Born in Salford, John began following Manchester United in the 1930s, attending his first match in 1939 at just six years old. He went to the same school as one of the Busby Babes who lost their lives in the Munich Air Disaster, Eddie Colman, and was a good friend of another, David Pegg.
Sadly, John contracted Covid-19 earlier this month, and was unable to overcome the illness.
When news spread around the United-supporting community, a wave of well-wishers used social media to pay tribute to a kind and helpful fan who had made a big impression on those who encountered him at matches and, in particular, on European away trips.