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Michael Johnson Released By Manchester City After Bloated Picture Emerges

Where Did It All Go Wrong For Michael Johnson?
Samuel Luckhurst
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Michael Johnson, once touted as a future England captain at Manchester City and the subject of interest from Liverpool, has been paid off from his contract by the club.

City have finally run out of patience with a player who has gained more pounds than appearances over the last three years. He was offered a severance package from his £40,000-a-week contract before Christmas, according to the Guardian, and the news has now become public after a bloated picture emerged of the midfielder on Monday night.

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Who are ya? A bloated Michael Johnson spotted out recently in Manchester

Considered the long-term heir to Steven Gerrard, Liverpool bid £10m for Johnson five-and-a-half-years ago, but his dream start at City has descended into a nightmare.

Bloated, sporting an unflattering stubble and rough, Johnson's plight is the unfortunate story of a player who has over-indulged in the excesses football has to offer.

Last year, Johnson's Mercedes hit another car before crashing into a wall and he was arrested. He was fined £5,500 for two drink-driving offences.

Michael Johnson
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Manchester City v Derby County - City of Manchester Stadium(01 of47)
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Manchester City's Michael Johnson celebrates his goal with team mates (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur - City of Manchester Stadium(02 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Youth Cup - Final - Second Leg - Manchester City v Liverpool - City of Manchester Stadium(03 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Manchester City v Derby County - City of Manchester Stadium(04 of47)
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Manchester City's Michael Johnson celebrates his goal with team mates (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Manchester City v Derby County - City of Manchester Stadium(05 of47)
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Derby County's Tyrone Mears is tackled by Manchester City's Michael Johnson as team mate Javier Garrido runs behind (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Manchester City v Middlesbrough - City of Manchester Stadium(06 of47)
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Manchester City's goalscorer Blumer Elano celebrates with team mate Michael Johnson (6) after scoring the second goal (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Manchester City v Middlesbrough - City of Manchester Stadium(07 of47)
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Manchester City's goalscorer Blumer Elano celebrates with team mate Michael Johnson (6) after scoring the second goal (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Manchester City v Aston Villa - City of Manchester Stadium(08 of47)
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Manchester City's Javier Garrido (r) and Michael Johnson (l) celebrate after the final whistle (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Chelsea v Manchester City - Stamford Bridge(09 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Manchester City v Fulham - City of Manchester Stadium(10 of47)
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Manchester City's Michael Johnson (front) and Fulham's Jimmy Bullard battle for the ball (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Liverpool v Manchester City - Anfield(11 of47)
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Liverpool's Fernando Torres controls the ball, under pressure from Manchester City's Michael Johnson. (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Liverpool v Manchester City - Anfield(12 of47)
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Liverpool's Fernando Torres controls the ball, under pressure from Manchester City's Michael Johnson (right) and Richard Dunne. (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - City Of Manchester Stadium(13 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Midtjylland v Manchester City - UEFA Cup Qualifying(14 of47)
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HERNING, DENMARK - AUGUST 28: Michael Johnson of Manchester city passes the ball during the UEFA Cup 2nd qualifying round second leg match between Midtjylland and Manchester City at the SAS Arena on August 28, 2008 in Herning, Denmark. (Photo by Martin Rose/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Sunderland v Manchester City - Stadium Of Light(15 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - Carling Cup - Second Round - Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester City - Withdean Stadium(16 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - Pre-Season Friendly - Manchester City v AC Milan - City of Manchester Stadium(17 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Barclays Premiership - Watford v Manchester City - Vicarage Road(18 of47)
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Manchester City's Michael Johnson and Watford's Alhassan Bangura (left) battle for the ball (credit:PA)
Johnson arrest(19 of47)
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File photo dated 28/9/2009 of Manchester City's Michael Johnson who has been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving after an early-morning car crash. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Fifth Round - Manchester City v Aston Villa - City of Manchester Stadium(20 of47)
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Manchester City's Michael Johnson warms up. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Fifth Round - Manchester City v Aston Villa - City of Manchester Stadium(21 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (centre) (credit:PA)
Soccer - Carling Cup - Fourth Round - Manchester City v Scunthorpe United - City of Manchester Stadium(22 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - Carling Cup - Fourth Round - Manchester City v Scunthorpe United - City of Manchester Stadium(23 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - Carling Cup - Fourth Round - Manchester City v Scunthorpe United - City of Manchester Stadium(24 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - Carling Cup - Fourth Round - Manchester City v Scunthorpe United - City of Manchester Stadium(25 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - Carling Cup - Fourth Round - Manchester City v Scunthorpe United - City of Manchester Stadium(26 of47)
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Manchester City's Michael Johnson (2nd right) celebrates with his team mates after scoring the fifth goal (credit:PA)
Manchester City v Scunthorpe United - Carling Cup 4th Round(27 of47)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 28: Michael Johnson of Manchester City during the Carling Cup 4th Round match between Manchester City and Scunthorpe United at the City of Manchester Stadium on October 28, 2009 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City's English midfielder Mic(28 of47)
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Manchester City's English midfielder Michael Johnson (R) vies with Scunthorpe United's English forward Paul Hayes during their Carling Cup fourth round football match in Manchester, north-west England on October 28, 2009. AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES. FOR EDITORIAL USE Additional licence required for any commercial/promotional use or use on TV or internet (except identical online version of newspaper) of Premier League/Football League photos. Tel DataCo +44 207 2981656. Do not alter/modify photo (Photo credit should read ANDREW YATES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v Scunthorpe United - Carling Cup 4th Round(29 of47)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 28: Michael Johnson of Manchester City during the Carling Cup 4th Round match between Manchester City and Scunthorpe United at the City of Manchester Stadium on October 28, 2009 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v Scunthorpe United - Carling Cup 4th Round(30 of47)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 28: Michael Johnson of Manchester City beats Sam Togwell of Scunthorpe United during the Carling Cup 4th Round match between Manchester City and Scunthorpe United at the City of Manchester Stadium on October 28, 2009 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Manchester City v Scunthorpe United - Carling Cup 4th Round(31 of47)
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 28: Michael Johnson of Manchester City beats Sam Togwell of Scunthorpe United during the Carling Cup 4th Round match between Manchester City and Scunthorpe United at the City of Manchester Stadium on October 28, 2009 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Soccer - FA Barclays Premiership - Arsenal v Manchester City - Emirates Stadium(32 of47)
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Manchester City's Michael Johnson (r) and Arsenal's Alexander Hleb (l) battle for the ball (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Barclays Premiership - Arsenal v Manchester City - Emirates Stadium(33 of47)
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Manchester City's Michael Johnson celebrates setting up their equaliser with team mate Joey Barton (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Barclays Premiership - Manchester City v Charlton Athletic - The City of Manchester Stadium(34 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (r) and Alexandre Song Billong, Charlton Athletic battle for the ball (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Barclays Premiership - Manchester City v Charlton Athletic - The City of Manchester Stadium(35 of47)
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(L-R) Charlton Athletic's Alexandre Song Billong, Luke Young and Manchester City's Michael Johnson battle for the ball (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Barclays Premiership - Fulham v Manchester City - Craven Cottage(36 of47)
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Fulham's Wayne Routledge (left) and Manchester City's Michael Johnson battle for the ball. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Youth Cup - Final - Second Leg - Manchester City v Liverpool - City of Manchester Stadium(37 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Youth Cup - Final - Second Leg - Manchester City v Liverpool - City of Manchester Stadium(38 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Youth Cup - Final - Second Leg - Manchester City v Liverpool - City of Manchester Stadium(39 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Youth Cup - Final - Second Leg - Manchester City v Liverpool - City of Manchester Stadium(40 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Youth Cup - Final - Second Leg - Manchester City v Liverpool - City of Manchester Stadium(41 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Barclays Premiership - Manchester City v Manchester United - The City of Manchester Stadium(42 of47)
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Manchester United's Michael Carrick and Manchester City's Michael Johnson battle for the ball (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Barclays Premiership - Watford v Manchester City - Vicarage Road Stadium(43 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Barclays Premiership - Watford v Manchester City - Vicarage Road Stadium(44 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - Friendly - Shrewsbury Town v Manchester City - New Meadow(45 of47)
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Michael Johnson, Manchester City (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - West Ham United v Manchester City - Upton Park(46 of47)
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Manchester City's Michael Johnson (l) and West Ham United's Bobby Zamora (r) battle for the ball (credit:PA)
Manchester City Christmas Party - Manchester(47 of47)
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MICHAEL JOHNSON during Manchester City's fancy dress christmas party at Piccolono's in Manchester (credit:PA)

Johnson has not played for City since an October 2009 League Cup tie against Scunthorpe United, but the warning signs had already arisen that summer.

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Johnson's embarrassing team photo

City eventually pulled his official team photo picture off the website, so embarrassed were they by the result.

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