Tom Johnson (4 May 1911 – 19 August 1983) was an English
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
who played as a
defender. He made over 250 appearances for
Sheffield United
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history of cutlery production. The team have played home games at ...
, the club which his father and brother also played for.
Career
Despite his family connections, Johnson had been playing for his local side
Ecclesfield United as an amateur when he was signed by
Sheffield United
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history of cutlery production. The team have played home games at ...
in September 1928, but remained on part-time terms.
Despite making his
league debut in March 1930 in a home game against
Bolton Wanderers, Johnson was seen as a slow developer and had to wait until the
1934–35 season before he could begin to establish himself in the first-team, only becoming a full-time professional in 1935.
Having finally established himself, Johnson grew in confidence and missed very few games in the following seasons, appearing in the
1936 FA Cup Final,
and being awarded the club captaincy in 1938 and leading United to promotion a year later.
With the outbreak of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
Johnson remained with United until 1941 while working in a reserved occupation, playing regularly in the wartime leagues as well as making guest occasional appearances for
Stockport County
Stockport County Football Club are a professional football club in Stockport, England, who compete in EFL League Two, the fourth tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, they were renamed Stockport Co ...
,
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The team competes in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1867 as an offshoot ...
and
Chesterfield.
After returning with an ankle injury from active duty 1943, Johnson played no football until 1946, by which time he was in dispute with United over his contract.
Handed a free transfer, Johnson joined
Lincoln City in March 1946, captaining their
1947–48 season promotion side, and making 75 league appearances before retiring in 1949 and becoming Lincoln's Yorkshire
scout.
Personal life
Johnson was born in the
Ecclesfield
Ecclesfield is a village and civil parish in the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, about 4 miles (6 km) north of Sheffield City Centre. Ecclesfield civil parish had a population of 32,073 at the 2011 Census. Ecclesfield wards ...
area of
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire a ...
, and educated at
Barnsley Grammar School.
He was the son of
Harry Johnson Snr. and younger brother of
Harry Johnson Jr. who both also played for
Sheffield United
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional football club in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, which compete in the . They are nicknamed "the Blades" due to Sheffield's history of cutlery production. The team have played home games at ...
.
At the outset of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, Johnson became an electrician at Whitwell Colliery, but then joined the
RAF
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
in 1940.
Johnson served in East Africa but was invalided out of the service with an ankle injury in 1943. Following his retirement from playing, Johnson opened an electrical business in Sheffield.
Honours
;Sheffield United
*
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
:
1936
Events
January–February
* January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...
runners-up
*
Division Two:
1938–39 runners-up
;Lincoln City
*
Division Three North
The Third Division North of the Football League was a tier in the English football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran in parallel with the Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to ...
:
1947–48 winners
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Tom
1911 births
1983 deaths
Footballers from Sheffield
English footballers
Men's association football defenders
Ecclesfield United F.C. players
Sheffield United F.C. players
Lincoln City F.C. players
English Football League players
People educated at Holgate School, Barnsley
Stockport County F.C. wartime guest players
Sheffield Wednesday F.C. wartime guest players
Chesterfield F.C. wartime guest players
Royal Air Force personnel of World War II
Royal Air Force airmen
People from Ecclesfield
FA Cup final players