Aberdeen Football Club Heritage Trust

It is some considerable time since the subject of this sketch commenced leather hunting. Mr Thomson started in the Wellington, a Woodside junior team, and remained with them for a season. Migrating to the Woodside, he did duty for them until they broke up, after which, along with Donald Currie and Ruxton, he threw in his lot with the 2nd Aberdeen. On Mugiemoss being started, he consented to play, and appeared regularly for two seasons in the paper-makers' team. The resurrection of Woodside proved his love for that club, and for a season he did good work in his old team. Again returning to the Whites, in whose ranks he has just commenced his fourth season, he was given a trial in the senior half-back line, and so well did he perform that his place in the eleven has been a certainty ever since. Possessed of good speed and a thorough knowledge of the game, Mr Thomson can always be relied on to give a good account of himself against any team. His "off days" are few and far between, and he is deservedly one of the most popular players who have striven to uphold the honour and reputation of the good old Whites.

Source: Bon-Accord, 21st October 1897

In the post 1903 amalgamation, John took on the roll of trainer with Aberdeen's reserves. He was also reinstated as an amateur by the SFA in late 1906.