Johnson in a judder over an injury that could have killed

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He carried on playing for Warrington Wolves last summer for several weeks after an accidental kick in the neck in a Super League derby against St Helens.

Pain in the neck: but Johnson's injury could have been far worse

It was only when the stabbing pains became too frequent that the Great Britain utility player went for a scan. He now shudders at the risk he was taking by playing on.

"The specialist thought I had suffered a dislocated vertebra and told me the worst-case scenario was that it could have killed or paralysed me. That was scary.

"I have had a few serious injuries playing rugby league but have always thought 'it can be fixed'. The neck is different.

"Luckily, it turned out to be a bulging disc that was pressing on a nerve and they decided the best treatment was rest. But it must have been November before I knew I would be able to play again and I got the injury in May.

"For a long time it looked as though I would have to retire but I have done so much rehab on my neck."

Johnson, 29, who spent nine seasons with home-town club Wigan and three with Bradford before joining Warrington last season, says: "I must feel like a new signing.

"I missed most of my first season because I suffered a fracture of an index finger before I hurt my neck. The fans haven't seen the best of me yet."

Johnson has played in five Super League Grand Finals, winning with Wigan and Bradford, and one of the highlights of his 13 Great Britain appearances was scoring a hat-trick of tries against New Zealand.

Now he wants to win something with Warrington, who are determined to lose their tag of 'under achievers' after recruiting NRL stars Matt King, Michael Monaghan, Chris Hicks and Louis Anderson.

Tonight Warrington go to St Helens, where they have never won in the Super League era and only once in 30 games.

But Johnson said: "I have lost count of how many times I have won there. We used to beat them all the time when I was at Wigan." Pain in the neck: but Johnson's injury could have been far worse