Season › 2017-18 › News Goalkeeper Matthew Johnson goes out on loan Michael Kenrick Wednesday, 6 December, 2017 0comments | Jump to most recent Everton have agreed to loan one of their young goalkeepers, Matthew Johnson, to non-league club Ramsbottom United for the rest of the season. Johnson, 19, is from Rochdale and signed professional forms with Everton back in July 2015 after being with the club since he was 14. He was on the books with the U-18s but only got on the bench for them in a handful of games toward the end of the 2015-16 season. He went out on a youth loan with Evo Stik First Division North side Radcliffe Borough, but suffered a horrific injury in October 2016 that broke his leg. Johnson was stretchered off in agony and the game against Colne was abandoned after just 20 minutes. Johnson is a rising star at Everton, but his progress has stalled in the last 12 months after that horrific double leg fracture that led to him spending most of last season on the sidelines. The 19-year-old has since made a full recovery but has been restricted to a role on the bench as U18 sub in recent months. Joe Hilton, and more recently American import Nicolas Hansen, have kept him out of the first XI. Article continues below video content Another spell on loan at a non-league club is expected to give Johnson the chance to play regular senior football and regain his confidence. He started the process last night by making his debut in a 1-0 defeat against Droylsden. About these ads