Starting as a youngster with Peterborough United John O’Flynn played for a number of clubs in the League of Ireland either side of a six-year Football League career with Barnet and Exeter City. In an often-injury disrupted time at St James’ Park, John scored twenty-five league and cup goals in four seasons between 2010 and 2014.    

Born in Cobh, John was a professional with Peterborough United between 2000 and 2002 before - having failed to make the first-team - returning home to play successfully in a Cork City team that won the league in 2005 and the cup in 2007. Now representing the Republic of Ireland at under-21 level, John was presented with another opportunity to play in England when he signed for Barnet in September 2008. 

After scoring eighteen league and cup goals during his first season in North London John scored on another sixteen occasions during 2009/10 turning down a £100,000 move to Shrewsbury Town in the process. Declining a new contract offer from Barnet, John stepped up a grade when he agreed terms with League One Exeter City in July 2010 after initially failing to secure a deal with Bristol City.  

John made his Exeter debut against Colchester United on 7 August 2010 and opened his account at home to Bristol Rovers two weeks later. Scoring most of his goals before Christmas, John netted seven times in all competitions as City finished 8th in League One.

Injuries affected John during 2011/12 when he scored just twice from 26 league and cup appearances as City were ultimately relegated. Back in League Two John found the net a dozen times in all competitions in 2012/13 but only on four occasions the following season. Scoring his last goal for the Grecains at Portsmouth in November 2013, John appeared relatively regularly until his final game for City against Scunthorpe on 26 April 2014.  

John left St James’ Park in May 2014 and rejoined Cork City before moving on to Limerick and, in 2018, Finn Harps by which time he was working in sales for a sportswear company in County Wexford.