John was born in 1886, and worked at the bank's head office. He joined the London Regiment in September 1914 and served throughout the war.

Hobbs played for the club during the 1918/19 season having previously played for New Crusaders (a famous, but short lived, pre-WWI team based in Sidcup, Kent), where he played in their 1912 Easter tour victories at Barcelona. He gained England A.F.A. International honours against Wales and France while playing for the Norbury based work side of the Union Of London And Smith's Bank (later part of NatWest).

"JE Hobbs, Essex County's favorite player, having played several times as a representative of the League of Amateurs, del Sud and the AFA and internationally." [Mundo Deportivo archive]