John was an experienced centre half who was just short of his 32nd birthday when he signed for Welling in 1988. He had previously been at Maidstone United and had earned 4 England Semi Professional Caps and cost us £2000. He joined his former Maidstone United team mates Tony Reynolds, Duncan Horton, and Phil Handford who had signed the previous season.
John was a no nonsense defender and made over 200 appearances for the club and scored over 30 goals in the process. He will always be remembered as the player who on 8 January 1989, but for the linesman declaring that the ball did not cross the line, would have made Welling history by being the first player to score in the 3rd round of the FA Cup.
With the exception of a short spell at Redbridge in 1989 John played for Welling United until November 1992. As far as I know his last match as a Welling United player was a Vauxhall Conference game at Slough on 10 November 1992 at the age of 36, a match which coincidently was Terry Robbins first match as player/manager.
I didn't know John personally but he was always well respected by the fans and always found time to talk with them in the bar after matches. A real 'diamond geezer'.
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YOUTH are the future
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"The worst thing you can do is make a committment and not meet it and I understand that." Barrie Hobbins 14 August 2010
