Johnny Dexter (Hard Man)

Johnny Dexter

Personal information
Full name	John (Johnny) Maxwell Dexter
Date of birth	( -Missing required parameter 1=month!-00)Missing required parameter 1=month!
Place of birth	Danefield, England
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Defender
Number	6
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1976–77	Danefield United
1977–78	Real Granpala
1978–85	Danefield United
1985–86	Burnside Athletic
1986–95	Melchester Rovers
National team
1976–1978	England	14
Teams managed
1997–2001	Castlemere
2013–	Danefield United
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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File:Roy 1981.jpg

Johnny Dexter (white kit) in action on the cover of the 1981 RotR annual, with Viktor Boskovic (arms raised) visible in the background

Johnny Dexter was a fictional footballer who appeared in three different comic strips in the British boys' comic Roy of the Rovers during the 1970s, 80s and 90s. He was a defender, playing centre-back for Danefield United and England and usually left-back for Melchester Rovers. He was amongst the most popular characters in the comic, being the only one other than Roy himself ever to appear on the cover of one of the comic's annuals, and is still fondly remembered by fans of the "golden age" of British sports-themed comics.

The Hard Man: Danefield and Real Granpala

Dexter made his debut in the very first issue of the weekly Roy of the Rovers comic, dated 25 September 1976, starring in the strip The Hard Man. Johnny was the titular character, so named because of his rugged style of play and fiery temper, which often got him into trouble with referees. He initially played for Danefield United, but was transferred to Spanish team Real Granpala (green and white colours), where he first encountered Hungarian manager Viktor Boskovic, who followed him back to Danefield when he returned there.

The strip was written by Barrie Tomlinson and usually drawn by Doug Maxted. The tone of the strip was generally light-hearted, with large doses of humour provided by the camp antics of the fat, bald-headed Boskovic, who was fond of kissing his players when they performed well, and often fainted during moments of high drama. Johnny also regularly found himself involved in off-pitch slapstick, including one memorable storyline in which he travelled to Italy to discuss signing for a top Serie A team. After rebuffing the team's owner, he ended up in prison and then was forced to try and flee the country dressed in drag.

The Hard Man ran for nine years, but came to an end (as part of a larger overhaul of the comic) when a rising star named Bobby Williams took Dexter's first team place during a pre-season tour of the continent. When Johnny returned for pre-season training he put in a transfer request, which Viktor accepted. Somewhat bizarrely considering his status as a former England international, the only club to make a bid for Johnny was the worst club in the Football League, Burnside Athletic, who had finished bottom of the Fourth Division in three of the previous four seasons. Johnny was granted a free transfer and appeared in the "Hard Man" strip for the last time on 10 August 1985.

Dexter's Dozen: Burnside Athletic

Upon moving to Burnside, Dexter began appearing in a new story entitled Dexter's Dozen. Barrie Tomlinson remained the writer, but Mike White took over as the artist, using a much more realistic style than the comedic art which had been seen in The Hard Man. This was in keeping with the initial tone of the new story, which eschewed comedy in favour of a serious depiction of the struggles of the lowly club. Soon, however, the tone shifted somewhat, as Boskovic was re-introduced, taking over as Burnside's manager and once again displaying his trademark antics, including making the team wear clown costumes during the half-time interval of a match where they were performing especially poorly, and making them train atop a huge piece of apparatus resembling an assault course, going so far as to push players off the top into a vat full of water if they under-performed. The strip ran for only one season, during which Dexter was able to lead his new club to promotion, with the final episode appearing in the comic dated 16 August 1986.

Melchester Rovers

During the summer of 1986, the Melchester Rovers team depicted in the main Roy of the Rovers strip had been decimated by a terrorist atrocity which had killed several players, and Dexter joined the club as one of manager Roy Race's new signings as he re-built the team (making him one of a number of players who migrated from their own strip to the main RotR strip during the comic's lifetime). Dexter was a shrewd signing, his experience guilding the young Rovers in the following years. He continued to play for Rovers until the demise of the weekly comic in 1993 and then went on to appear for them during the subsequent short-lived Roy of the Rovers Monthly, his temper causing rifts with both Blackie Gray and Mervyn Wallace during their spells as Rovers manager.

He also memorably had an on-pitch fight with his own team-mate, Roy's son Rocky. While with the Rovers he helped them win the Littlewoods Cup in 1987, the Football League Championship in 1988 and 1992, and the FA Cup in 1990. Dexter was made captain after Roy's retirement, before leaving to become a succesful manager of emerging Castlemere.

Johnny Dexter, made his first appearance in the inaugural issue of the weekly Roy of the Rovers comic on September 25, 1976.

Johnny Dexter for Rovers in 86/87.

Style of play

Dexter was agressive, influential on the pitch with high temper. Known for his rough playing style and quick temper that frequently led to clashes with referees. He played as centre-back and left-back for Rovers.

International career

Johnny Dexter, one of the hardest tackling-midfielders ever appeared on English fields represented his nation on several occasions collecting 14 caps (As the beginning of 86/87 season), including the legendary game against Johan Seegrun' s Netherlands in February 1978. Unfortunately he never made it to a World Cup, but it is worth to be mentioned that he had been selected in Roy Race's dream squad for the 1982 Argentina tournament.

Honours

Danefield United

• Premier League (including (Old) First Division)'
  • 1975–76, 1980–81
• (Old) Second Division':
  • 1978–79
• FA Cup: 10
  • 1979-80
• European Cup:
  • 1976-77

Melchester Rovers

• Premier League (including (Old) First Division)'
  • 1987-88, 1991–92
• FA Cup:
  • 1989-90
• League Cup:
  • 1986-87

Burnside Athletic

• FA Cup:
  • 1985-86

Real Granpala

• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup:
  • 1978-79

Managerial career

When the Roy of the Rovers strip was revived in the BBC's Match of the Day magazine in 1997, Dexter was depicted as the iron-willed manager of FA Premier League side Castlemere, whom he led to the FA Cup Final in 1999 where they lost out to Melchester Rovers.

Personal life

In 1986 Dexter had said he was single saying Whou would marry me?, but he was looking for a wife. He lived in a detached house in the country while playing for Rovers, driving a Ranger Rover. His height according to his 1986 profile was 1.83m (not 1.85).

The club he supported was Danefield United though he was then playing for Melchester Rovers. And being given a free transfer from Danefield was his biggest dissappointment. His most memorable match was Burnside Athletic's final match in 85/86, which clinched promotion. According to Dexter:

• Football childhood hero: Roy Race
• Favourite current player (86/87): Mark Lawrenson (Liverpool)
• Biggest infulence on career: Viktor Boskovic (Burnside Athletic manager in 86/87)

Legacy

Dexter was considered one of the most dynamic and infuential midfielders in the comic universe. On 30 November 2003 The Guardian selected Hamish as the 5th best comic footballer of all time above teammate Roy Race.

On 10 December 2010, Scott Murray, Tim Bradford, Doug Cheeseman and David Hills for The Guardian made a Top6 of the most memorable football cartoons, with Dexter coming second. On 26 January 2012, Tom Stewart picked his 10 Top10 of Fictional Footballers, picking Dexter as the 9th and 2nd best ever from the comic footballers (the other comic player of the list was Roy Race who topped the list). On 10 August 2013 The42 blog picked Dexter in ultimate 5-a-side choosing the five best players (GK: Gordon Stewart – The Safest Hands in Soccer, Kevin Mouse - Mighty Mouse, Billy Dane – Billy’s Boots, Hamish Balfour – Hot Shot Hamish, and manager: Roy Race – Roy of the Rovers).

The football comic heroes blog selected him as the best player of all time in November 2014. On 19 July 2016, Larry Ryan picked his fictional football XI with Dexter in it (jersey number 4).

See also

• Roy Race

Sources

• The official Roy of the Rovers website
• All Hard Man issues (1983) Scroll down

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