Joe Johnson
Personal information
Full name Joseph Alfred Johnson[1]
Date of birth 4 April 1911[1]
Place of birth Grimsby, England[1]
Date of death 8 August 1983(1983-08-08) (aged 72)[1]
Place of death West Bromwich, England[1]
Height 5 ft 6+1⁄2 in (1.69 m)[2]
Position(s) Outside-left
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1929 Scunthorpe & Lindsey United
1929–1931 Bristol City 7 (0)
1931–1937 Stoke City 184 (54)
1937–1939 West Bromwich Albion 52 (22)
1946 Northwich Victoria
1946 Hereford United
Total 243 (76)
International career
1936–1937 England 5 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Joseph Alfred Johnson (4 April 1911 – 8 August 1983) was an English footballer who played in the Football League for Bristol City, Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion as well as the England national team.[1][3]

Club career

Johnson was born in Grimsby and began working as a fishmonger whilst playing amateur football with Cleethorpes Royal Saints and then Scunthorpe & Lindsey United before being spotted by Second Division Bristol City in July 1929.[3] He broke into the side in making his debut in the 1931–32 season. Bristol City were having a terrible campaign winning just three of their first 32 games before the club fell into severe financial difficulties and put their entire squad up for sale. Stoke City visited Ashton Gate on 16 April 1932 and the Bristol directors desperate for funds told the Stoke board they could buy whoever they wanted.[3] Manager Tom Mather singled out their young left winger Johnson and signed him for a mere £250.[3]

Johnson quickly took the place of the ageing Bobby Archibald and soon made an impression with the pace running up and down the left wing. With Stanley Matthews on the right wing Stoke had one of the best pairing of wingers in the country and he scored 15 times in 43 games in 1932–33 as Stoke won the Second Division title.[3] He remained a key player in Stoke's forward line for the next four seasons and earned international recognition. He suffered an ankle injury on the opening day of the 1937–38 season and Stoke manager Bob McGrory decided to sell him to West Bromwich Albion for a fee of £6,500.[3]

Johnson spent nine years with the Baggies and during World War II he guested for Crewe Alexandra, Leicester City and Notts County.[3] After the war he played for Northwich Victoria and Hereford United and later ran a refreshment area in Dartmouth Park, close to the Hawthorns. He died in West Bromwich in August 1983 at the age of 72.[3]

International career

Johnson made his England debut against Ireland at Stoke's Victoria Ground. He went on to earn caps against Scotland, Norway, Sweden and Finland. He scored his two goals in the games against Sweden and Finland.[4]

Career statistics

Club

Source:[5]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bristol City 1931–32 Second Division 700070
Stoke City 1931–32 Second Division 100010
1932–33 Second Division 4115204315
1933–34 First Division 36841409
1934–35 First Division 3811103911
1935–36 First Division 31700317
1936–37 First Division 3613223815
1937–38 First Division 100010
Total 184549319357
West Bromwich Albion 1937–38 First Division 18720207
1938–39 Second Division 3415303715
Total 5222505722
Career total 2437614325779

International

Source:[6]

National teamYearAppsGoals
England 193610
193742
Total52

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Matthews, Tony (1994). The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. Lion Press. ISBN 0-9524151-0-0.
  2. ↑ "Stoke City. Record-breaking staff re-engaged for this season". Sunday Dispatch Football Guide. London. 23 August 1936. p. vi – via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Stoke City 101 Golden Greats. Desert Islands Books. 2002. ISBN 1-874287554.
  4. ↑ "Joseph Johnson- Profile at The FA.Com ", Retrieved on 15 December 2009
  5. ↑ Joe Johnson at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  6. ↑ Johnson, Joe at National-Football-Teams.com
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