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 2^ndplace 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 2 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.