A decade has passed since former England, Manchester City and Sunderland footballer Adam Johnson was convicted of sexual activity with a 15-year-old
Disgraced former England footballer Adam Johnson is reportedly facing a cold reception at his local golf club, where his presence has left some members feeling “uneasy.” The 38-year-old was convicted of sexual activity with a 15-year-old and child grooming in 2016 and sentenced to six years in prison.
He was released in 2019 after serving half his sentence. But despite his ongoing efforts to maintain a low profile in quiet country settings, the former Manchester City, Sunderland and Middlesbrough player has learned that his past actions cast a long shadow over his social life.
The Daily Mail reports that a booklet titled ‘Children and Young People Safeguarding Policy and Procedure’ has been prominently pinned to a board in the men’s changing room at Johnson’s golf club, a move interpreted by some as a response to the discomfort felt by club members regarding his membership.
Since his release from prison in 2019, Johnson has been attempted to rebuild his shattered life. He has rekindled his relationship with glamour model and mother of his children, Stacey Flounders, who ended their relationship during his 2016 trial.
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She had initially stood by the footballer but left him as the evidence of his crimes unspooled in humiliating detail. However, according to relatives, Stacey later chose to reconcile with Adam in an effort to provide their daughter, born in 2015, with a stable two-parent upbringing. In 2021, she gave birth to their second child, a son.
“He has been back with Stacey for a while now and they concentrate on their children. He keeps himself busy and has a lot of friends,” Johnson’s aunt, Irene Walsh, told the Daily Mail. “He likes his golf and being with his family, and he has a close family around him.”
A childhood friend of Stacey’s said: “Stacey knows her own mind and grew up in a very close family and, if anything persuaded her to give him another chance, it will have been to give their children a stable upbringing.
“After he was released it didn’t look as though they were going to get back together, but the pandemic struck a year after he got out and that gradually changed things. He was anxious to make up for lost time with his daughter, having missed the early part of her life in jail.
“He’s a committed dad and that’s why they were able to try again. They now have a second child and they are very much a happy family.”
Once a man earning £80,000 a week at Manchester City and living in a lavish £4million mansion previously owned by Cristiano Ronaldo, Johnson now lives with Stacey and their two children in a relatively modest £470,000 home in the North-East.
But while his downfall ended his professional career, a family member claims he accumulated enough wealth during his playing days to remain financially secure. “He put away enough money during his playing career that they can live a very good lifestyle without worrying,” they said. “They have a nice life, the children won’t want for anything.”
Today, Johnson spends most of his time with family and close friends, playing golf and visiting rural pubs – deliberately steering clear of busy town centres and bars to avoid public hostility.
Locals call him a “Mr Average type,” with one noting: “I have seen him a few times round here since then, mainly with his family and he seems a regular guy.”
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