Norman John was a bustling, strong, old-fashioned, no-nonsense type of centre forward who mastered the art of goalscoring on both sides of the Minch.
Although he has a fearsome reputation as a goal grabber Norman John actually began his career as a goalkeeper for the Nicolson Institute school team.
He began: "I played in goals for the school but I was always a frustrated striker and only did it after being press-ganged by the rest of the boys as no-one else would do it.
"It was just about that time we had a PE teacher called Skinner who had no real interest in football and the school team weren't doing well. They had finished bottom of the league and were on the brink of dropping out of the league.
"In stepped Angie Nicolson who was the school geography teacher and a former school stalwart. He was a great character and he insisted that the side carry on and we actually did very well. Aths were the team to beat at that time and we gave them a bit of a challenge."
After leaving school the big striker joined up with the islands most devastating force in Stornoway Athletic and this proved to be match made in heaven.
"I finally got out of goals and started to put them in," Norman John laughed.
"One of Aths great strikers, John Robertson, had just left the island and I was drafted in as his replacement. I was only there one season in 1966 but we won the league and a few cups."
The year Norman John spent with Aths was one of the greatest in the club's history. The Stornoway side were dominant winning the league, the Lewis Cup, the Spring Cup, the Five's at the Highland Games, the Junior League and Ladywell Cup. In fact every competition they entered.
Norman John also picked up an Eilean an Fhraoich Cup winners medal with Point in the same year after he scored twice in a 6 - 1 final win over Harris.
His performance in the 2 - 1 Spring Cup final win over Lochs was even more memorable for Macdonald, who again found himself between the sticks after an injury to regular goalkeeper Norman Graham.
Norman John's work then took him away from the island where he spent 12 years but he remained a frequent visitor to the islands and occasional Point player before he returned full-time in 1980.
"In my time away I managed to win a Highland League medal with Nairn County who I played with for a spell. It was while with them that I came across the most difficult opponent I ever faced," he recalled.
"Willie Miller was one man who I simply couldn't beat or even get around. I played against him in 1976 in a friendly for Nairn County. We had just won the Highland League and were playing Aberdeen but he was impossible to beat. He seemed to second guess absolutely everything I tried. He was brilliant.
"I enjoyed my time with Nairn and I also played for Ross County. During my time in the Highland League, I managed to score against Alan Rough. I also played and scored in a friendly with Rangers. That game was actually Davie Cooper's second game for the Gers after signing. You could tell straight away he was quality."
He continued: "During this time I would return home for one-off games like the Eilean an Fhraoich especially when Iain Crichton was in charge. I remember I was at work one day working for the Police in Inverness when Iain Crichton turned up at the front desk looking for me. Point were on a pre-season tour of the Black Isle and they were short following an injury so he wanted me to play a few games which I managed to do.
"I came back to the Western Isles in 1980 and played three seasons with Point. "We were very successful and in 1981 we famously won the league with a 100% record after winning every league game we played. We also won every cup we entered with the exception of the Eilean an Fhraoich Cup which one of my team mates Charlton Murray won with Tolsta," said Norman John.
The next stop on his travels was South Uist where Norman John spent four years in his roles as a player and manager of the Uist Select.
"I remember coming up and beating the Lewis and Harris Select. That was a bittersweet feeling.
"I also remember playing for the Lewis and Harris Select in Back one year when we played Skye and Lochaslsh. We were in great form and ran out easy 7 - 0 winners and I managed to score four that day."
In a long and distinguished career spanning 20 years Norman John has a trophy cabinet the envy of most and a head packed full of happy memories but for him there is no doubt of which honour he is most proud.
He revealed: "The highlight of my island football career was definitely that phenomenal year with Point. We were a great side and we virtually won a clean sweep.
"In fact, for my dream team I can't go past that side which won the lot except the EAF Cup but that was only a momentary blip and we had won that the year before.
"I would have Iain Crichton as manager and play a 4 - 3 - 3. There are so many players I have to leave out like Charlie Crawford, 'Frogie, 'Fluffy' Murray and 'Iver' Macdonald, but there is only room for eleven.
"Another of the highlights for me was being capped by the Scottish Police six times. That was a great honour and I enjoyed travelling the country with them to play England," Norman John continued.
"One game with that team I'll never forget was a cup final with Point against Ness. I had booked a family holiday which clashed with a cup final. I was disappointed to be missing such a big game but it couldn't be helped. Before I went I told the boys to take it to a replay and I'd get the winner when I got back.
"I returned to find the game had gone to a replay. At the start of the game I told Buck that if he would keep them out then I'd guarantee a goal. We won 1 - 0 with me scoring the winner.
"Another game I remember fondly was against Ness in the Eilean an Fhraoich Cup. We were given a 5 - 0 gubbing and I missed a penalty. It was really poor performance and one of my lows in Lewis football.
"We went back to Garrabost for the second leg and I missed a penalty again but it didn't matter as we won 9 - 0. I made amends for my misses with four or five goals in the return leg."
With the ecstatic highs of glory in football also come the thudding down to earth reality of lows and Norman John concedes there is one which he remembers avidly.
Norman John added: "Without a doubt the lowest point of my island football career came in a match against Rovers. Point were involved in a title battle with Harris and we ended the season with a home game against Rovers needing to win for the league.
"With about 10 minutes to go I was running clean through on goal when I was clattered.
"The referee was Murdo Macdonald who was a committee member for Rovers and of course he never gave the penalty. I gave him dog's abuse and my language alone deserved five red cards but he didn't even book me. That decision cost us the league as we drew and Harris took it by a point."
There are very few if any players in the history of Lewis and Harris football with an honours haul to rival Norman John. He really was worth his weight in goals and the only trophy at any level of football he played that he didn't win was the Qualifying Cup in the Highland League.
He enjoyed a clean sweep of all honours in Lewis and Harris, Uist and Barra, the Inverness Welfare and the Highland League, with the single exception of the Qualifying Cup.
He is still very much a Rudhach favourite and fondly remembered as the peerless master of his goalscoring craft.