[1] He married Lena Hardman in 1932;[3] the 1939 Register records the couple living in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, where Johnson was working as an electrician's labourer.
[1][6] Johnson played football for Heywood St James', for Great Harwood of the Lancashire Combination, and for Cheshire County League clubs Winsford United and Stalybridge Celtic, before signing for Oldham Athletic of the Football League Second Division.
[2] He scored profusely, finishing the season second in the Midland League's scorers table with 38 goals.
[10] By February 1939, he had overtaken Ernie Simms' club record of 57 goals scored in all competitions during a single season,[11] and seemed sure to break his club record of 52 Midland League goals as well, as Scunthorpe headed for their second league title.
[12] He remained with Scunthorpe into wartime football, but his leg again gave way, and in October 1939 he had an operation to remove the knee cartilage.