Isthmian League, Division 1 South
Whyteleafe FC v Worthing FC
Saturday, 8th November 2014, 3pm
Church Road
Entrance £8, Programme £1.50
Distance (from Vicarage Rd) 53 miles, Attendance 148
Searching methodically for nearly half an hour, I was unwavering in my mission; literally no photograph would go unturned.
Before kick-off – inside the programme hut at the Church Road stadium – a kindly lady had pointed me in the direction of a box of “older memorabilia” in which, I was unyielding in my quest to find evidence of one David Johnson. Whatever was going through my mind, one optimistic thought dominated; surely one image must exist of this unassuming and amiable player.
Since my last visit, the home of Whyteleafe had improved greatly. Said club shop still occupied a spot beside the turnstiles that were acquired from Stoke’s Victoria Ground and, the changing rooms and tea bar still overlooked the pitch; but brand spanking new perimeter fencing and a beautiful 3G pitch have become a massively welcome boost for this very deserving and friendly club.
Filling a void in the local community, The Leafe were formed in 1946. Initially competing in local junior leagues – following success in both league and cup – Whyteleafe bought four acres of farm land on nearby Church Road and stepped up to the Surrey Senior League in 1958. Their home ever since, this essential investment proved to be the foundation for even further progress. Whilst their record attendance of 2164 saw them hold Chester City 0-0 in the 1999 FA Cup, lifting the Southern Counties East League title last season promoted the club back into the Isthmian League.
Parking up the aptly leafy Church Lane, I strolled into the officials’ car park. Straight ahead; young boys, resplendent in Leafe green, honed their skills on a 5-a-side pitch. Belying their outer appearance, to the left one finds a comfortable directors’ lounge and a busy and fantastic bar, whilst on the right, the main stadium where I knew a friend or two might be hanging out.
Twenty years earlier, also at the behest of friends, local lad David Johnson had walked through the very same car park.
Born in Gloucester, David moved to Croydon at the age of eight and had begun his playing career down the road, in Redhill. At the start of the 80s, a youth fixture pitched The Lobsters against Hertfordshire’s finest and – marking Charlie Palmer – Johnson made a fantastic impression on Watford’s then youth coach, Tom Walley. This one performance gifted David a privilege trial at Vicarage Road.
This lucky break worked to both shape his career and afford him role models that – like many young boys – he so desperately needed. Summarising his new mentor, David said of Tom “He taught you so much; so much good.”
Seemingly behind three others in the pecking order however, breaking into the Hornets’ first team became a real challenge. He may have helped Watford win both FA Youth Cup and The (last ever) Sheriff Of London Shield but, by the time he moved to Peterborough three years later, only seven league and cup first team appearances had been made. All Johnson’s nine first team Watford goals had been scored in friendlies.
After finding much more game time at The Posh, David tried the Kenny Pavey route to stardom and headed for Sweden with then team mate Errington Kelly. Seven months at Division 2 Grebbestads IF brought moderate success but, soon he was back home joining fellow former Watford Junior, Francis Cassidy, at Bishops Stortford. There followed stints at Bourne Town, Kings Lynn, Dover, and Heybridge Swifts, before spending a season with Gerry Armstrong’s Worthing.
Recounting these years, its unmistakable Johnson appreciates “great times” at all his clubs. Making friends and connections along the way, David evidently learnt much from each experience. After the Hornets however, his next silverware wouldn’t arrive until 1990, when he helped Dover Athletic lift the Southern League title.
Discussing his move back to the Croydon area, the draw of familiar faces – including old school pals like Steve Mitton – helped make David’s mind up. Also influential in the move were welcoming Chairman Mark Coote and his then new manager. Former Leafe player and a huge fans’ favourite, Lee Richardson, had just been appointed manager and the mood at the club was buoyant. This was a post Richardson would go on to hold for the next eight seasons.
Though no major achievements or silverware came from David’s three seasons playing at Church Road, before moving on again strong roots had been put down in both area and at the club (where today his nephew runs the clubhouse). He still loved playing but, ultimately David knew his future lay away from the game.
“I was 34 years old, my legs had run out of steam but, it was such a friendly club. Even the second time round, I still wanted to give my all for them.” Returning to Church Road in 1998 from a season at Broadwater United, the decision was again easy. “They had the same manager, Lee Richardson” David proudly explained “And I even scored on my debut.”
Throughout this period – still training often at The Leafe – David had begun to move into coaching youth players through the Pro Direct Soccer Academy. Demonstrating a keenness to learn from his own experiences, to help others, he explained, “A lot of the stuff I did was adopted from Tom Walley.”
there we stood – twenty years later – behind the goal David once scored in, watching the former clubs of both Messrs Johnson and Armstrong. Totally unaware of which players before us, if any, the very modest David Johnson might have helped it was nonetheless tiptoeing through my brain throughout the match.
About us children played in the stand whilst, adults stood transfixed at a game that seemed better suited to cup football than a league encounter.
putajumperon 