Player Profile: Brennan Johnson

Name: Brennan Johnson

Position: Attacking Midfield

Born:  23 May 2001, Nottingham

Parent Club: Nottm Forest

Contract Expires: June 2021

Lincoln Appearances

2020/21 Appearances 47 (2) Goals 13

Achievements

Lincoln City Young Player of the Year 2020/21

Credit Graham Burrell

Brennan Johnson joined the Nottingham Forest Academy at the age of eight years old, at a time when his father, David Johnson, played there too. Johnson was eligible to play for England and Wales, and he represented the former at Under 16 and Under 17 level, and the latter Under 19 and Under 21.

He made his professional debut for Forest aged 18, appearing on the opening day of the 2019/20 season as an 88th-minute substitute in the 2-1 defeat against West Bromwich Albion. His first start for the club came in the League Cup on Aug 27 as they beat bitter rivals Derby 3-0. He started again a month later in the same competition as they lost 5-0 at the Emirates against Arsenal.

He appeared four more times for the club in 2019/20, including making his first Football League start away of Sheffield Wednesday on June 20 and appearing on the final day of the season as they beat Huddersfield Town 3-1.

Credit Graham Burrell

After a month of the 2020/21 season, Johnson joined Lincoln City on a one-year loan deal. He signed for the club on September 25, and two days later he made his first appearance 2-0 victory against Charlton Athletic. On October 3 he made he started for the club away at Blackpool, winning two penalties which Grant converted in a 3-2 victory.

Such was his form in the early part of his Imps career, he was linked with a move to Leeds United, amongst others. He scored his first goal for Lincoln a couple of weeks later in the 2-0 home victory over Plymouth, a game in which he also won a penalty which Grant converted. After the game, Plymouth boss Ryan Lowe essentially accused him of diving.

Johnson later scored a brace against Northampton and a brace against Burton over Christmas, helping the Imps to vital wins. He also netted goals against Accrington and Forest Green in the EFL Trophy and the FA Cup respectively. that led to speculation he would be recalled in the January window, but that didn’t happen.

His most notable moment in a Lincoln shirt came as we beat MK Dons 4-0, a game in which he netted a hattrick. He also scored the second as we defeated Sunderland 2-0 in the play-off semi-final at Sincil Bank. His exploits resulted in him being named the club’s Young Player of the Year for the campaign.

Whilst on loan at Lincoln, Johnson was called up to the Wales senior squad for the first time and made his debut against the USA in November 2020. He was also an unused sub for matches against Eire, Bulgaria, and England. Sadly, he missed out on their Euro 2020 squad, despite making the provisional squad.