Thomas Johnson (1942 – 23 February 2011) was a South African

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

player and manager. He was one of the co-founders of

Kaizer Chiefs Kaizer Chiefs Football Club (often known as Chiefs) are a South African professional football club based in Naturena, Johannesburg South, that plays in the Premier Soccer League. The team is nicknamed ''AmaKhosi'', which means "Lords" or "Chie ...

, the club's first captain and the first head coach of the Kaizer Chiefs team. He also competed in the first ever Soweto derby on 24 January 1970, only 17 days after Chiefs' formation.

Coaching career

Johnson had coaching licenses from Germany, England and Brazil. Johnson attended a coaching courses in Germany and came back with videos to pass on his knowledge to other players. Whilst head coach of Kaizer Chiefs, he won South Africa's national cup competition three times. He was the technical director of Dona's Mates Youth Academy in Orange Farm.

Personal life

He is survived by his wife, Dimakatso, eight children, seven grandchildren and on one great grand child.

Death

Johnson died from

prostate cancer Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancerous tumor worldwide and is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality among men. The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that sur ...

in February 2011. He was buried in Soweto.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Thomas South African soccer players South African soccer managers Orlando Pirates F.C. players Kaizer Chiefs F.C. players Expatriate football managers in Botswana Botswana national football team managers South African expatriates in Botswana 1942 births 2011 deaths Kaizer Chiefs F.C. managers Association footballers not categorized by position