A brave man at Elland Road

In 1961 Leeds United were at the bottom of the Second Division and was facing relegation to the Third Division. (In those days First Division was today’s Premier Division and Second Division was our Championship.)

A teacher in Chapeltown, who came from South Africa, recommended that Leeds employ Albert Johanneson, a professional black player from South Africa which they did. Immediately, Johanneson’s skills moved Leeds United up the Division and set them on course for being promoted to First Division.

Growing up in Apartheid South Africa, he was uncomfortable with a white apprentice cleaning his boots. And he could not face getting into the communal team bath after training. His teammates stripped him of his football gear and tossed him in with them – an extreme example of team bonding!

Coming from the southern hemisphere Johanneson was used to warm days with dry turf.

He had to get used to cold wet days and soggy pitches. He lodged in Beeston and walked to the then training ground at Fullerton Park and to the Elland Road stadium next door, which was smaller than it is today.

Despite these set-backs and inhibition,s he was a brilliant left-winger taking opposing full-backs by surprise with his skill and speed. Captain Billy Bremner said of him:

“He was an excellent player. He was fast, clever with the footwork, very accurate with crosses and had a terrific shot. I always thought that he did not get a fair deal from the media because he was black. They were forever on about the first black player to do this or first black player to do that. They completely overlooked the fact that he was a terrific player and deserves recognition as a human being and professional footballer.”

The Leeds supporters were thrilled with his performance but the visiting away supporters were appalling. They threw bananas at him and made monkey chants. Despite this he was instrumental in getting Leeds promoted to the First Division.

He continually beat the fullbacks who began to kick his legs to stop him beating them. He was the first black player to play in the FA Cup Final in 1965 which Leeds lost to Liverpool in extra time at 2-1.

Johanneson had not played his best that day because he was nursing a leg injury from a game in the previous week when he had been severely kicked although he was no worse a player than the rest of the Leeds team.

George Best had witnessed the verbal abuse and physical intimidation that he had to endure throughout his career and said:

“He was quite a brave man to actually go onto the pitch in the first place. He had a lot of skill. A nice man as well which is more important than anything.”

Johanneson stayed with Leeds until the end of the decade but his performance gradually declined, leg injuries having an effect. and he was ‘let go’ to York. But he soon retired from football and became a recluse drinking heavily. Despite Leeds players and former players trying to engage him in reunions, he never turned up. Eddie Gray visited him on quite a few occasions but could not encourage him. George Best saw him in the centre of Leeds begging for money and he took him to the up-market hotel where he was staying and had dinner with him.

His wife of 11 years finally could not cope with his alcoholism and left him. Very sadly, he died in 1995 alone in a Council high-rise flat at in Gledhow at the age of 55 years from heart failure and meningitis. The Leeds Civic Trust unveiled a blue plaque in 2019 in his memory at Elland Road.

The Football Association now cracks down heavily on racism which has made it easier for the many ‘non-white’ soccer players who now play in UK teams. But we should never forget the legacy which Albert left us. Leeds as a city can be proud that it has a top-flight professional football team which has welcomed all players whatever their colour or background.

The Friends of the Leeds City Museums has very recently paid for an oil painting of Albert Johanneson. It will be displayed in the Council`s Discovery Centre in Carlisle Road in Hunslet alongside the Council`s other sporting memorabilia.

The Discovery Centre is really the store for the very many artefacts owned by Leeds but for which there is not enough room to display in its museums but are used in special exhibitions and for research.

Members of the public can visit by appointment and are escorted as the objects are not contained in display cases and could be vulnerable to damage by touching or, even theft.

At the moment visits are free but the Council is considering closing down visits to save money on staff wages. If you would like to visit, appointments can be made by telephone 0113 378 2100 or email discovery.centre@leeds.gov.uk.

 

This post was written by Hon Alderwoman Elizabeth Nash

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