George Johnston

Who is George Johnston?

George Johnston is a former Scottish professional footballer who played as a forward. He played more than 150 matches in the English Football League.

Johnston was born in Glasgow. He began his football career as a junior at Cardiff City, turning professional in 1964 and making his debut at the end of the 1964–65 season at the age of 17. He was part of Cardiff's 1965 Welsh Cup-winning team. The following year he settled into the side and, playing alongside the likes of John Charles and John Toshack, he finished as the club's top scorer with a total of 23 goals. In March 1967, Johnston played in a benefit match for victims of the Aberfan disaster against Arsenal and scored twice against the London club, which persuaded them to offer £20,000 to Cardiff to sign him.

He made his debut for Arsenal on August 19, 1967, against Stoke City and made 17 appearances in his first season, 1967-68. However, he could not hold down a place in 1968-69 and was dropped to the reserves, where he won a Football Combination winners' medal. Out of the Arsenal first team, he joined Second Division club Birmingham City in the summer of 1969, for a fee of £30,000.