'Golden boy' Glen calls it a day

  • by Staff Writer
  • Monday, 21st January 2019

Former Hammer Glen Johnson had called time on a glittering professional career at the age of 34.

The Greenwich-born full back began his career at West Ham before being sold by the club in order to cut costs following relegation from the Premiership at the end of the 2002/03 season when he was still just 19.

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Reluctant to leave the club, Johnson was eventually sold to Chelsea - along with fellow Academy graduates Joe Cole and Frank Lampard - for just £6million. Since then he went on to play for Portsmouth, Liverpool and Stoke whilst representing England more than 50 times.

"Every player knows when their time is up," Johnson told Talksport. "I always wanted to retire at an age where my body still felt good.

"Mentally, I always wanted to stop quite young and also you can't always play the game the way you want to play the game when you're 34. I knew halfway through last season I was going to call it a day."

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West Ham fans, speaking on KUMB at the time of Johnson's sale to Chelsea in 2003 were livid at Terry Brown's West Ham's "lack of ambition" - a charge that followed the former Chairman throughout his tenure.

"Glen is a certainty for the full England squad within two years and will be a regular for years after that," wrote one particularly prescient KUMB Forum member at the time. "We will struggle to replace him. "

With 54 caps to his name, Johnson ends his career as England's seventh-most capped full back in history. For West Ham supporters, today's news is the latest reminder of how the club sold its future some 15 years ago.

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