However, three years later the family had moved to Bonhill itself, his father inevitably to the print-fields. And it was in Bonhill that Johnny's footballing career as a quick left-winger or inside-forward began, first with the local Hibernian club before moving to Dumbarton Harp, probably its junior iteration just formed in 1906. Then for 1908-9 he joined Vale of Leven and until the beginning of the 1912-13 season went between the two, whilst also working as a baker. But in October 1912, aged twenty-four, he was signed full-time by Celtic and there spent the next seven seasons, including, of course, the War years, winning the Scottish Cup in 1914, the year he also won his only cap, and the Scottish League from 1914 to 1917and once more in 1919. In all he made two hundred and seventeen appearances for The Hoops before for the 1919-20 season taking himself South and spending a less than successful year at Chelsea.

By then he was into his thirties and after London returned North once more to Bonhill but he did so with family. In 1912 in Bonhill he had married local girl, Jessie Campbell. They were to have three children, a girl, who died young, and two boys, John, and the younger one, Thomas, born, it seems, in England. And once back he reverted as a decade before to moving between home turf and Dumbarton, this time between Dumbarton FC and Vale and Leven. In 1921 he is recorded as a professional footballer with the former.