View source for Derek Johnstone

{{short description|Scottish footballer and manager}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name        = Derek Johnstone
| image       = Aankomst Glasgow Rangers op Schiphol, tegenstander PSV nr. 3 v.l.n.r. de speler, Bestanddeelnr 929-9700 (Johnstone).jpg	
|caption = Johnstone at [[Schipol Airport]] while travelling with the [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] squad, 1978
| fullname    = Derek Joseph Johnstone<ref>{{Hugman|10318|access-date=2 April 2017}}</ref>
| height      = {{height|ft=6|in=0}}
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1953|11|4|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Dundee]], Scotland
| position    = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]] / [[Forward (association football)#Striker|Striker]]
| youthyears1 = 1968–1970
| youthclubs1 = [[Rangers F.C. B Team and Academy|Rangers]]
| years1      = 1970–1983
| years2      = 1983–1985
| years3      = 1983
| years4      = 1985–1986
| years5      = 1986–1987
| clubs1      = [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]]
| clubs2      = [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]]
| clubs3      = → [[Dundee United F.C.|Dundee United]] (loan)
| clubs4      = [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]]
| clubs5      = [[Partick Thistle F.C.|Partick Thistle]]
| caps1       = 350
| goals1      = 131
| caps2       = 4
| goals2      = 0
| caps3       = 4
| goals3      = 0
| caps4       = 19
| goals4      = 1
| caps5       = 4
| goals5      = 0
| totalcaps   = 377
| totalgoals  = 132
| nationalyears1 = 1973–1979
| nationalteam1  = [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]]
| nationalcaps1  = 14
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| nationalyears2 = 1973–1974
| nationalteam2  = [[Scottish Football League XI|Scottish League XI]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.londonhearts.com/SFL/players/derekjohnstone.html|title=Derek Johnstone – Scotland Football League Record from 27 Mar 1973 to 20 Mar 1974 clubs – Rangers|website=Londonhearts.com|access-date=2 November 2021}}</ref>
| nationalcaps2  = 2
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| manageryears1  = 1986–1987
| managerclubs1  = [[Partick Thistle F.C.|Partick Thistle]]
}}
'''Derek Joseph Johnstone''' (born 4 November 1953) is a Scottish former [[association football|football]] player and manager.

Johnstone played mainly for [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]] winning 14 major trophies during his career. He also had a spell at [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] and a brief stint in management with [[Partick Thistle F.C.|Partick Thistle]]. He mainly played as a [[Striker (football)|striker]] but could also perform in [[Defender (association football)|central defence]], and in [[Midfielder|midfield]]. Uniquely, he was selected to play in defence, midfield, and attack for [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

==Playing career==
===Club===
====Rangers====
Johnstone signed for Rangers as a schoolboy in 1968. He turned professional in 1970<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19700604&id=UpJAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BqUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3527,856517&hl=en |title=Setterington goes to Falkirk |first=Jim |last=Parkinson |date=4 June 1970 |work=The Herald |access-date=7 July 2015}}</ref> and made his debut on 19 September 1970, aged 16 years and 319 days. Johnstone scored two goals in that match, a 5–0 victory against [[Cowdenbeath F.C.|Cowdenbeath]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football/|title=Football photographic encyclopedia, footballer, world cup, champions league, football championship, olympic games & hero images|website=Sporting-heroes.net|access-date=2 November 2021}}</ref>

Johnstone thrust himself into the limelight just five weeks later when his header secured a 1–0 victory over [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] in the [[1970 Scottish League Cup Final]]. Johnstone was still 16 at the time, but the faith shown in his ability by manager [[William Waddell (footballer)|Willie Waddell]] paid off handsomely, as Rangers claimed their first major trophy for just over four years.

Despite his heroics against Celtic, Johnstone found regular first-team outings in the number '9' jersey hard to come by, largely due to the presence of [[Colin Stein]], Scotland's first £100,000 player, although he did score 11 goals in 16 league appearances during the 1971–72 season. He compensated for his lack of frontline action by often playing as a centre-back when either [[Ronnie McKinnon]] or [[Colin Jackson (Scottish footballer)|Colin Jackson]] was injured, and when the duo were ruled out of the [[1972 European Cup Winners' Cup Final]], Johnstone (still only 18) deputised in the match against [[FC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo Moscow]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

Johnstone soon became a regular in the starting line-up, and he picked up a [[Scottish Cup]] winners' medal in 1973 when Rangers [[1973 Scottish Cup Final|defeated Celtic 3–2]] at [[Hampden Park]]. Johnstone played a huge role in the winning goal, rising above the Celtic defence to head a [[Tommy McLean]] free-kick towards goal, and when his header struck both posts, [[Tam Forsyth]] was on hand to nudge the rebound over the line. The McLean-Johnstone combination that created this famous goal was a hallmark of Rangers' play in the 1970s.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

Johnstone eventually picked up a league championship medal at the end of the [[1974–75 in Scottish football|1974–75 campaign]], as Rangers ended Celtic's nine-year reign as champions of Scotland, and he was an integral part of The ''Gers''' [[Treble (association football)|domestic treble]] success a year later. He scored a total of 31 goals in 51 appearances, including two in a 3–1 win over [[Heart of Midlothian F.C.|Hearts]] in the [[1976 Scottish Cup Final]]. He scored his first, a typical header, after just 42 seconds and thus earned himself a unique place in the annals of Scottish football: the referee had actually kicked off the match early, so Johnstone had actually hit the net before the allotted 3pm kick-off time had been reached.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

Although [[1976–77 in Scottish football|1976–77]] was a barren season for Rangers, they came back strongly in [[1977–78 in Scottish football|1977–78]] by winning their second treble inside three years. Johnstone was the outstanding performer in what was an exceptional Rangers side, scoring thirty-eight goals over the course of the campaign and picking up the [[SFWA Footballer of the Year|Scottish Football Writers' Player of the Year]] accolade.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

With [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] and [[Tottenham Hotspur]] reportedly interested in luring Rangers' top marksman to [[London]], Johnstone submitted a transfer request in the summer of 1978.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}} He was seeking a new challenge in his career, but the intervention of new Rangers manager [[John Greig]] persuaded Johnstone to stay in Glasgow. He was named club captain, and in his first season with the armband, he almost led the [[Ibrox Stadium|Ibrox]] side to an unprecedented second successive treble; only a last-gasp 4–2 defeat against Celtic at [[Celtic Park|Parkhead]] denied Rangers the Championship, but Johnstone did get his hands on the Scottish Cup – he scored twice in [[1979 Scottish Cup Final|the Final]]'s second replay against [[Hibernian F.C.|Hibernian]] – and the [[1979 Scottish League Cup Final (March)|League Cup]], beating [[Aberdeen F.C.|Aberdeen]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

That season was to be the high point for the John Greig era, and Rangers' fortunes dipped badly thereafter. They did win the Scottish Cup in 1981 and the Scottish League Cup in 1982, but found themselves playing second fiddle in the Premier Division to Celtic and the emerging [[New Firm (Scotland)|New Firm]] of Aberdeen and [[Dundee United F.C.|Dundee United]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

====Chelsea====
Having been placed on the transfer list by Greig in April 1983, Johnstone left Rangers after the [[1983 Scottish Cup Final]] defeat against Aberdeen to join [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] for a £30,000 transfer fee. Signed in September 1983, Johnstone provided extra cover in the Chelsea squad which won the [[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] title in 1984.<ref>Chelsea Football Club The Full Statistical Story 1905-1986 by Ron Hockings and Scott Cheshire {{ISBN|0-9511640-0-7}} -</ref> He failed to dislodge the established forward duo of [[Kerry Dixon]] and [[David Speedie]] and made just four appearances, with a month on loan to Dundee United during the 1983–84 season.

====Return to Rangers====
He was tempted back to Ibrox by [[Jock Wallace]] in January 1985 for £25,000. He returned to a Rangers side that was in the midst of a doleful period in their history, and it was hoped that the return of a former favourite could galvanise an ailing team. However, it failed to work out and after 23 appearances and one goal, Johnstone was handed a free transfer when [[Graeme Souness]] took over the reins at Ibrox in the summer of 1986.

===International===
Johnstone made his debut in a [[British Home Championship]] match against [[Wales national football team|Wales]]. Despite Johnstone's rich vein of scoring form in 1978, he was overlooked by [[Ally MacLeod]] during Scotland's ill-fated [[1978 FIFA World Cup|World Cup campaign]] in Argentina. Although he was a member of the squad, he did not start any of the three matches that the Scots played.

==Managerial career==
Johnstone had a short spell as [[player-manager]] of [[Partick Thistle F.C.|Partick Thistle]] during the 1986–87 season, before leaving professional football in 1987.

==Media work==
Since leaving Partick Thistle, Johnstone has worked in the football media, including for [[BBC Scotland]], [[Scottish Television]], [[Radio Clyde]], GO Radio and [[Real Radio Scotland]], where he co-presented the station's football phone-in until the end of the 2011–12 season. He also co-commentates on Rangers matches for the club's TV channel.

== Career statistics  ==
===Club===
<ref>{{cite web|title=Johnstone, Derek|url=http://www.fitbastats.com/rangers/player.php?playerid=1397|publisher=FitbaStats|access-date=13 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Player profile – Derek Johnstone|url=http://stamford-bridge.com/player.php?id=295&surname=Johnstone&firstname=Derek|publisher=stamford-bridge.com|access-date=13 April 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Derek Johnstone|url=http://www.arabarchive.co.uk/player.php?id=86|publisher=The Arab Archive|access-date=13 April 2015}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2" | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Club&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
! rowspan="2" | &nbsp;Season&nbsp;
! colspan="3" | League 
! colspan="2" | National Cup 
! colspan="2" | League Cup
! colspan="2" | Europe
! colspan="2" | Total
|-
!Division
!width=40|Apps!!width=40|Goals
!width=40|Apps!!width=40|Goals
!width=40|Apps!!width=40|Goals
!width=40|Apps!!width=40|Goals
!width=40|Apps!!width=40|Goals
|-
|rowspan=14 valign=center|[[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1970–71 Rangers F.C. season|1970–71]]
| Scottish First Division
| 17
| 6
| 2
| 1
| 1
| 1
| 1
| 0
| 21
| 8
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1971–72 Rangers F.C. season|1971–72]]
| Scottish First Division
| 17
| 7
| 7
| 1
| 6
| 4
| 5
| 0
| 35
| 12
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1972–73 Rangers F.C. season|1972–73]]
| Scottish First Division
| 31
| 4
| 6
| 1
| 8
| 5
| 2
| 0
| 47
| 10
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1973–74 Rangers F.C. season|1973–74]]
| Scottish First Division
| 31
| 1
| 2
| 0
| 9
| 0
| 2
| 1
| 44
| 2
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1974–75 Rangers F.C. season|1974–75]]
| Scottish First Division
| 27
| 14
| 2
| 0
| 6
| 2
| 0
| 0
| 35
| 16
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1975–76 Rangers F.C. season|1975–76]]
| Scottish Premier Division
| 33
| 16
| 4
| 7
| 10
| 6
| 4
| 2
| 51
| 31
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1976–77 Rangers F.C. season|1976–77]]
| Scottish Premier Division
| 27
| 15
| 5
| 1
| 8
| 5
| 2
| 0
| 42
| 21
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1977–78 Rangers F.C. season|1977–78]]
| Scottish Premier Division
| 33
| 25
| 5
| 6
| 8
| 6
| 1
| 1
| 47
| 38
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1978–79 Rangers F.C. season|1978–79]]
| Scottish Premier Division
| 31
| 9
| 8
| 4
| 10
| 2
| 4
| 1
| 53
| 16
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1979–80 Rangers F.C. season|1979–80]]
| Scottish Premier Division
| 33
| 15
| 6
| 3
| 2
| 1
| 6
| 2
| 47
| 21
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1980–81 Rangers F.C. season|1980–81]]
| Scottish Premier Division
| 26
| 4
| 4
| 2
| 3
| 1
| –
| 0
| 33
| 7
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1981–82 Rangers F.C. season|1981–82]]
| Scottish Premier Division
| 28
| 9
| 4
| 4
| 8
| 3
| 2
| 0
| 42
| 16
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1982–83 Rangers F.C. season|1982–83]]
| Scottish Premier Division
| 16
| 6
| 1
| 0
| 5
| 3
| 4
| 2
| 26
| 11
|-
|rowspan=3 valign=center|[[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1983–84 Chelsea F.C. season|1983–84]]
| English Second Division
| 2
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 0
|colspan="2"|—
| 2
| 0
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1984–85 Chelsea F.C. season|1984–85]]
| English First Division
| 2
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 0
|colspan="2"|—
| 2
| 0
|-
|rowspan=2 valign=center|[[Dundee United F.C.|Dundee United]] (loan)
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1983–84 Dundee United F.C. season|1983–84]]
| Scottish Premier Division
| 1
| 0
| 0
| 0
| 2
| 2
| 0
| 0
| 3
| 2
|-
|rowspan=3 valign=center|[[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1984–85 Rangers F.C. season|1984–85]]
| Scottish Premier Division
| 11
| 1
| 1
| –
| –
| –
| –
| –
| 12
| 1
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[1985–86 Rangers F.C. season|1985–86]]
| Scottish Premier Division
| 8
| 0
|colspan="2"|—
| 1
| 0
| 2
| 0
| 11
| 0
|-
!colspan=3 | Career total
! 374
! 132
! 57
! 30
! 87
! 41
! 35
! 9
! 553
! 212
|}

===International appearances===

{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year<ref name = "SFA">{{SFA profile|id=5538}}</ref>
|-
!National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan=6|[[Scotland national football team|Scotland]]
|1973||5||0
|-
|1974||1||0
|-
|1975||1||0
|-
|1976||3||0
|-
|1978||3||2
|-
|1979||1||0
|-
!colspan="2"|Total!!14!!2
|}

===International goals===
:''Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.''
<!---DO NOT DELETE REPEAT ENTRIES!!! REPEAT ENTRIES REPRESENT MULTIPLE GOALS IN A GAME!!!--->
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
| 1. || 13 May 1978 || [[Glasgow]], Scotland || {{fb|NIR}} || 1–1 || [http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/international_fixture_details.cfm?page=823&matchID=57551 1–1] || [[British Home Championship]]
|-
| 2. || 17 May 1978 || [[Glasgow]], Scotland || {{fb|WAL}} || 1–0 || [http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/international_fixture_details.cfm?page=823&matchID=57552 1–1] || [[British Home Championship]]
|}

==Honours==
===Club===
;Rangers
*[[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup]]: [[1971–72 European Cup Winners' Cup|1971–72]]
*[[List of Scottish football champions|Scottish League First Division/Premier Division]]:  [[1974–75 Scottish First Division|1974–75]], [[1975–76 Scottish Premier Division|1975–76]], [[1977–78 Scottish Premier Division|1977–78]]
*[[Scottish Cup]]: [[1973 Scottish Cup Final|1972–73]], [[1976 Scottish Cup Final|1975–76]], [[1978 Scottish Cup Final|1977–78]], [[1979 Scottish Cup Final|1978–79]], [[1981 Scottish Cup Final|1980–81]]
*[[Scottish League Cup]]: [[1970–71 Scottish League Cup|1970–71]], [[1975–76 Scottish League Cup|1975–76]], [[1977–78 Scottish League Cup|1977–78]], [[1978–79 Scottish League Cup|1978–79]], [[1981–82 Scottish League Cup|1981–82]]

===Individual===
*[[SPFA Players' Player of the Year]]: [[1977–78 in Scottish football#Individual honours|1977–78]]
*[[SFWA Footballer of the Year]]: [[1977–78 in Scottish football#Individual honours|1977–78]]
*[[Scottish Football Hall of Fame]]: [[Scottish Football Hall of Fame#2008|2008]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Derek Johnstone|url=http://scottishfootballhalloffame.co.uk/derek-johnstone-1953/|access-date=14 February 2018|work=Scottish Football Hall of Fame}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{SFA profile}}

{{Navboxes
|bg= gold
|fg= #0000c0
|bordercolor=
|title= Awards
|list1=
{{Scottish First Division top scorers}}
{{SPFA Players' Player of the Year}}
{{SFWA Footballer of the Year}}
{{Rangers F.C. Hall of Fame}}
{{Scottish Football Hall of Fame}}
}}
{{Partick Thistle F.C. managers}}
{{Scotland Squad 1978 World Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnstone, Derek}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:1978 FIFA World Cup players]]
[[Category:Men's association football utility players]]
[[Category:Chelsea F.C. players]]
[[Category:Dundee United F.C. players]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Partick Thistle F.C. managers]]
[[Category:Partick Thistle F.C. players]]
[[Category:Rangers F.C. players]]
[[Category:Scotland men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Scotland men's under-23 international footballers]]
[[Category:Scottish association football commentators]]
[[Category:Scottish Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Scottish Football League managers]]
[[Category:Scottish Football League players]]
[[Category:Scottish Football League representative players]]
[[Category:Scottish football managers]]
[[Category:Scottish men's footballers]]
[[Category:Footballers from Dundee]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:Scottish league football top scorers]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Men's association football player-managers]]