Ending on a down note
What a roller-coaster season, too, for MK Dons winger Jemal Johnson.
Unlike Dempsey, it didn't end well.
One minute he was riding the bench; the next he was man of the match. Then when crunch time arrived Johnson was cast aside by manager Roberto Di Matteo, reportedly because he didn't extend his contract.
Johnson refused to discuss specifics of the contract saga, though said he was "surprised" when the team released him last week.
"In this day and age, you can't expect people to be 100 percent behind you," the 24-year-old said in a telephone interview. "It's just one of those things."
Daniel Hambury/Empics
Jemal Johnson: The former MK Dons winger is a free agent.
Johnson, groomed by Blackburn, made two league starts the first three months of the season for the Dons, whose ambitions outweigh the third tier. The club chairman is music mogul Pete Winkelman, and glossy stadium:mk looks out of place in League One. (The Dons are essentially Wimbledon reincarnated.)
Johnson became a mainstay in November as the Dons began to lift off, pinning down the second and final automatic promotion spot most of the ensuing three months. Highlights included notching three assists in a 3-1 win over division giants Leeds United on Dec. 20 and scoring twice in a 5-3 victory at Cheltenham a month later. His 30-yard strike against Cheltenham was voted the Dons' goal of the season.
"Jemal was very popular with the fans because he was one of those players that had tremendous pace, and he had a very good shot," said Roger Widdecombe, a member of the MK Dons Supporters Association, over the phone.
Cue the roadblock.
From early March to the end of the season, Johnson made just three more starts. Much to the chagrin of many Dons fans, he wasn't even included in the squad for the two-leg playoff versus Sc**thorpe United. Sc**thorpe advanced to the playoff final at Wembley -- eventually going up -- following a 7-6 win on penalties.
Out went back-to-back promotions.
"Coming to the end of the season, the last few vital games, I think there were games if Jemal did get on, he may have made the difference," Widdecombe said. "When you've got quality players like Jemal, often they can make the difference. In the playoffs, it definitely would've been nice to see him. I think most of the regular fans that go to games are sad and disappointed he's not with us still."
Johnson finished in the top 10 in league assists, despite the irregular playing time.
"When I was on the field, I feel I did really well," Johnson said. "At the beginning of the season I was out for a good few months; I wasn't getting picked, wasn't travelling. Personally I feel it was a little unfair, but I can't do anything about that now."
Indeed, Johnson is thinking ahead. Observers suggest he's Championship caliber at least.
Born in Paterson, N.J., he still harbors hopes of suiting up for the U.S. national team. Much of his family lives in New Jersey.
"As I'm getting older, I would've thought I'd have had some kind of involvement," he said. "It would be a great experience for me, on the football side of things, also for my family, for them to see me play. It would be great exposure for me."
Landing in the Championship would help his cause.
What a roller-coaster season, too, for MK Dons winger Jemal Johnson.
Unlike Dempsey, it didn't end well.
One minute he was riding the bench; the next he was man of the match. Then when crunch time arrived Johnson was cast aside by manager Roberto Di Matteo, reportedly because he didn't extend his contract.
Johnson refused to discuss specifics of the contract saga, though said he was "surprised" when the team released him last week.
"In this day and age, you can't expect people to be 100 percent behind you," the 24-year-old said in a telephone interview. "It's just one of those things."
Daniel Hambury/Empics
Jemal Johnson: The former MK Dons winger is a free agent.
Johnson, groomed by Blackburn, made two league starts the first three months of the season for the Dons, whose ambitions outweigh the third tier. The club chairman is music mogul Pete Winkelman, and glossy stadium:mk looks out of place in League One. (The Dons are essentially Wimbledon reincarnated.)
Johnson became a mainstay in November as the Dons began to lift off, pinning down the second and final automatic promotion spot most of the ensuing three months. Highlights included notching three assists in a 3-1 win over division giants Leeds United on Dec. 20 and scoring twice in a 5-3 victory at Cheltenham a month later. His 30-yard strike against Cheltenham was voted the Dons' goal of the season.
"Jemal was very popular with the fans because he was one of those players that had tremendous pace, and he had a very good shot," said Roger Widdecombe, a member of the MK Dons Supporters Association, over the phone.
Cue the roadblock.
From early March to the end of the season, Johnson made just three more starts. Much to the chagrin of many Dons fans, he wasn't even included in the squad for the two-leg playoff versus Sc**thorpe United. Sc**thorpe advanced to the playoff final at Wembley -- eventually going up -- following a 7-6 win on penalties.
Out went back-to-back promotions.
"Coming to the end of the season, the last few vital games, I think there were games if Jemal did get on, he may have made the difference," Widdecombe said. "When you've got quality players like Jemal, often they can make the difference. In the playoffs, it definitely would've been nice to see him. I think most of the regular fans that go to games are sad and disappointed he's not with us still."
Johnson finished in the top 10 in league assists, despite the irregular playing time.
"When I was on the field, I feel I did really well," Johnson said. "At the beginning of the season I was out for a good few months; I wasn't getting picked, wasn't travelling. Personally I feel it was a little unfair, but I can't do anything about that now."
Indeed, Johnson is thinking ahead. Observers suggest he's Championship caliber at least.
Born in Paterson, N.J., he still harbors hopes of suiting up for the U.S. national team. Much of his family lives in New Jersey.
"As I'm getting older, I would've thought I'd have had some kind of involvement," he said. "It would be a great experience for me, on the football side of things, also for my family, for them to see me play. It would be great exposure for me."
Landing in the Championship would help his cause.