[2] Hailing from Tertnes [no], he played youth football for Åsane until joining the junior team of SK Brann in 1987.
[3] In 1989 he won the Norwegian U20 Cup with Brann, playing alongside Roy Wassberg and Joachim Björklund in defence.
[4][5] In the same year, Johannessen was also selected for Norway U18, together with teammate Sondre Jensen, to play Sweden U18.
[10][11] After Kjell Tennfjord took over as Brann manager, Johannessen was largely sidelined and did not play a single league game in 1996.
[14] Ahead of the 1998 season, Johannessen opted to stay in Bergen and join childhood club Åsane.
According to Bergensavisen, Johannessen was visibly "in ecstacy" during an Åsane game, having received the message that he won a large sum (betting on matches unrelated to himself).