Ex-Dragon Fullback Brian Johnson dies

[Saintsified]

RIP he was my PE teacher in high school, along with Steve Folkes and Paul Taylor (Eels was the cleaner) way back in 83....true champion player and bloke. Feeling sad.

 

[TruSaint]

https://www.facebook.com/mick.foster.336/videos/1216989348330504/?theater

 

[Dragsters]

Nice one trusaint.
Great piece of old footage.

 

[TruSaint]

Nice one trusaint.
Great piece of old footage.

Thx D... quality poor but shows a glimpse of the man

 

[blacksafake]

Very sad & such a young age for that terrible illness.
Would be a superstar in today's game.
RIP Champ.

 

[Owen Da Saints]

Brian Johnson (along with Slippery Morris) were my 2 favourite players as a kid.
RIP

 

[Shadow Dragon]

Rip

 

[rasaint]

Very sorry to learn of this sad passing.

Brian was a fabulous player. We have had our little on going joke about speed and more speed. Well Brian was a flying machine, probably at his peak in the top 3 or 4 in the comp regardless of position. Don't forget he played in old style high ankle boots not the cut downs that all players had by the 1980s. Image him if he wore the cut downs Extraordinary leg speed.

I loved being in the old Noble Stand and watching him circle a backline with shear speed and timing and hit the gap between the centres and off in the clear.

RIP

 

[denis preston]

https://www.facebook.com/mick.foster.336/videos/1216989348330504/?theater

Is that you overdubbing the John O'rielly commentary ?

 

[TruSaint]

Is that you overdubbing the John O'rielly commentary ?

Hahaha.. its funny to hear 2 sets of commentary Denis... Mossop / O'Reilly ... those where the days

 

[Slippery Morris]

Brian Johnson and Steve Morris were my 2 favourite Dragons of that era. Gone way too soon.

Same her mate. They were brilliant to watch. RIP

 

[Cagey Mac]

So sad and disarmingly poignant.
Condolences to his family and friends.
A shining star.
A beautiful player.
RIP

 

[Old Timer]

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...&qpvt=1979+grand+final+rugby+league&FORM=VDRE

Some great footage showing Johnson's skills

Great side with speed to burn in Johnson, Morris and Brennan

 

[Sheridan Stand]

RIP Johnno.

All us old saints fans had you as a favorite player. I was there in 79 and will see you again in the dragons Pearly gates

 

[Dragsters]

Yes OT, Mitch Brennan was my mums favourite player back then.

I loved watching him stride out, she loved his hair!

 

[Old Timer]

It was great in 79 going back to the club after the home games and the fans waiting for the players to come back over and join them upstairs. The 33/1 long shots kicking butt was just fantastic.

Johnson and Brennan (AKA Mickey Lane) were the 2 glamour boys of the side but both were very shy and unassuming often embarrassed by the loud applause on their arrival.

Not quite a 100% sure but I heard that Brian didn't actually want to leave the club but it had something to do with him going to England for a family members health reasons.

He wanted to come back to the club but some issue around "club super / pension payouts" precluded him from doing that.

It was great that he did come back to the club in other capacities and his passing is a sad day for the whole RL fraternity as he was indeed one of the "good guys" of the sport.

 

[kit66]

R.I.P. and much respect.