John Inglis is Worcester City's all-time leading goalscorer. He scored 189 goals in 324 competitive matches between 1970 and 1977. Including friendly games, he totalled just over 200 goals.

John was born in Leven, Fife on 19 May 1947. After starting with Glenrothes Athletic, he was signed by Aston Villa in 1965. He spent three years with Villa as a capable reserve player, but only made three first-team appearances before moving on to Crewe in 1968. In his time there, John made 47 Football League appearances, scoring 10 goals.

City manager Eddie Stuart signed John for a small fee in July 1970 and rated him as his best capture. In his first season at St George’s Lane, John soon proved his manager was right. Playing in a mediocre team, John attracted the attention of Football League scouts with 20 goals in 57 appearances, forming a dynamic forward partnership with former England international, Gerry Hitchens, also a former Villa player. However, John could not find a job locally, and shortly after being voted “Player of the Year” he moved on to Hereford United in a player exchange deal which brought in winger Micky Lewis plus £750.

Hereford, managed by John Charles, were a season away from election to the Football League, and had started taking on full-time players. With a wife and two daughters to support, John jumped at the chance to move to Edgar Street, but to his frustration he was unable to keep a regular place in the first team, making just 23 appearances, mainly in the Border Counties League and Welsh Cup matches, scoring 7 goals.

In March 1972 he returned to Worcester on a month’s loan. This led to another player exchange deal as Hereford paid £3,500 plus John in return for Trevor Jones. John was able to secure his finances when City director George Goode arranged to employ him at the Bradford and Bingley Building Society in Worcester.

In the seasons between March 1972 and January 1977, John scored 4, 42, 36, 37, 37 and 13 goals. He was top scorer in the Southern League on two occasions. Among his feats were five hat-tricks and six goals in one game when City beat Oswestry 12-2 on 16th March 1976.

In his last two seasons at Worcester, John sustained two serious head injuries. After receiving severe concussion late in 1975, he clashed heads with Barry Williams when scoring against Wellingborough in January 1977. Suffering from recurrent dizziness and with a secure job outside football, John took the advice of doctors and quit the game.

John subsequently moved into a managerial role with Bradford and Bingley and went onto work as a financial consultant in the Leicester area.

John is perhaps best remembered for his arm whirling runs to the corner flag after scoring, a technique practiced on many occasions. His goalscoring record will probably never be broken.

- Article by Julian Pugh, Club Historian