Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Johnny Haynes

Johnny Haynes has died.

Johnny Haynes, the former England footballer, was very much a hero for football lovers in the 50s and 60s.

With his hair Brylcreemed down like Denis Compton, he was immaculate in appearance and in his cultured style of play.

He was the first footballer to be paid £100 per week, a huge sum in those days. Previously, the maximum wage for a footballer was £17 a week. Actually, at a time when the average wage was around £10 - £12, that was quite good. However, although it was O.K. for reasonably good players, it was nonsense that the really outstanding ones couldn’t earn more.

When the maximum wage was abolished, after a long fight led by Jimmy Hill, it was Haynes who was the first to benefit.

Johnny Haynes played at No 10, inside left, throughout a long career. He played many times for England in what would today be called a midfield role, and captained his country during the 1962 World Cup.

All through his career, Haynes played for only one club – Fulham. That sort of loyalty would be just about unheard of today, especially as Fulham were not even in the top flight of domestic football. They played for most of that time in the Second Division.

His colleagues at Fulham included Bobby Robson, Alan Mullery and Jim Langley.

Johnny Haynes died on 18th October, having been involved in a car crash the previous day. He was 71.

His passing marks the end of a more gentle and gentlemanly era, and he will be much mourned.