Sadly passed away was a hero of mine watching as a youngster in the sixties and what a winger he was. Still remember the chant" we've got Johnny Johnny Gaydon on the wing on the wing " RIP Johnny and thanks for the memories.
Johnny was an entertainer. He was a popular player who had a fair turn of pace & good footwork. He would weave in & out across the field. I remember once he went on a lovely weaving run of 50 yards or so only to drop the ball over the line when reaching it. Supporters did not berate him they just all laughed as that was accepted as part of the package that was Johnny Gaydon.
He was controversially left out of the Wembley winning side v Hull K R as coach Joe Egan felt he had to make space for Billy Thompson who had clinched the semi final victory over Castleford with his individual match winning try. Johnny was very professional about it & continued playing fof the club in following seasons. He would not have been blamed if he had chosen to leave, but he didn't. He earned my total respect for that.
RIP Jonny Gaydon
Yes RIP Johnny Gaydon. I remember he was our one "exotic" signing, when most of our players were Widnes born and bred, or from not too far away. All the bigger Clubs were signing any number of South African RU backs and Johnny came to us I think via St Helens, as they already had quite a good winger in Mr Van Volenhoven! Johnny served us well though, I remember always wishing he would run straight more often, as he was quick, instead of his dancing jinking style, but that was just the way he played, as has been said he had a mistake in him, but he could also score brilliant dazzling tries!
I also remember us trialing another South African, as AN Other, or some such "disguise" in an A Team game. Very quick, scored a bag full of tries then got flattened, as the opposition were likely to do in those days to a "fancy dan" player and that was I think the end of him, anyone know who he was, or whether anyone signed him up?
Always looked as if he could produce a try!! A difficult man to tackle iirc!!
I remember Albert Blan telling Vinty that he was going to sort Gaydon out, only to be advised by Vinty to leave him a lone as Vinty had 'had the gloves on with him' and he was no pushover - ex South African Universities Champion at Heavyweight!!!!