How Derby County struck gold with £7m deal that left Leeds United counting the cost | OneFootball

Derby County struck transfer gold after Leeds United paid £7m for Seth Johnson - Big profit for the Rams

Derby County struck transfer gold with £7m sale of Seth Johnson to Leeds United.

Central midfielder Seth Johnson joined the Rams in 1999 from Crewe Alexandra, and went on to become a cult hero among fans and also profitable business for the club.

Johnson, after two spells with the Rams, made 143 appearances. and despite being known for his tenacity and bullish nature in the heart of the Derby midfield, he scored six goals and provided eight assists in the five years he spent in the Midlands.

After spending three years at Pride Park, Johnson made a move to join fellow Premier League outfit at the time, Leeds United, for a hefty price tag of £7m.

Johnson was signed as one of Leeds United's marquee signings for the 2001/02 season, and what came next for the midfielder was not what was expected and left Leeds counting the cost of his transfer.

Derby County saw the best of gritty midfielder Seth Johnson

Johnson eventually arrived at Pride Park from Crewe Alexandra in the summer of 1999, having insisted on staying with Crewe for the remainder of the season to help them out in their Championship relegation battle - which they would ultimately succeed in doing, surviving by a single point - despite the fact the deal for him to join Derby was agreed.

Once with the Rams, Johnson quickly became a staple in the Derby County midfield before joining Leeds United in October 2001.

His three years with the Rams were very successful, as Johnson became the heartbeat of the Derby side, which eventually led to the club selling him on for a £4m profit.

His prime years were certainly with Derby, who benefited greatly from his service to the club.

Not known for his goalscoring ability, Johnson popped up with a few vital goals over his time with the Rams, including an early strike against Southampton that mimicked the instincts of a natural striker.

After arriving late into the box, Johnson was in the right place at the right time to fire an effort which was parried back out to him to slot away the rebound.

Indeed, it was during his time with the Rams that he earned his first and only senior England cap in November 2000, and he would make his debut in a 1-0 defeat to Italy, replacing Gareth Barry with just over 15 minutes to play.

Seth Johnson didn't live up to expectations for Leeds United

When joining the West Yorkshire side for £7m in October 2001, Johnson's signature was met with plenty of expectation by Leeds fans to produce the same consistent performance levels that had been prevalent for Derby County.

However, that just wasn't to be the case for him at Elland Road.

Despite making 59 appearances for Leeds, where he scored four goals and registered four assists, his time in Yorkshire ultimately went down as a failure.

With a big price tag to live up to, Johnson joined Leeds United with high hopes as he slotted into former boss David O'Leary's side, and was just the profile of player that he was looking for.

His die-hard nature and willingness to give his all for the badge was what differentiated the midfielder from other targets.

Injuries were a major concern for Johnson throughout his four years with Leeds, however. It was a difficult period on a personal note for Johnson and for Leeds, as they were relegated to the Championship in 2004, which led to his eventual release in August 2005.

Johnson would indeed return to Derby in 2005 as a free agent, and would once again enjoy some of his best football at Pride Park.

In a fitting way to end his playing career, Johnson played his final game for Derby at Wembley Stadium in the 2007 Championship play-off final vs West Brom, with Stephen Pearson's goal being the only one of the afternoon, as the Rams booked their place back in the Premier League.

Johnson would hang up his boots after that game, with knee injuries largely forcing him into an early retirement at the age of just 28.