Bangor City 1876 new keeper John Danby will target a third promotion from the Cymru North
Highly experienced and accomplished goalkeeper John Danby has signed for CPD Dinas Bangor City 1876 on the eve of the 2026-27 Cymru North campaign
The 42-year-old was Holywell Town’s keeper last season as the Wellmen earned promotion back to the top-flight Cymru Premier after a 27-year absence.
Danby played for much of his career at Chester City, and the subsequent phoenix club Chester, although he has also represented Kidderminster Harriers, Eastwood Town, Bradford Park Avenue, Connah’s Quay Nomads and Flint Town United.
Born in Stoke, Danby spent five seasons with Kidderminster before being released and signed for Chester City in 2006. Danby’s time with Kiddy saw them relegated out of the Football League in 2004–05 but he established himself as a promising young goalkeeper.
He went on to enjoy a successful 2006–07 with Chester and was named the club’s player of the season.
On 12 August 2008, Danby made his 128th consecutive start for Chester in the Football League at Barnet, to break a record set more than 40 years earlier by Mike Metcalf.
Following the expulsion of Chester City from the Conference in February 2010, he joined Eastwood Town.
He later rejoined the phoenix club Chester on 9 June 2011 despite reported interest from three Football Conference sides. Danby became first choice goalkeeper in two consecutive Chester championships in Northern Premier League and Conference North, also winning Non-league Goalkeeper of the Year award in 2012.
In September 2014 he joined Conference North side Bradford Park Avenue, where he spent one season.
Danby’s association with North Wales football began in 2015, when he landed at Welsh Premier club Connah’s Quay Nomads.
He made his competitive Nomads debut in August as the club reached the Europa League for the first time where he kept two clean sheets in the defeat of Norwegian side Stabek,
Danby went on to make a total of 175 starts in all competitions for The Nomads within four seasons, winning the Welsh Cup in 2017/18..
In 2019-20, Danby joined Flint Town United, where he spent two seasons, the first of which saw the Silkmen win promotion from the Cymru North to the Cymru Premier.
The 6ft 2 stopper dropped into Tier 3 in 2022-23, signing for Flint Mountain. In 2023-24, he helped Mountain win the Ardal North West title and promotion to Cymru North.
Danby moved to Holywell Town last season and made 27 appearances as Johnny Haseldin’s side secured a place in Tier 1 for the first time since 1998-99.
Now comes a fresh challenge at Bangor, where Danby will no doubt hope to secure a third promotion from the Cymru North in his distinguished career.