Johnny was a footballing friend of David Barlow's from his former club in London and along with fellow-player Steve was a witness at the wedding of David to Irma Ogden in December 1965. The two lads then formed a "guard of honour" on the steps of the Ridgeway Road Registry Office with four other players as the bride and groom came out, showering them with confetti contained in football boots!
Johnny claimed the first kiss from the bride and told David that it was lucky they weren't playing a southern club that day as they wouldn't have been able to stand as witnesses. The newly-weds refused to divulge the location of their wedding night in Blackpool for fear that the bed would be sabotaged and David offered his regrets that they couldn't attend a reception with them as their match in Preston was imminent. Johnny wasn't bothered, so long as he was sent some of the wedding cake.