Reda Johnson had three good years with Sheffield Wednesday, becoming a cult hero and helping the club get promotion.
Having signed for Sheffield Wednesday from Plymouth Argyle in 2011, Reda Johnson would go on to establish himself as an important defender for the Owls.
He played a key role in Wednesday’s return to the Championship after a spell in League One, and even captained the side towards the end of his time at Hillsborough.
Johnson left the club in the summer of 2014, and a lot has happened in the ten years since, with the Owls dropping back down to League One before fighting their way back to the second tier.
Right now, Johnson is the kind of player Danny Rohl would probably love to sign in order to bolster his defence, but he’ll have to find an alternative.
Here, we take a look at what the rest of Johnson’s playing career entailed, and what he got up to once he hung up his boots.
What is former Sheffield Wednesday man Reda Johnson doing these days?
After leaving Sheffield Wednesday in 2014, Reda Johnson spent a couple of years at Coventry City. The Benin international loved a debut goal — he also bagged on his Wednesday debut — and managed to get two in his first appearance for the Sky Blues.
He then took a significant drop into the lower leagues of English football when he departed Coventry, and turned out for Eastleigh for four years between 2016 and 2020. He was released on a free transfer when his contract was terminated in February of that year.
From there, Johnson had a lengthy break away from competitive football, before joining Dover Athletic in the summer of 2021. His time there was brief and not particularly positive, though, with a role of player-coach coming to an end after just one season.
Since retiring from his playing days, Reda Johnson has had one successful coaching role. He took on a placement with Cardiff City towards the end of 2023, and even managed to lead the club’s Under-15 side to victory in the regional floodlit cup final.
The 36-year-old is still with Cardiff City to this day, and continues to work with their Under-15 squad.
Reda Johnson’s goals rescued Sheffield Wednesday valuable points
Defenders don’t score often, but when Reda Johnson hit the back of the net, his goals usually meant a great deal to his team.
He scored a goal on his Sheffield Wednesday debut to secure a draw against Charlton Athletic, and would do the same again a year later on the opening day of the 2012/13 Championship campaign, helping the Owls complete a comeback against Derby County.
Johnson was a key figure in the Sheffield Wednesday squad as they achieved promotion in 2012, and though his playing time in the Championship was inconsistent — through injuries and tactical alterations — he remained a fan-favourite at the club for his passionate performances.
During his time in S6, Johnson served under three different Sheffield Wednesday managers. He was signed by Gary Megson, but also played for Dave Jones and Stuart Gray before leaving the club.