Character is forged on the anvil of adversity, something that Eddie Johnson knows all too well.

It's four years since the Chester-born striker had to call time on his playing days at the age of 27 after three concussions prompted doctors to advise him to hang up his boots.

Johnson, a former Bishops' Blue Coat High School pupil who learned his craft on the pitches of Boughton as a child, was left facing the unknown. The 12 years of being a professional had come to a premature end and left the ex-Chester City man, who began his career with Manchester United, was back at square one, out in the cold.

Johnson had been playing in America's MLS for the Portland Timbers when he suffered his three head injuries. The first, a blow to the face from a ball prior to a game with LA Galaxy, who had David Beckham in their ranks at the time, saw Johnson out of action for over a week with concussion.

The next, an elbow to the head against Houston Dynamos just 11 days later, ruled him out for the next six months while the third came on the Timbers' training ground during the first game of pre-season where Johnson took a hit to the side of the head when challenging the goalkeeper for the ball.

Memory loss and aversion to bright light and noise followed and Johnson, fearing another incident, reluctantly made the decision to end his playing career on the advice of medical professionals, who warned of the damage another head injury could cause him long-term.

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Facing retirement

"I was advised by doctors not to play again but I had a child on the way too and I just couldn't take that kind of risk," said Johnson, who is limited in what he can say of the circumstances surrounding the three injuries owing to live legal proceedings in America relating to negligence.

"I had a really difficult time when I finished. I was dealing with the unknown and had gone from playing football, which was all I had known, to trying to figure out what I was going to do with the rest of my life.

"I had no back-up plan, nothing to fall back on. My son was born soon after and I had no job and a family to support and I just didn't know what I was going to do. It was the worst period of my life.

Eddie Johnson in his Manchester United days
Eddie Johnson in his Manchester United days

"As a footballer you are sheltered from real life. I had been in full-time football since I was a teenager and never known anything else. There is no other career that is quite like it.

"You usually think that you will be the one to call time on your own career, that's how it should be. You think that you'll move into management or coaching or whatever and a new chapter begins. I had nothing in front of me."

Johnson moved his family back to Chester from America after retiring and set about trying to rebuild his life.

The arrival of his son brought some much-needed joy into his life but he knew that he had to carve out a new career for himself in the game, one that he had not envisaged.

"Spending time with my son during that period was a real positive," said Johnson.

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"Spending those first two years with him and watching him grow up is something that I would have never been able to do otherwise, but I wanted to get back into the game somehow because I wanted to do right by my family and continue to strive for something. To be a positive example, I suppose."

Finding his way back

The gloom that had enveloped Johnson's life following retirement had begun to lift and he found his way back into the football.

"I had never thought about coaching when I was younger, it wasn't something that I was interested in or that I thought I would get into when I finished playing," said Johnson, who was handed the post of under-20s manager at Scottish side Dundee in 2014.

"But I have loved every minute of it and it has given me a path I can follow again. I still have to battle against the lasting effects of my injuries but I have found a way to cope with that.

"I love working with the young players and think that I am able to offer them something because of my experiences in football. I always tell them how this game isn't permanent and they should always keep themselves prepared and have a back-up plan."

At 31, Johnson has plenty of experience to offer despite his relatively young years.

United days

Eddie Johnson lifts the FA Youth Cup in 2003 with Manchester United
Eddie Johnson lifts the FA Youth Cup in 2003 with Manchester United

A member of the Manchester United FA Youth Cup-winning side of 2003, along with the likes of Kieran Richardson, Jonny Evans and fellow Cestrian Tom Heaton, Johnson had began his career with the hugely productive Crewe Alexandra academy before sealing a move to the Red Devils in 1999.

A spell in Belgium with United's affiliate club Royal Antwerp before leaving the bosom of Old Trafford for good in search of first-team football, signing with Championship side Coventry City.

"I loved my time at United and managed to play with some great players, and to be a part of the Youth Cup-winning side was memorable," he said.

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"Belgium was a big learning curve and it was six months that really saw me grow as an individual. I was playing in the Belgian Premier League and was getting games and learning how to operate out of my comfort zone.

"When I came back to United it was at a time when they were signing players like Wayne Rooney, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Louis Saha and my chances of breaking into that bracket were virtually non-existant.

"Coventry came along and working with Adrian Heath really helped me as an individual. I think my time there helped me grow more than any other point in my playing career. I really enjoyed my time there."

Eddie Johnson in his Crewe Alexandra days
Eddie Johnson in his Crewe Alexandra days

Returning home

Spells at Crewe Alex and Bradford City followed before Johnson found himself wearing the blue and white of his hometown club, Chester, a club that had strong family ties for Johnson and where, for a brief period, the chant of 'Eddie Johnson, Chester's No.9', rang out from the Harry McNally Terrace.

"My dad and my brother are big Chester fans and we always used to go and watch them whenever United or Man City were away from home," said Johnson.

"My grandad was a big fan and it is a club that has always been a big part of our family. My brother Tom goes home and away following them. He still has my Chester shirt hanging up on the wall in his house.

"When I joined, Simon Davies was the manager and I thought he was doing well in the circumstances. He's gone on to be U21s manager at Manchester City, so that proves he had the right attributes.

"It was a proud time for my family, obviously, but it wasn't a happy time for me as a footballer. Things weren't good at Chester and they were struggling financially and I knew that I had to make a move.

"Adrian Heath was coaching out in America with the Austin Aztex and he offered me the chance to go out there and link up with him again, so I snapped his hand off and off I went.

"I did well for them and eventually got a move to Portland. I can see the appeal of the MLS as you get to life the life in the sunshine out in America and share the same pitch as some of your football idols. I've known people go from working in JD Sports to playing on the same team as Kaka in the space of five years."

Eddie Johnson playing for the Portland Timbers in America's MLS
Eddie Johnson playing for the Portland Timbers in America's MLS

The next chapter and the chances of a Blues return

Johnson is already searching for the next chapter of his footballing odyssey, with the ex-England U20 international to leave his role with Dundee in the coming weeks, a decision made by him for family reasons.

"When we came back from America I told my wife that we would put down some roots in Chester, no more travelling," said Johnson.

"Pretty soon after that I took a job at Dundee! It wasn't an offer I could turn down, though, but the travelling and being away from my family does take its toll."

The fact that there was a position vacant at his hometown club at present wasn't lost on Johnson, who admitted he had been interested in throwing his hat in the ring.

"My brother would love nothing more than for me to get the Chester job," he said.

"I did think long and hard about applying for it, and I was very tempted to do so, but I'm going to take stock over the coming weeks and try and find something on the coaching side closer to home.

"I'm really positive about the future now and in a place that I couldn't imagine being four years ago. There are still challenges to overcome and things I have to live with, but it's nice to have a path to follow again and to still be able to be involved in the game. I suppose, in that respect, I'm very lucky."