{{Short description|Danish footballer (1967–2025)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Johnny Vilstrup | image = | full_name = Johnny Vilstrup Pedersen | birth_date = {{birth date|1967|2|27|df=y}} | birth_place = Copenhagen, Denmark | death_date = {{death date and age|2025|8|31|1967|2|27|df=y}} | death_place = | height = 1.83 m | position = Midfielder | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = | years1 = 1988–1989 | clubs1 = Fremad Valby | caps1 = | goals1 = | years2 = 1988–1989 | clubs2 = Fremad Amager | caps2 = | goals2 = | years3 = 1991–1995 | clubs3 = Lyngby | caps3 = 112 | goals3 = 21 | years4 = 1995–1996 | clubs4 = Luton Town | caps4 = 7 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 1996 | clubs5 = → AGF (loan) | caps5 = 12 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 1996–1997 | clubs6 = AGF | caps6 = 15 | goals6 = 3 }}
'''Johnny Vilstrup Pedersen''' (27 February 1967 – 31 August 2025) was a Danish professional footballer, who played as a midfielder for Lyngby and AGF of the Danish Superliga. He moved abroad to play professionally for Luton Town during the 1995–96 season.
==Career== In September 1995 Vilstrup was signed for Luton Town by manager Terry Westley for £175,000.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Andrew |title=Sherwood to placate Blackburn protesters |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/sherwood-to-placate-blackburn-protesters-1600747.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/sherwood-to-placate-blackburn-protesters-1600747.html |archive-date=2022-06-14 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=10 February 2022 |publisher=The Independent |date=11 September 1995}}</ref> After just seven Football League First Division appearances Westley was sacked and his replacement Lennie Lawrence discarded Vilstrup, who returned to Denmark on loan with AGF. He helped AGF win the 1995–96 Danish Cup and his transfer was made permanent for £100,000 in June 1996.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pontins League to switch from three to a four-division format |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/pontins-league-to-switch-from-three-to-a-fourdivision-format-1335891.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/pontins-league-to-switch-from-three-to-a-fourdivision-format-1335891.html |archive-date=2022-06-14 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=10 February 2022 |publisher=The Independent |date=6 June 1996}}</ref> A knee injury sustained in November 1996 prematurely ended Vilstrup's football career.<ref>{{cite news |title=Interview med Johnny Vilstrup: - Medaljerne skulle hjem til Aarhus |url=https://ksdh.dk/nyheder/johnny-vilstrup-medaljerne-skulle-hjem-til-aarhus |access-date=10 February 2022 |publisher=KSDH |date=10 July 2020 |language=Danish}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Sporløs - Johnny Vilstrup |url=https://www.tipsbladet.dk/artikel/sporloes-johnny-vilstrup |access-date=10 February 2022 |publisher=Tipsbladet |date=23 November 2007 |language=Danish}}</ref>
==Death== Vilstrup died on 31 August 2025, at the age of 58.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://bkfrem.dk/til-minde-om-johnny-vilstrup/ | title = Til minde om Johnny Vilstrup | publisher = bkfrem.dk | language = Danish | date = 2025-09-02 }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://superstats.dk/spillere/spiller-alltime?id=199 Johnny Vilstrup] at Superstats.dk {{in lang|da}} * {{FootballFacts.ru|person_id=85236-vilstruppedersenyonni}} * {{Soccerbase|8916}} * {{Hugman|20190}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vilstrup, Johnny}} Category:1967 births Category:2025 deaths Category:20th-century Danish sportsmen Category:Danish men's footballers Category:Footballers from Copenhagen Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Danish Superliga players Category:English Football League players Category:Fremad Amager players Category:Lyngby Boldklub players Category:Luton Town F.C. players Category:Aarhus Gymnastikforening players Category:Danish expatriate men's footballers Category:Danish expatriate sportspeople in England Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
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