His time with The Imps was however a mixed affair with John struggling to find the net with any great regularity and although in his two seasons with the club he netted 18 times in 67 games it therefore came as no surprise when at the end 1984-85 they decided to cash in by selling him to recently relegated Preston North End for £15,000. In his last game for Lincoln he was to witness a nightmare when 56 spectators were killed in a horrendous stand fire while playing Bradford City.