Position : Midfield
Played : 1994-95 to 1996-97
Appearances : 88
Goals : 10
John was Mick Docherty's biggest signing at £25,000 from Burnley in January 1995. He started out at Blackpool making 313 appearances and scoring 43 goals before following Docherty to Burnley in 1989. He made 215 appearances at Turf Moor and scored 23 goals. Presumably Docherty never managed to persuade Sutton he was worth buying.
Burnley fans weren't pleased to see him go and he got off to a great start by scoring the only goal of the game on his debut at home to Hartlepool. John was a stocky Scouser who was strong on the ball and looked to surge forward at every opportunity. On form he was undoubtedly an asset. But Docherty's critics questioned the wisdom of spending tight funds on a 32-year old and they had a point. John's game relied on energy and when he wasn't 100% fit he was a liability , giving the ball away and collecting bookings for mistimed tackles. Nevertheless he was always picked when available and the change of manager in 1996 didn't affect him, Graham Barrow describing him as "the sort you want in the trenches with you." John's was the most surprising name on the released list in 1997 the more so when he was replaced by Ian Bryson, his junior by all of a month.
John went on to Southport where he had a short but eventful career. He scored in each of his first four games then in his fifth , an FA Cup tie against York he was sent off. While serving the suspension he received medical advice to stop playing due to a heart condition and immediately obeyed. Happily he's in good health now and runs a double glazing business in Liverpool.
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