Johnny Rainford

John William Rainford (11 December 1930 – 21 May 2001) was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward. He is best remembered for his 9 years in the Football League with Brentford, for whom he made over 320 appearances. He was posthumously inducted into the Brentford Hall of Fame in 2015.

Club career

Crystal Palace Born in Camden Town, Rainford began his career at Third Division South club Crystal Palace and signed his first professional contract in March 1949. Despite making his professional debut late in the 1948–49 season, he had a slow start to his Selhurst Park career and failed to appear at all during the following season and made just one league appearance in 1950–51. Rainford broke into the team during the 1951–52 season and made 34 league appearances and scored his first goal for the club. He scored seven goals in 28 appearances in the following season and departed in May 1953.

Cardiff City Rainford moved up to the First Division to join Cardiff City in a £3,000 deal in May 1953. Despite averaging just under 30 games a season, Rainford's career at Griffin Park didn't take off until the arrival of Malcolm McDonald as manager in May 1957.

For his service to the club, Rainford was given a testimonial in May 1961, which he shared with Ken Coote. He was posthumously inducted into the Brentford Hall of Fame in 2015.

Tonbridge Rainford ended his career in non-League football with Southern League club Tonbridge, whom he joined on a free transfer late in the 1961–62 season.

Representative career Rainford appeared for the Third Division South representative team in a match against their northern counterparts on 16 March 1955. First Division 3 1

3 1

1953–54 Southern League Premier Division 17 2

10 0 27 2 1962–63 Southern League First Division 31 2 1 0

17 0 49 2

48 4 1 0

27 0 76 4

367 49 22 4 4 3 37 0 430 52

Honours Brentford Hall of Fame