Formerly with Manchester City, John Sharpe made his only Football League appearances in the colours of Exeter City during the mid-1990s before returning to the Midlands to play non-league football.

Brother of Lee Sharpe (Torquay United, Manchester United, Leeds United, Bradford City, Portsmouth, Exeter City and England), John left school in Halesowen to join Manchester City as a trainee in 1991. Signing professionally in July 1993, John never made a first-team appearance and was allowed to join Exeter City in February 1996.

First appearing in a goalless draw at Scarborough on 3 February 1996, John appeared in fourteen games for the club in 1995/96 before taking his overall tally to around thirty-five league and cup games by the end of the following campaign. 

With City finishing the season third from bottom of the Football League, John hadn’t done enough to win a new contract and, in May 1997 several months short of his 22nd birthday, his professional career was over as he returned home to play for Halesowen Town, Bromsgrove Rovers, Oldbury United and Solihull Moors.