London-born Leon Johnson joined Southend United as a trainee and made over 60 appearances in three seasons for the Essex club before moving to nearby Gillingham in the summer of 2002.

His five years at Priestfield saw him play more than 100 times before being released in the summer of 2007, and former manager Paul Lambert swooped to bring the powerful defender to Adams Park on a two-year deal.

Johnson collected the Supporters' Player of the Season at the end of his debut campaign after a fantastic year at the club in which he featured in all but one of the Blues' league fixtures.

'LJ' continued to impress at the start of last season, before a shoulder injury suffered against Darlington sidelined him for a couple of weeks, but he returned to put in a number of impressive displays, including a stunning performance in the 1-0 win at Shrewsbury in mid-December.

Last season proved to be a frustrating one for Johnson as he struggled to hold down a regular spot early in the season and after finally earning a run in the side, he was forced to undergo surgery in November on a hip injury sustained against Brighton in the FA Cup.

Despite this setback, Johnson has now had a full pre-season behind him as he looks to re-establish himself in the Blues' starting line-up.