John Williams, arriving from a brief stint with Walsall, made around 35 league appearances for Exeter City during 1997/98 in a 450-game Football League career that had started at Swansea City. Playing for another five league clubs after leaving St James Park (including a return to Swansea), John continued to play non-league football after his professional career was over.

Working for the Royal Mail - and affectionately known as the ‘Flying Postman’ - John was playing for  Cradley Town when he joined Swansea City in August 1991. An immediate success at the Vetch Field, he scored 11 times in 39 league appearances before transferring to Coventry City in July 1992 where he spent three years enjoying 80 league outings (11 goals).

Not always a regular for Coventry, John had spent time on loan at Notts County, Stoke City and back at Swansea City before, in September 1995, leaving Highfield Road to move to Wycombe Wanderers for whom he was to net 9 goals in 48 league appearances. He then had brief stays at Hereford United and Walsall ahead of linking up with Exeter City in August 1997.

Signing for a team managed by Peter Fox, John made his debut for the Grecians in the win at Doncaster Rovers on 30 August 1997 and made 16 starts in a single-season stay as well as featuring 20 times from the bench. With City finishing 15th it was a season of steady progress after the troubles of preceding campaigns and John was able to assist with four goals.

Leaving St James’ Park at the end of the season, John moved to Cardiff City (43 league games; 12 goals) and later York City, Darlington  and Swansea City where he started 37 league games (with another 31 from the bench) and contributed five goals. Bidding farewell to South Wales, John saw out his 452-game, 71-goal Football League career with a full-season at Kidderminster Harriers in 2003/04 not too far from Cradley Town where he had started. 

FInishing his professional career, John moved back into non-league football with Bath City and later Redditch United, Evesham United, Weston-Super-Mare, Stourbridge, Willenhall Town and, by 2008, Boldmere St Michaels. Away from football he had carved out a career working on projects designed to help young people to live independently.