John Harris appeared as a guest for Exeter City during 1945/46 when two interim league competitions - Division Three South (South of Thames) [played until Christmas] and the Division Three South Cup (Southern Section) [played from January] - were organised ahead of a return to ‘normal’ league football in 1946/47. He later played over 300 league matches for Chelsea, where he won a league champions medal, before enjoying a long stint as manager and general manager at Sheffield United.  

Son of Scottish international Neil Harris (1894-1941), John had been with Swindon, Swansea and Tottenham Hotspur during the 1930s. Joining Wolves shortly before the outbreak of war he spent much of the war years playing for Southampton before signing permanently for Chelsea in August 1945.

With football not yet back to ‘normal’, players continued to guest for other clubs and John played twice for Exeter City in back-to-back fixtures against Brighton and Hove Albion in February and March 1946.  

Quickly establishing himself at Chelsea from the resumption of league football in 1946, he made 326 league appearances for the club and was a member of the 1954/55 championship-winning side. He later became player-manager of Chester before enjoying an eighteen year association with Sheffield United as manager, general manager and senior executive.

Later becoming a lay preacher he died in July 1988.