Johnny Woodward
Encyclopedia
Horace John 'Johnny' Woodward (b.16 January 1924 in Islington
–d. 8 August 2002 in Cricklewood
) was an English
professional footballer
who played for Tottenham Hotspur
, Queens Park Rangers
, Tonbridge, Snowdown Colliery Welfare, Walsall
, Stourbridge
and Horsham
.
. During World War II
he served as a gunner in the Merchant Navy
. On his return from duty Spurs offered him a professional contract in May 1946. The central defender made his Football League debut against Newport County
in September 1946 when he replaced the injured Bill Nicholson
– Woodward remains the only Lilywhite to make his League debut at Somerton Park
. Woodward played a total of 67 matches in all competitions and scored one goal for the Lilies between 1946–49. Queens Park Rangers paid £10,500 for his services in 1949. He went on to feature in a further 57 fixtures. After leaving Loftus Road
he joined Tonbridge in 1951 and went on to have brief spells at Snowdown Colliery Welfare, Stourbridge and Walsall where he participated in five matches in 1953.
club of London.
. After a long illness he died in a Cricklewood
nursing home on the 8 August 2002.
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
–d. 8 August 2002 in Cricklewood
Cricklewood
Cricklewood is a district of North London, England whose northeastern part is in the London Borough of Barnet, western part is the London Borough of Brent and southeastern part is in London Borough of Camden.-History:...
) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played for Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
, Tonbridge, Snowdown Colliery Welfare, Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
, Stourbridge
Stourbridge F.C.
Stourbridge Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Stourbridge, West Midlands. The club currently plays in the Southern League Premier Division.-Early years:The club was founded in 1876 and was originally known as Stourbridge Standard...
and Horsham
Horsham F.C.
Horsham F.C. are a non-League football club based in Horsham, West Sussex, England, currently playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division.-History:...
.
Playing career
Woodward signed as an amateur for Tottenham Hotspur in 1939. In 1941 he made his senior debut in the London Wartime LeagueWartime League
The Wartime League was a football league competition held in England during World War II, which replaced the suspended Football League. The exclusion of the FA Cup in these years saw the creation of the Football League War Cup.-History:...
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served as a gunner in the Merchant Navy
Merchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom, and describes the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency...
. On his return from duty Spurs offered him a professional contract in May 1946. The central defender made his Football League debut against Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
in September 1946 when he replaced the injured Bill Nicholson
Bill Nicholson (footballer)
William Edward "Bill" Nicholson OBE was an English football player, coach, manager and scout who devoted his life to Tottenham Hotspur in North London.-Early life:...
– Woodward remains the only Lilywhite to make his League debut at Somerton Park
Somerton Park
Somerton Park was a football, greyhound and speedway stadium in Newport, Monmouthshire. In April 1912 Newport County had been accepted to play in the Southern League for the 1912–13 season. Shortly afterwards, the site for the ground was obtained by the Club's chairman Bert Moss...
. Woodward played a total of 67 matches in all competitions and scored one goal for the Lilies between 1946–49. Queens Park Rangers paid £10,500 for his services in 1949. He went on to feature in a further 57 fixtures. After leaving Loftus Road
Loftus Road
Loftus Road is a football stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is home to the English football team Queens Park Rangers of the Premier League and has a capacity of around 18,500. The four stands are called the Loftus Road End , Ellerslie Road Stand, South Africa Road Stand and the School End,...
he joined Tonbridge in 1951 and went on to have brief spells at Snowdown Colliery Welfare, Stourbridge and Walsall where he participated in five matches in 1953.
Management career
Woodward became player/manager at Horsham before taking charge at Willesden & Kingsbury a post he held to 1971. He later went on to occasionally manager the MaccabiMaccabi (sports)
Maccabi may refer to:* The Maccabi World Union, Maccabiah Games or any one of the following sport organizations around the world:...
club of London.
Post–football career
He continued to play football throughout the 1960s and regularly turned out for the Ex–Spurs XI while employed by Schweppes and then the British Oxygen Company. Woodward retired in 1988 before settling in WillesdenWillesden
Willesden is an area in North West London which forms part of the London Borough of Brent. It is situated 5 miles north west of Charing Cross...
. After a long illness he died in a Cricklewood
Cricklewood
Cricklewood is a district of North London, England whose northeastern part is in the London Borough of Barnet, western part is the London Borough of Brent and southeastern part is in London Borough of Camden.-History:...
nursing home on the 8 August 2002.