Samuel Johnson

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
02-01-1882
N/A
Date unknown.
Runcorn
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
19-01-1901 v Swinton
Dewsbury
1906-
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1900-1905
40 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
0
0
0
0

Biography of Samuel Johnson



HERITAGE NO : 96
Spider Johnson by SHS

As yet we do not have a first name for this player, although in all probability it was Samuel! But we do know that he came to Saints from Runcorn and that his nickname was Spider. He made his debut against Swinton at Knowsley Road on a pitch that was described as a 'quagmire, dotted with small ponds'. Spider's team-mates in the forwards that afternoon were: Billy Cross [the veteran making one of his last appearances], Billy and Tom Briers, Whiteley, Dale, Thompson and Tom Winstanley.

It is difficult to assess his overall abilities as a rugby player, because it was rare for individual forwards to be given due praise in the match reports of the time. Generally speaking, however, we can assume that he must have been a good scrummager, although he never scored a try for St. Helens. Yet Spider played on until his last match, against Dewsbury, at Knowsley Road on 24th February 1906. It was his 40th senior appearance for the club. He did not play in the seniors in the 1902-03 season either, for reasons unknown.

His most celebrated match in the Saints' jersey was probably the 'Test Match' against Holbeck, that ensured Saints were promoted back into the First Division on 14th May 1904. The forwards for his last game lined up as follows: Johnson, Billy Briers, Whiteley, Lee, James Prescott, Wharton, Jimmy Mavitty and Jack Smith.

We believe that Spider was a foreman fitter in a Heavy Leather factory and was resident in Canal Street in Runcorn in 1911. By 1939 he had moved to Stonehill Lane in Runcorn. Spider died in his hometown in January 1951 aged 69.


SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1900~01 0 0 0 2
1901~02 0 0 0 9
1903~04 0 0 0 5
1904~050 0 0 3
1905~06 0 0 0 21
TOTALS:0 0 0 40
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1901~02 0001
TOTALS:0001

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
19th Jan 1901 1
W
 13 Swinton L H 6 3 VIEW
23rd Feb 1901 2
L
 11 Millom L A 2 5 VIEW
2nd Nov 1901 3
W
 8 Radcliffe L A 19 0 VIEW
9th Nov 1901 4
L
 8 Warrington SWLL H 9 17 VIEW
18th Jan 1902 5
W
 12 Stockport L H 13 7 VIEW
25th Jan 1902 6
W
 9 Birkenhead Wanderers L A 6 0 VIEW
1st Feb 1902 7
W
 10 Altrincham L H 35 0 VIEW
8th Feb 1902 8
D
 10 Millom L H 3 3 VIEW
1st Mar 1902 9
W
 8 Morecambe L H 3 2 VIEW
15th Mar 1902 10
L
 8 Hull Kingston Rovers CC1 A 0 7 VIEW
29th Mar 1902 --
W
 8 Oldham * Fr A 26 2 VIEW
23rd Apr 1902 11
W
 8 Morecambe L A 10 9 VIEW
9th Apr 1904 12
W
 12 Castleford L H 31 3 VIEW
13th Apr 1904 13
W
 10 Lancaster L A 12 2 VIEW
16th Apr 1904 14
L
 10 Rochdale Hornets L A 0 5 VIEW
23rd Apr 1904 15
W
 9 Lancaster L H 35 2 VIEW
14th May 1904 16
W
 9 Holbeck LPO N 7 0 VIEW
17th Sep 1904 17
L
 13 Swinton L A 7 17 VIEW
24th Apr 1905 18
W
 10 Runcorn L A 9 0 VIEW
29th Apr 1905 19
L
 10 Halifax L A 2 23 VIEW
9th Sep 1905 20
W
 9 Morecambe L H 26 6 VIEW
16th Sep 1905 21
L
 9 Widnes L A 2 3 VIEW
23rd Sep 1905 22
W
 9 Hull L H 8 5 VIEW
30th Sep 1905 23
L
 9 Salford L A 5 25 VIEW
21st Oct 1905 24
L
 9 Runcorn L A 3 12 VIEW
4th Nov 1905 25
W
 9 Dewsbury L A 3 2 VIEW
18th Nov 1905 26
W
 9 Rochdale Hornets L A 11 0 VIEW
2nd Dec 1905 27
L
 9 Oldham L H 7 15 VIEW
9th Dec 1905 28
W
 9 Barrow L H 25 0 VIEW
23rd Dec 1905 29
L
 9 Warrington L A 0 16 VIEW
25th Dec 1905 30
W
 9 Runcorn L H 7 0 VIEW
26th Dec 1905 31
L
 9 Wigan L H 5 13 VIEW
30th Dec 1905 32
W
 9 Morecambe L A 10 3 VIEW
6th Jan 1906 33
L
 9 Leigh L A 2 3 VIEW
13th Jan 1906 34
W
 9 Barrow L A 3 2 VIEW
20th Jan 1906 35
W
 9 Normanton L H 28 3 VIEW
27th Jan 1906 36
L
 9 Oldham L A 2 12 VIEW
3rd Feb 1906 37
L
 9 Swinton L A 0 5 VIEW
10th Feb 1906 38
W
 9 Widnes L H 5 0 VIEW
17th Feb 1906 39
L
 9 Runcorn CCInt. H 0 3 VIEW
24th Feb 1906 40
W
 9 Dewsbury L H 7 0 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 24 | LOSSES : 16 | DRAWS : 1




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