Willie Johnston
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | William McClure Johnston | ||
| Date of birth | 19 December 1946 | ||
| Place of birth | Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Playing position | Outside left | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1964–1972 | Rangers | 211 | (89) |
| 1972 | Hakoah Sydney | ? | (?) |
| 1972–1979 | West Bromwich Albion | 207 | (18) |
| 1979–1980 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 41 | (3) |
| 1979–1980 | → Birmingham City (loan) | 15 | (0) |
| 1980 | Rangers | 35 | (2) |
| 1982 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 18 | (0) |
| 1982–1984 | Heart of Midlothian | 55 | (9) |
| 1983 | → South China AA (loan) | ||
| 1984–1985 | East Fife | 3 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 1965–1978 | Scotland | 21 | (0) |
| 1969–1970 | Scottish League XI | 2 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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William McClure "Willie" Johnston (born 19 December 1946) is a Scottish former professional football player, best remembered for his time at Rangers and West Brom.
He scored twice in the final as Rangers won the European Cup-Winners' Cup in 1972 by defeating Dynamo Moscow 3–2 in Barcelona. In December 1972 he moved to England to join West Bromwich Albion, making his debut against Liverpool in the same month. Albion paid a club record £138,000 to bring him to The Hawthorns.
However, his career included some controversial incidents. After Scotland's opening game of the 1978 World Cup, against Peru, Johnston tested positive for a banned stimulant contained in Reactivan, a medication prescribed for his hay-fever. His subsequent expulsion from the squad ended his international career after 21 appearances, although he maintained his innocence.
While playing for the Vancouver Whitecaps, he once mooned the Seattle Sounders bench following a goal, and on another occasion took a swig from a fan-offered beer before taking a corner kick in San Jose, setting up a goal from the set-piece. Johnston was a key member of the 1979 NASL champion Vancouver Whitecaps, helping them defeat the New York Cosmos in the semi-final, and then the Tampa Bay Rowdies 2–1 in Soccer Bowl '79.
Aberdeen player John McMaster had to be given the kiss of life during a game against Rangers at Ibrox in 1980 after Johnston stamped on his throat..
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