3 = Barça Residency Academy
| youthyears4 = 2022
| youthclubs4 = Hibernian
| years1 = 2022–2024
| clubs1 = Hibernian
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2022
| clubs2 = → Charleston Battery (loan)
| caps2 = 13
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2022–2023
| clubs3 = → FC Edinburgh (loan)
| caps3 = 12
| goals3 = 2
| years4 = 2023
| clubs4 = → Austin FC II (loan)
| caps4 = 21
| goals4 = 1
| club-update = 14:10, 11 November 2024 (UTC)
| years5 = 2024
| clubs5 = Pittsburgh Riverhounds
| caps5 = 21
| goals5 = 2
| years6 = 2025–
| clubs6 = Oakland Roots
| caps6 = 0
| goals6 = 0
}}
Emmanuel "EJ" Johnson (born May 11, 2003) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for USL Championship club Oakland Roots. He has previously played for Scottish clubs Hibernian and FC Edinburgh, and in the U.S. for USL Championship teams Charleston Battery and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, and MLS Next Pro side Austin FC II.
Youth career
Emmanuel "EJ" Johnson played club soccer with Northbay Elite FC, before joining the Sacramento Republic academy in 2016, where he went on to make 90 appearances across various age group competitions through to 2020, tallying 29 goals in that time. In April 2021, Johnson signed a USL academy contract with Sacramento, making him eligible for the club's first-team in the USL Championship.{{Cite web|url=https://www.soccerwire.com/news/sacramento-republic-fc-signs-five-mls-next-players-to-usl-academy-contracts/|title=Sacramento Republic signs five MLS NEXT players to first team}} Johnson joined the Barça Residency Academy in the United States in August 2021, before verbally committing to play college soccer at the University of California, Berkeley in 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://barcaresidencyacademyusa.com/emmanuel-johnson-signs-first-pro-contract-with-hibernian-fc/|title=Emmanuel Johnson Signs First Pro Contract with Hibernian FC|date=February 10, 2022}}
Professional career
=Hibernian=
==Charleston Battery loan==
On February 10, 2022, Johnson signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Scottish Premiership club Hibernian.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/hibs-sign-promising-us-defender-emmanuel-johnson|title=Hibs Sign Promising US Defender Emmanuel Johnson|website=Hibernian FC}} After signing with Hibernian, Johnson was immediately loaned to USL Championship side Charleston Battery for their 2022 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.charlestonbattery.com/news/2022/02/10/news_article-show-1208686/|title=Battery Add EJ Johnson on Loan from Hibernian}} Johnson made his professional debut with Charleston on March 12, 2022, appearing as a 64th–minute substitute during a 1–0 victory over FC Tulsa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/charlestonbattery-fctulsa-2267440|title=Match Center | USLChampionship.com|website=www.uslchampionship.com}} On June 4, 2022, Johnson scored his first professional goal for Charleston against Indy Eleven.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1229698|title=Johnson concludes successful Battery loan, returns to Hibernian|website=uslchampionship.com|date=16 June 2022|access-date=16 June 2022}}
==Hibernian F.C. Reserves==
After securing a UK work permit, Johnson was recalled by Hibernian and ended his loan with the Battery on June 16, 2022.{{cite web | url=https://www.charlestonbattery.com/news/2022/06/16/ej-johnson-concludes-successful-battery-loan-returns-to-hibernian/ | title=EJ Johnson concludes successful Battery loan, returns to Hibernian }} Johnson was recalled from his loan to Charleston Battery in June 2022, as he obtained a UK work permit and was added to the Hibs development squad.{{cite news|url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/hibs-recall-winger-ej-johnson-from-charleston-battery-3734357 |title=Hibs recall winger EJ Johnson from Charleston Battery |newspaper=Edinburgh Evening News |date=16 June 2022 |accessdate=16 June 2022 |first=Patrick |last=McPartlin}} He was then loaned to Scottish League One club Edinburgh in July 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/hibs-loan-emmanuel-johnson-to-partner-club-fc-edinburgh-3787631 |title=Hibs loan Emmanuel Johnson to partner club FC Edinburgh |newspaper=Edinburgh Evening News |date=29 July 2022 |accessdate=30 July 2022 |first=Patrick |last=McPartlin}}
==Austin FC II loan==
On 31 January 2023, Johnson changed his loan club, this time returning to the US to join MLS Next Pro side Austin FC II, the reserve team of Austin FC. Austin retained an option to make the move permanent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.austinfc.com/austinfcii/news/austin-fc-ii-signs-emmanuel-johnson|title=Austin FC II Signs Emmanuel Johnson |date=January 31, 2023|publisher=Austin FC|access-date=January 31, 2023}} Johnson played in 21 games as a winger for Austin FC II throughout the season they won the 2023 MLS Next Pro Cup.{{cite news |last=Gordon |first=Colby |date=October 22, 2023 |title=Austin FC II rallies late in second half to win MLS Next Pro Cup |url=https://www.statesman.com/story/sports/mls/2023/10/22/austin-fc-ii-wins-mls-next-pro-cup-with-3-1-win-over-columbus-crew-2/71284853007/ |work=Austin American-Statesman|access-date=October 23, 2023}}
Johnson was released from his contract by Hibernian in January 2024.{{Cite web |title=Emmanuel Johnson Departs Hibs |publisher=Hibernian FC |url=https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/article/emmanuel-johnson-departs-hibs |date=23 January 2024 |accessdate=23 January 2024}}
= Pittsburgh Riverhounds =
On March 8, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds signed EJ Johnson on a 1-year deal only one day prior to their first game of the season against New Mexico United.{{Cite web |title=Hounds reach deal with young forward Johnson |url=https://www.riverhounds.com/news/2024/03/08/hounds-sign-emmanuel-johnson-ej/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Krysinsky |first=John |date=2024-03-08 |title=Preview: Sizing up Riverhounds' mile-high challenge in season opener at New Mexico |url=https://pittsburghsoccernow.com/2024/03/08/preview-sizing-up-riverhounds-mile-high-challenge-in-season-opener-at-new-mexico/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=Pittsburgh Soccer Now |language=en-US}} He became a free agent following Pittsburgh's 2024 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.riverhounds.com/news/2024/11/26/hounds-announce-first-2025-roster-contract-options/|title=First roster moves for 2025 announced}}
= Oakland Roots =
On 13 February 2025, Johnson signed with fellow USL Championship club Oakland Roots.{{Cite web |title=Oakland Roots Announces the Signing of Bay Area Native EJ Johnson |url=https://www.oaklandrootssc.com/news/2025/02/13/oakland-roots-announces-the-signing-of-bay-area-native-ej-johnson/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Oakland Roots SC |language=en-US}}
Career statistics
{{updated|September 29, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/emmanuel--johnson/575559/|title=E. Johnson|website=Soccerway|accessdate=January 31, 2023}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | |||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|League !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="2"|League !colspan="2"|Domestic cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Charleston Battery
|2022 |13 | 1 | 1{{efn|Appearance(s) in 2022 U.S. Open Cup}} | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 14 | 1 | ||
| FC Edinburgh
|2022 |12 | 2 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 12 | 2 | |||
| Hibernian II
|2022 |0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 1{{efn|Appearance(s) in 2022-23 Scottish Challenge Cup}} | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Austin FC II
|2023 |21 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 2{{efn|Appearance(s) in MLSNP Playoffs}} | 0 | 23 | 1 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!46 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 50 | 5 |
{{notelist}}
Honors
Austin FC II
- MLS Next Pro Cup: Champions – 2023
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, EJ}}
Category:American expatriates in Scotland
Category:American men's soccer players
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Charleston Battery players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Scotland
Category:Hibernian F.C. players
Category:Sportspeople from Fairfield, California
Category:Sacramento Republic FC players
Category:Soccer players from California
Category:USL Championship players
Category:Edinburgh City F.C. players