Meet Declan John, born on 30 June 1995 and weighing an average of 75kg (11st 11lb). A Welshman who primarily defends his turf as a left back for St Mirren. He brings an imposing presence to the pitch, standing at 1.78m (5ft 10in). He also sports the number 24 jersey, inviting some late-night numerology enthusiasts to spend countless hours divining whether there's any hidden meaning to this particular number choice.
Rated at a rather unimpressive €250k (or roughly £213k for those of us still clinging to the pound) by the oracle of all things football transfer related, Transfermarkt, John's contract with St Mirren is expected to continue its plaintive march toward exhaustion on 31 May 2027.
The saga of John's career took root in July 2011 when he joined Cardiff City as a trainee. In the period of romping around at Cardiff City, he made appearances numbering from 20 to a lowly single appearance in subsequent seasons before the club decided to loan him out. The first of this exciting 'football version of Hot Potato' landed him at Barnsley, Chesterfield and Swansea City, the latter of which he ultimately joined for the princely sum of £800k. As if his tour of England hadn't been riveting enough, he also spent a loan spell at Rangers in Scotland, scoring three goals in his 26 appearances for the club.
However, it seems that no one could hold on to John for too long, as he was subsequently shuttled between Sunderland, Bolton Wanderers and Salford City subsequently before the roaming defender found his way to St Mirren in the Premiership in Scotland in November 2024. In the current season at St Mirren, John has ticked off 18 appearances and managed to knock in two for good measure.
John should not be faulted for an apparent lack of commitment to a single club, or for the frequency with which he seems to be "up for loan". One cannot deny the appeal of Scottish Cup 2024 - 2025 for St Mirren, wherein he can boast of one start and one appearance as a substitute. All this globetrotting makes one wonder if the lad is trying to compile a comprehensive review of locker rooms across England and Scotland. Safe travels, Mr.John.
