John Aiken was born in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, on January 13, 1913. He was the son of Billy Aiken, who was Ballymena’s head postman in the 1930’s.

Johnny emigrated to Canada in 1930. The inside right played for the great Ulster United club in Toronto. In the 1934 season he helped Ulster United win the National Soccer League championship. He spent the winter of 1935-36 playing in Rochester for the Kodak team.

The 130 lbs winger was described as a player that had a similar playing style to that of Glasgow Celtic star Patsy Gallagher.

In 1937 he was one of Ulster United’s leading players as they won the Ontario Cup and were runners-up in the Dominion Cup. In 1938 he was a member of the Redhanders team that won the Lord Atholstan Trophy, emblematic of being National Soccer League playoff champions.

During the 1940’s Johnny became the manager of Ulster United. In 1946 Ulster United made a clean sweep of all honours. They won the Dominion Cup, the Ontario Major Soccer League, the Consols Cup, the Dunlop Cup and the Harris trophy. In 1951 he led his club to the Dominion Championship.

John passed away on May 12, 1968 at his home at Warden Avenue in Toronto.