About Johnny Hubbard
Lived 1930 – 2018 (aged 87). Johnny Hubbard was a South African association football player.
John Gaulton Hubbard, MBE (16 December 1930 – 21 June 2018) was a South African footballer. Hubbard spent the majority of his career at Scottish club Rangers, and later played for English club Bury before ending his career back in Scotland with Ayr United. He was the first African player to compete in the European Cup, having played in October 1956 with Rangers versus Nice, and also the first African player to score a goal in the competition.
He became one of the few players to score a hat-trick in an Old Firm match, which he achieved on 1 January 1955, the only foreign player in Rangers' history to do so. Hubbard was nicknamed the "Penalty King" by Rangers fans, due to his exceptional record of 65 goals scored from 68 penalty kicks, 22 consecutively.
He left Rangers in 1959 with 172 appearances and 77 goals for the club, moving to Bury for £6,000. After three years at Bury he returned to Scotland, spending two years with Ayr United before retiring from football to work as a physical education teacher and a community sports development officer. In 2007, he was named an honorary member of the Rangers Supporters Trust, along with Mark Walters and Billy Simpson.
Hubbard died in June 2018, aged 87.
Honours Rangers Scottish first-tier League Championships (5): 1949–50, 1952–53, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1958–59 Scottish Cup (2): 1949–50, 1952–53
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Johnny Hubbard's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Johnny Hubbard's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Johnny Hubbard?
Association footballer (1930-2018)
When was Johnny Hubbard born?
Johnny Hubbard was born on 16 December 1930 in Pretoria.
When did Johnny Hubbard die?
Johnny Hubbard died on 21 June 2018.
What was Johnny Hubbard's occupation?
Johnny Hubbard was an association football player.
What nationality was Johnny Hubbard?
Johnny Hubbard was South African.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Johnny Hubbard. https://biography.guide/johnny-hubbard/
MLA: "Johnny Hubbard." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/johnny-hubbard/.
Chicago: "Johnny Hubbard." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/johnny-hubbard/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:07 UTC