Adam Johnson and longtime partner Stacey Flanders on trial (Image: PA)
It’s been 10 years since disgraced former footballer Adam Johnson was jailed. The 38-year-old was sentenced to six years in prison and banned from the game after being found guilty of sex and child grooming with a 15-year-old Sunderland fan.
The former Manchester City and Sunderland winger was found guilty of a further charge of having sex with a child and was acquitted of a second charge of the same offence. Johnson served half of his sentence in prison and was released in March 2019. During his time at City, Johnson lived in a £4 million mansion previously owned by Cristiano Ronaldo and earned £80,000 a week. However, although the early end of his footballing career is thought to have cost him around £10 million in lost profits and sponsorship deals, he had already accumulated enough wealth to remain financially secure for the rest of his life.
He rebuilt his life with the support of his partner and mother of his two children, Stacey Flanders. She initially cuddled with Johnson in court and then ended their relationship, but the couple reconciled during the pandemic and later resettled in the Northeast.
The pair, who previously lived in a £1.8 million six-bedroom property in a gated community, have downsized to a more modest £470,000 home but continue to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Mr. Johnson remains unemployed and is frequently seen at local golf clubs.
Anonymous family members told the Daily Mail that their lifestyle helped Flanders overcome her anxiety about the relationship. They said: “Money may also be involved. He hasn’t worked since his football career ended.
“He saved enough money during his playing career that he can live a very good life without worrying. They have a great life. The children won’t want anything.”
Johnson once earned tens of thousands of pounds a week (Image: Getty Images)
Johnson’s aunt, Eileen Welsh, described him as “happy” and said he “keeps busy and has lots of friends.” He has been spotted in local pubs and locals describe him as an “average type”. One person said: “I’ve seen him here a few times since then, mostly with his family, and he seems like a normal guy.”
A former teammate described him as a “typical suburban dad” with a newfound sense of “calmness and acceptance,” adding that he was “finally tamed.”
Mr. Flanders, a former stewardess, is said to have tamed him. She refused to believe he was a pedophile, telling the Mail in 2019 that she rather thought of him as a sex addict. She said: ‘To be honest, I don’t think of Adam as a pedophile.
“To me, a pedophile is someone who abuses small, young children. I think he was a sex addict. He told me he was a sex addict.”
Flanders is credited with ‘taming’ Johnson (Image: Getty Images)
Explaining why he convinced Ms Flanders to stay with Ms Johnson, a childhood friend told the Mail: “After he was released, it didn’t look like they would be able to get back together again, but a year after he was released, the pandemic hit and things gradually changed.
“He missed the early years of his life in prison and was desperate to make up for lost time with his daughter. He is a devoted father and that is why they were able to try again. They now have a second child and are a very happy family.”
Despite lobbying numerous clubs to sign him, Johnson has not been able to revive his career. Now in his late 30s, it seems highly unlikely that he will ever compete in the sport again.
