The first game that I ever attended was the 1977 CC Final and Atky was the first ever Leeds player that I saw score a try.
He has sadly suffered for many years through serious ill health so has not had any quality of life,I also feel for his wife who has endured such a torrid time caring for him during his illness

RIP John, You may now lay in peace

Blighted in later life by the cruellest of diseases but one of the greatest Leeds has ever seen.

RIP John.

condolences to Johns family. RIP John Atkinson, Leeds Legend.

Very sad news indeed and like others have said a true legend and it was a pleasure watching him play.
Condolences to his family.
RIP Atky.

Such sad news. An all-time great winger.
I met him once when I was still a kid. He brought the challenge cup to an open day at bishopsgarth police training centre - 1978 I think.
Condolences to all affected.

RIP - A fantastic winger From a HULL KR fan who had the pleasure of seeing him play..... (unless he was scoring against us)

In my early days of watching RL on TV ( BBC 2 Floodlit cup) he was a player who always stood out.

RIP John- a RL great

One of the greatest as stated by others the likes of which we may never see again
RIP John

Leeds have always been famous for its wingers and John is right at the top of that list. Smith and Atky was the best wing pairing we ever had. I was lucky enough to see the back end of both of their Leeds careers.

It's sad news for the everyone associated with our great club. More needs to be done in RL to honour past greats. Leeds do more than most but still more needs to be done.

RIP John. Thanks for the memories. A true great.

Watching old footage of him online & imo he'd walk into any Team in any era.
R.I.P Legend.

Great player to watch in full stride gong for the line .So sad what a terrible illnes RIP

He had great pace and balance and style and was fantastic when faced with a full back to beat. He told me once that the key was never making eye contact with the full back. Once the FB decelerated, he would usually put on the right foot step and he possessed what many of the greats have in football and rugby , a real change of pace.
He scored a bucket load of great tries, my favourites were the only try in the semi v saints at Wigan in 77 and the 2 in the quarter in 78 v Bradford northern. My memory maybe wrong but iIRC Keith Mumby was the Northern full back and got left for dead twice. Given Mumby was the best defensive full back I have ever seen, says it all.
Thanks for the memories, RIP Atky.

I have to say that the greatest moment of my 35 year career in Rugby Union (sorry!) was when I got to play in a vets' side with him for a few games some years ago. It was the greatest thrill to be passing the ball to one of my all-time heroes & celebrating a try/victory with him.

He gave so many so much pleasure to so many over many years, and suffered so much in his latter years, that it just doesn't seem fair, does it?

RIP John, hero of Leeds & RL

What very sad news to learn of John’s passing. We played in the same school Union side coached by Ken Dalby and I had the pleasure to see a great many of the tries he scored for Leeds. He suffered greatly in his final years as did Carol to whom I send my sincere condolences.

RIP Johnny

i only saw the back end of john's career but he is a very sad loss to our game
rip john you are a loiners legend and also a gb legend