Born in Kingston, Johnson began his career with English club Manchester United, but was unable to break into the first team and joined Bury on a free transfer in 1995.

[2] After making his comeback in November 1993, he scored 12 goals in 22 competitive appearances for the club's youth teams,[3] and was rewarded with a professional contract in July 1994.

[5] Johnson did not make any first-team appearances for Manchester United,[3] but he did feature as an unused substitute in the club's 4–0 win at home to Galatasaray in the Champions League on 7 December 1994.

[9] Johnson's performances attracted the attention of fellow First Division side Ipswich Town, and on 13 November 1997, he joined the East Anglia club for a fee of £1.1 million.

Following Nottingham Forest's relegation to League One at the end of the season, Megson placed Johnson on the transfer list as part of a dramatic overhaul of the club's playing staff.

[38] A couple of months into the season, Johnson suffered a prolapsed disc in his back; the condition was initially treated with injections,[39] but surgery was eventually required as a lasting solution, though it would keep him out for an extended period.

[41] That comeback failed to materialise, and in September 2006, Johnson retired from professional football on the advice of his doctors, with his sights now set on coaching.

[2] He was called up to the England U21 squad in December 1997 for a 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification play-off game against Greece,[46] but remained an unused substitute.

[citation needed] Johnson played his first senior international football in 1998, making a nine-minute cameo for the England B team under Glenn Hoddle in a 4–1 victory over Russia at Loftus Road.

In September 1999, he rejected a call-up from Northern Ireland[49] in favour of joining up with Wales, managed by former Manchester United teammate Mark Hughes and coach Eric Harrison.

Sanchez said, "I did speak to David Johnson a while ago; he was interested, but when we checked his eligibility we found out that his mother's English and therefore he can't play for us.

[citation needed] In July 2010, he was charged with causing more than £6,000 of damage to his ex-wife's home and car in West Bridgford, just south of Nottingham.

[62] In November 2000, television presenter Richard Keys was heard making a racially motivated comment about Johnson while broadcasting live on a Sky test channel.