Durnin's career began with
Liverpool in
1986, when he was signed from local
non-League side
Waterloo Dock for £500. Able to play in midfield or up front, he was a regular in the
Liverpool Reserves. Still, he failed to break into the first team, making only two appearances, both in the
League Cup. In October 1988 he was
loaned out to
West Bromwich Albion, as one of
Brian Talbot's first signings at
The Hawthorns. He scored twice in five
Second Division appearances before returning to
Anfield. He moved to
Oxford United in February 1989, after
manager Brian Horton paid a fee of £225,000. The "Yellows" finished 17th in the Second Division in
1988–89 and
1989–90, with Durnin finishing as the
club's top scorer in the latter campaign with 15 goals. They rose to 10th in
1990–91, only to plummet to one place and two points above the
relegation zone in
1991–92. They rose to 14th in
1992–93. Durnin spent four and a half years at the
Manor Ground, amassing 47 goals in 180 league and cup appearances, becoming a cult hero amongst the fans, who affectionately gave him the nickname "Johnny Lager". Durnin was snapped up by
Portsmouth for £200,000 in July 1993, with the manager
Jim Smith looking to play up him front alongside
Paul Walsh. The club finished 17th in the
First Division in
1993–94 and 18th in
1994–95. He hit three goals in
1995–96, as "Pompey" avoided the drop after finishing one place ahead of relegated
Millwall on
goal difference. He scored three times in 35 games in
1996–97, as
Terry Fenwick led the club to 7th place, one place and three points behind
Crystal Palace in the final
play-off place. The
Fratton Park faithful witnessed another relegation scrap in
1997–98, as "Pompey" finished two places and one point ahead of relegated
Manchester City; Durnin scored ten goals in 35 appearances during the campaign. He scored seven goals in 30 appearances in
1998–99, as
Alan Ball led the club to 19th, ahead of relegated
Bury on goals scored. Durnin lost his first-team place at the start of the
1999–2000 campaign after he
dislocated an
elbow by crashing a
golf cart into a fairway hollow. He was loaned out to Second Division
Blackpool in November 1999, and scored twice in six games for
Nigel Worthington's "Tangerines" with strikes against
Wigan Athletic in the league and
Hendon in the
FA Cup. He joined
Carlisle United on loan the following month, and signed a permanent deal at
Brunton Park in February 2000. He played 23 times for the "Cumbrians" in
1999–2000 as the club finished second-from-bottom in the
Third Division under
Martin Wilkinson, avoiding relegation into the
Conference only due to their superior goal difference to
Chester City. Durnin was without a club until he signed with
Football League newcomers
Kidderminster Harriers in October 2000, after being signed by former Liverpool teammate
Jan Mølby. He hit nine goals in 32 games in
2000–01, before leaving
Aggborough in the summer. He joined
League of Wales side
Rhyl as player-coach in July 2001. He returned to the Second Division in December 2001, linking up with his former manager Brian Horton at
Port Vale. He stayed at
Vale Park for 18 months, also helping out in a
coaching capacity, before he left in May 2003. Despite being the wrong side of 36, he still managed to play 19 games in
2001–02 and 31 games in
2002–03, scoring once in each campaign. Now aged 38, he signed a deal with Conference side
Accrington Stanley, and scored four goals in 15 games before he retired in 2004. ==Coaching career==