scored three goals for Ayrshire against Renfrewshire at Paisley, and his performance was reviewed very positively in the Athletic News. On 28 January 1882, at Cliftonville in north Belfast, he played on the right wing for Ayrshire again, this time against a team composed of players representing the Belfast and district football association. Ayrshire won the game 12–0 and John Goodall scored a goal. On 18 February 1882, Kilmarnock Athletic played in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup against Queen's Park F.C. at Hampden Park. Kilmarnock Athletic lost 3–2. But John Goodall gave a very creditable performance. On 17 March 1883 his team played a replayed semi-final of the 1882–83 Scottish Cup, but lost 2–0 at home against Vale of Leven. He represented Ayrshire again on 19 November 1883 at Kilmarnock in a match against a Lancashire representative team. Ayrshire won 6–3, and after the game Goodall was described in one review as being the best forward in the county. Having played for Kilmarnock Athletic, he later joined the exodus south and ended up at Great Lever. Kilmarnock Athletic played two matches in Lancashire in December 1883. The first was on 22 December 1883 against Great Lever, which resulted in a 3–1 win for Kilmarnock Athletic at the Great Lever ground in Bolton. Goodall scored one goal. They then played against Preston North End at Deepdale on 24 December 1883 and lost 4–1. This was the last game that John Goodall played for Kilmarnock Athletic. Along with Lucas, and Walkinshaw of Kilmarnock Athletic, John Goodall decided he did not want to return with his team back to Scotland and decided to stay in Lancashire joining the Great Lever Team because he could earn better wages in England. His first appearance for Great Lever took place on 29 December 1883 in a game against Halliwell. During the 1883–1884 season Great Lever played 45 matches. Of these, 35 were won, 8 were lost and 2 drawn. And with the help of John Goodall, the team became renowned for scoring lots of goals. They scored 180 goals and conceded 68. On 6 September 1884 at Great Lever in a 4–2 win for his team, he scored a goal against Blackburn Rovers. A week later he scored four goals at Great Lever in a 6–0 win over Derby County. On 17 November 1884 at Preston, he made an appearance for Preston North End, his