John Green was born and grew up near to Warrington, like his lifelong friend Roger Hunt; both played as amateurs for Stockton Heath before becoming professional footballers. Green began his professional career with Tranmere Rovers, signing in February 1958, with the club in the Third Division North. At the end of the 1957–58 season the Third DivisionNorth and South were dissolved and replaced by the Third Division and the Fourth Division. Tranmere were allowed to join the new Third Division having finished in the top twelve in 1957–58 – they finished ahead of thirteenth place York City on goal average.
Blackpool
from August 1959 to August 1961 limited his appearances in his first couple of seasons as a Blackpool player. Green made his debut for Ron Suart's Blackpool on 5 March 1960, in a 4–2 victory at Leeds United. Green went on to make a further six appearances in the 1959–60 campaign. The following season, 1960–61, Green made just one league appearance, on 8 October 1960, as Suart rang the changes following a single-goal defeat at Preston North End in the West Lancashire derby in the previous outing. In 1961–62, Green made nine league appearances. He also scored his first goals for the club. The first came on 14 April 1962, in a 3–2 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday. A second followed seven days later, this time in a 3–1 victory over Manchester City at Bloomfield Road. Green also made two appearances for the club in the League Cup: firstly in their third-round tie at Workington on 5 November, his strike being the only goal of the game; and secondly in their semi-final second leg game at home to Norwich City on 16 April 1962, which proved to be their elimination match. Green made twelve league appearances in 1962–63, scoring one goal in the process. It was during the 1963–64 season that Suart gave Green an extended run in the team. He made 23 appearances and scored two goals. In 1964–65, though, he was ever-present throughout Blackpool's 42 league games. He also scored twice. Green returned to being a rotation player in 1965–66, making 26 appearances. For 1966–67, Green's final season with the club, the midfielder became one of two Greens in the team, after the arrival of Tony Green, a Scot, from Newcastle United. The Englishman made fifteen league appearances, a third of which occurred under new manager Stan Mortensen. Green's final appearance for the club took place in the penultimate league game of the season, a 3–1 defeat at home to West Bromwich Albion on 6 May 1967. After maintaining a First Division status during Green's eight seasons with the club, Blackpool were relegated to the Second Division at the end of the campaign. Green had played a total of 145 league and cup games for Blackpool, scoring a total of 11 goals in all competitions.
Port Vale
In September 1967, Green was signed for Fourth Division Port Vale by Stanley Matthews, who Green had admired from childhood and alongside whom he had played towards the end of Matthews' playing career with Blackpool. He made a 'superb' start to his Vale career, and was seen as one of the club's most skilful players. However, he soon lost his first team place, and made just eleven appearances in 1967–68. Green then spent May to October 1968 with Vancouver Royals. Although Green was originally recruited by Bobby Robson, by the time he joined Vancouver Royals, Robson had been replaced as coach by Ferenc Puskás, who made Green captain for his season with the Canadian club. While there he notched 4 goals in 25 matches as the Royals struggled in the North American Soccer League, and finished bottom of the Pacific Division. Returning to Vale Park for the rest of the 1968–69 campaign, he found himself working under a new manager in Gordon Lee. Green struggled with his fitness but played twelve games, finding himself on the scoresheet in home wins against Newport County and Chester. He then helped the club to win promotion in 1969–70, and was an ever-present with 46 league and six cup appearances. He was given the club's Player of the Year award for his contribution to the campaign. He said that "It came as a complete surprise, all the lads were sure it would be John James". However, he could not translate this success over to the 1970–71 Third Division campaign, and new signings Brian Horton and Tony Lacey established themselves in the first eleven. He was not offered a new contract at the end of the season. Green had played a total of 98 league and cup games for Port Vale, scoring a total of 9 goals in all competitions.
