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Profile Tuesday – Albert Johanneson

Name:       Albert Louis Johanneson

Born:         13, March 1940 – Germiston, South Africa

Position:   Left Winger

Club Career                                                                           Years                   Team                      Apps      Gls          1960 – 1970         Leeds Utd                172         48                1970 – 1972         York City                    26            3

International Career:      N/A

Career Profile:

One of the first, super talented, black men to grace the (old) English First Division and the first player from African descent to appear in the English FA Cup Final.

Integral in getting Leeds Utd promoted to top flight football in 1963-64 with 13 league goals, Johanneson built a reputation as a powerful and fast marauding forward player. Naturally skillful he is remembered by Leeds Utd fans as the creative, entertaining force in an otherwise dour team.

A man of outstanding courage, he endured racist abuse from spectators and other players with staggering good grace. George Best later reflected: “Albert was quite a brave man to actually go on the pitch in the first place”.

Time Vault Soccer “doff’s it’s cap” to this quiet and inspirational man with a representation of the 1964-65 season when Johanneson helped Leeds to 2nd place in the old First Division and a F. A Cup Final. A game that saw him make history as the first black man to grace the final but ultimately a game Leeds lost 2 – 1 to a Liverpool side featuring Ian Callaghan and Ian St John.

Card Profile:

Position:              Midfield/Attack (Left, Center)                                                                    Rating:                 1 Star                                                                                                            Skill Stats:           ATTACK    5           DEFEND                                                        Special:               N/A

Season Stats:                                                                                                                              Year                      Team                      App          Gls         Hons                                            1964 – 1965         Leeds Utd               36    (0)    12    (0)  –

Strategy Tip: Maybe lacking the out and out goal scoring power of some attackers Johanneson offers a little more in the defensive department. Well suited to a balanced strategy from the start or used as a substitute to replace a more defensive minded player when chasing the game. Enhanced when playing along side players with the “Inspiration” Special Skill.

Features in: “Debut 60’s v 70’s –  Card No: 13/32”

Figures in (Italics) = stats for their National side.

Biddi-Biddi-Biddi hiya Buck!

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