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

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

. At the outset of

, 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