Career Record for Featherstone
Appearances			Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points
Total	Start	Sub
103	103	0	6	50	0	118

George Johnson had the distinction of being the only junior player to play for the Yorkshire amateur team (open age) in January 1931 against Lancashire at Oldham. His full-back display was particularly noted for ‘his outstanding defence' and it was no surprise that the Rovers then signed him from their junior side at the end of that season. He was a versatile player and whilst he featured mainly at full-back in the early part of his career, he switched to stand-off in 1934 with equal success.

He had an interesting introduction to senior football, making his debut at home to Widnes on 19 September 1931. At that time, Jim Denton was the recognised goal-kicker, but two weeks later, on 3 October, the responsibility was passed to Johnson, who was making only his third senior appearance. He proceeded to kick 10 goals and score one try in a 47 -0 home defeat of Bradford Northern and this match scoring record of 23 points was to remain until February 1964, when Don Fox scored 27 points against Stanningley. Despite this success, he was only occasionally used for goal-kicking throughout his Rovers career.

In the 1930s, the Rugby League organised tours to France to help in the development of the game there and Johnson became the first Rovers player to be selected for these 'RL Xllls' when he toured in January 1935. He appeared in all three games in an unbeaten tour and, with five tries and four goals, was the leading points scorer. This season was also one of his most productive for the club and he made 31 appearances, his highest total. In September, he again played for the RL XIII against the French touring side Lyon-Villeurbanne at York. At this time the Rovers were languishing at the bottom of the league, not having won any of their opening five league games, and having succumbed to a record 60-2 defeat at Huddersfield. The secretary, G. Appleyard, took the unprecedented step of writing to the local Express asking supporters not to barrack the players, and particularly Johnson. A week later, Johnson asked to be placed on the transfer list and not surprisingly, he was snapped up by Hunslet, where he joined other former Rovers, Ernie Winter and Cyril Plenderleith. The move was one which again eased Rovers' financial plight, but they were deprived of a talented footballer whose career perhaps unfairly suffered at Featherstone, because he was the son of the Rovers chairman, George Johnson (senior).

 

Biography by Ron Bailey