Parenting & Family Quote by Craig Johnston

There is a quietly radical kind of pride in calling yourself “the worst player” on a great team. Craig Johnston isn’t fishing for pity or doing false modesty; he’s reframing status. In a sports culture trained to worship the star, he makes belonging the achievement. The line lands because it flips the usual scoreboard logic: success isn’t only measured by minutes played or headlines earned, but by whether you can plug into something larger without resenting your role.

The intent is mentorship dressed as anecdote. When he says he tells it to kids, he’s offering an antidote to the pressure-cooker fantasy that you must be exceptional, singular, “the best,” or you’ve failed. The subtext is also emotional: being loved by teammates (and fans) isn’t just about talent, it’s about fit. “They loved me because I loved being part of their team” is a neat social truth of locker rooms and workplaces alike. People trust the person who’s visibly invested in the collective, not the person treating the group as a stepping-stone.

Context matters: Johnston played for Liverpool in the 1980s, an era and a club synonymous with machine-like dominance and deep squads. In that environment, not being the centerpiece doesn’t mean you’re disposable; it can mean you’re reliable, self-aware, and psychologically tough. His punchline - “and that was good enough for me” - is the mic drop. It’s not resignation. It’s chosen contentment, which is far rarer than ambition and, in its own way, more defiant.