John Freeman

Career

International honours Championship final appearances Johnny Freeman played Left-wing, and scored a try, in Halifax"s 9-10 defeat by Hull in the Championship final during the 1955-1956 season at Maine Road, Manchester on Saturday 12 May 1956, and played Left-wing in the 15-7 victory over Saint Helens in the Championship final during the 1964-1965 season at Station Road, Swinton on Saturday 22 May 1965. Challenge Cup final appearances Johnny Freeman played Left-wing in Halifax"s 2-13 defeat by Street.Helens in the 1956 Challenge Cup final during the 1955-1956 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 28 April 1956. County Cup final appearances Johnny Freeman played Left-wing, id est (that is) number 5, in Halifax"s 10-0 victory over Featherstone Rovers in the 1963 Yorkshire Cup final during the 1963-1964 season at Belle Vue, Wakefield on Saturday 2 November 1963.

Club career Johnny Freeman was paid a joining fee of £1,050 by Halifax in 1954 (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £62,730 in 2013).

Club records Johnny Freeman holds Halifax"s tries in a season record with 48 scored in the 1956-1957 season, and the tries in a career record with 290 scored between 1954 and 1967. Testimonial match Johnny Freeman"s Testimonial match at Halifax took place in 1967 against Keighley at Thrum Hall, Halifax.

Career Appraisal In the book "The Glory of Their Times: Crossing the Colour Lincolnshire in Rugby League", Robert Gate"s description of Johnny Freeman was… "lieutenant appeared that every time Freeman got the ball he scored or at least threatened to score. Certainly the crowds began to expect miracles when he was in possession.

Here was a man who could go the length of the field, who could break tackles when apparently held, who could find that extra gear, when already seemingly flat out, who could go past defenders on the inside or the outside, who would be first to any kick forward and who could pluck interception tries out of nothing.

He had star quality, good looks and an effortless movement which was captivating." Johnny Freeman is a Halifax Hall Of Fame Inductee.

Achievements

• Johnny Freeman represented Wales (RL) while at Halifax in 1963 against France at Stade des Minimes, Toulouse on Sunday 17 February 1963. After scoring 38 tries in the first 20 games of the 1957-1958 Northern Rugby Football League season Johnny Freeman also looked set to take a place on the 1958 British Lions tour to Australasia. However, a knee injury in December 1957 cut short his international ambitions, and put him out of the game for a year.

Membership

Johnny Freeman"s daughter, Karen, was a member of the popular group Mirrorball who released the song Given Up, it reached number 12 in the United Kingdom Singles Chart in 2001, and she performed the song on Top of the Pops, and in 2008 she appeared in the Channel 4 Reality television series When Women Rule the World.