 He joined his only senior club Manchester City in 2004, graduating to the first team in 2006.He was part of the Manchester City youth team that reached the .Johnson was skipper of the FA Youth Cup runners-up team in the absence of Micah Richards during the 2005–06 season and became the 20th Academy Graduate to progress from Platt Lane to the City first team, making his debut away for manager Stuart Pearce at Wigan on 21 October 2006.