One-cap England star who retired aged 28 now funds Golden Globe-winning films and has property empire

A forgotten one-cap England wonder now funds Golden Globe-winning films and is involved in property investment.

Seth Johnson was a promising midfielder when he broke onto the scene with Crewe Alexandra, coming through their ranks before making his senior debut in 1996.

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Johnson then went on to move to Derby in 1999 and Leeds in 2001.

It was with the Whites where one famous tale did the rounds about the player hoping for a bump in wages from £5,000 to £13,000-per-week.

The story goes that then-Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale offered a weekly wage of £30,000 to the player.

Taken aback, Risdale offered an additional £7,000-per-week to sweeten the deal.

However, Johnson has debunked the myth, stating: “People don’t know the story.

“When they talk about negotiations for the contract, I wasn’t even there. The contract had nothing to do with me.

“I remember being at home when it got sorted. I’d agreed to go, but my agent rung me up and told me about the deal. It wasn’t motivated by money for me.

Son of a gun

“I’d had a good couple of years at Derby and just signed a new deal so I was on decent money anyway, but Derby were bottom of the league at the time, Leeds were near the top, I knew a lot of the lads there, and Derby decided to sell me because they wanted the money.”

Johnson endured an injury-hit four years at Elland Road and ultimately returned to Derby in 2005.

During his career, Johnson earned a solitary England cap in the year 2000 as he became the first Derby player since Mark Wright in 1991 to be named in an England squad.

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However, it wasn’t the dream Three Lions debut for the ex-pro, who replaced Gareth Barry in the 73rd minute of a 1-0 loss to Italy in Turin.

“I remember coming on for Gareth Barry and standing on the touchline next to Alessandro Del Piero, who was coming on at the same time,” Johnson told the Guardian in 2012.

“It was a bit surreal, standing there next to such a massive name in the game, such a legend. It was a really strange time, you just had to pinch yourself a little bit.

“I wondered what I was doing there at one point.”

Career cut short

Johnson was forced to retire from football in 2007 at the age of just 28 owing to a knee injury sustained in his final appearance for Derby as the Rams secured Premier League promotion via the play-offs at the expense of West Brom.

“I had surgery. It was a well-respected surgeon,” Johnson recalled of his decision to call time on his career.

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“When I came round, he said, ‘If I were you, I’d call it a day,’ he said it would just keep happening.

“I half-heartedly tried to get back fit, went for a few jogs on my own to see how it was. I got back home and I couldn’t walk.

“I didn’t want to go through all that for nothing and, if the surgeon says I should pack it in, it says a lot really.”

Johnson, now 46, also stated that he wasn’t one for coaching, but tried his hand at scouting before packing that in.

“I’ve never been one to do coaching and things like that,” he added.

“I tried a bit of scouting but that wasn’t for me either – there’s too much writing involved. I thought you just went to the game and watched the football.”

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Johnson’s life away from football

As such, Johnson turned his hand to work outside of football, and has struck gold in property investment.

Johnson works alongside former Derby teammate Steve Howard, with the pair listed as directors at Greygoose Property Investments Ltd, which deals with property in the north-east.

What’s more, Johnson is a member of Ingenious Film Partners 3 LLP.

While they may not be the most notable name outside the world of film, chances are you’ve seen a production that has received financial backing from the company.

Indeed, Ingenious’ capital has helped back a number of blockbuster productions, including Avatar, Life of PI and Shaun of the Dead.

A lengthy list of former footballers have previously been members of the company, including Steven Gerrard, Robbie Keane and Gary Lineker.