Arthur Johnson (rugby league)

For other persons named Arthur Johnson, see Arthur Johnson

Arthur Johnson a.k.a. Arthur "Chick" Johnson (son of Old "Chick" (James) Johnson), a local to Widnes, played for Widnes RLFC in the early 1900s. Johnson is a Widnes Hall Of Fame Inductee.

On the 1914 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, Widnes provided Jack O'Garra, from a well-known footballing family, and Arthur "Chick," son of "old" Chick Johnson and renowned as an exponent of the long-dead art of dribbling a rugby ball. He was a forward playing out of position on the Wing. With 20 minutes left in the game he dribbled the ball from inside his own half, beating the fullback. This paid off in a sensational test—, the Rorke's Drift Test of 1914.

Johnson, gained a cap for England at Widnes in 1914 versus Wales, and four caps for Great Britain while at Widnes in 1914 versus Australia, and New Zealand, and in 1920 versus Australia twice.[1] He was selected to go on the 1920 Great Britain Lions tour of Australasia.

GB Caps Tries Points
4 3 9

Johnson's forename is stated as Arthur on the rugby.widnes.tv website, but Albert on both the englandrl.co.uk, and rugbyleagueproject.org websites. The latter error is a longstanding one (dating back at least as far as Keith Macklin's 1962 book History of Rugby League Football) and probably arises from confusion with Albert Johnson, a Great Britain player of the 1940s. However contemporary press reports, RFL playing registers and census records all confirm that the Widnes forward "Chick" Johnson was named Arthur and not Albert.

Extract from Widnes FC Playing Register of 1907/08 showing Arthur Johnson along with his fellow future GB tourist John (Jack) O'Garra.
Extract from Widnes FC Playing Register of 1907/08 showing Arthur Johnson along with his fellow future GB tourist John (Jack) O'Garra.

References

  1. ↑ "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.

External links