Alan Pouton
Encyclopedia
Alan Pouton is an English
former professional footballer
who has subsequently moved into coaching. He is currently assistant manager at Maidstone United
. Pouton is perhaps best known for his spell at Grimsby Town
for whom he made over 100 appearances between 1999 and 2004. He also played league football for York City
, Gillingham
and Hartlepool United
and also played semi-professionally for Dover Athletic
, Maidstone United
and Sutton United
.
, his hometown club, but was not retained, and tried his luck at Oxford United
. Again, he was never presented with an opportunity to play during his time there and was released at the end of the 1995-1996 season.
in time for the 1996/97 season
. His debut came early on in the season as a substitute in the 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth
. He produced some good performances in the reserves and was eventually rewarded with his first start in the 3-0 home win against Hartlepool
. Pouton went on to make 25 appearances that season, three of which were in the FA Cup
. His first career goal was an 80th minute consolation goal in the 4-2 home defeat to Brentford
. The following season saw Pouton firmly establish himself as a tough tackling midfielder
, although his over-exuberance led to six bookings that season (to add to the six he had received the previous season). The highlight of the 1997/98 season
for Pouton undoubtedly came at Roots Hall
in a 4-4 draw with Southend
in which he scored twice. Pouton only scored once the following season, but he managed to pick up nine bookings as he started to pick up a reputation as a tough tackler.
made an approach to take Pouton on loan. Despite not starting a game during his month long loan spell, Pouton impressed sufficiently in his six substitute appearances to prompt Grimsby to pay £150,000 to secure him on a permanent basis. Upon signing, Pouton became a first team regular and went on to play in the majority of Grimsby's games that season. Surprisingly, in hindsight, Pouton only picked up two bookings that season in 41 games. His first goal for Grimsby (and only goal of the season) was an equaliser at Blundell Park
in a 1-1 draw with Manchester City
. Over the next three seasons, Pouton was booked 18 times and sent off
twice. Despite his occasional lapses in discipline, Pouton was generally a success at Grimsby, and although he was not noted for his goals, he still managed eleven goals including a hat-trick
in the 6-2 home win against Wimbledon
(although two of those goals were penalties
). He became a cult hero for his Never Say Die attitude, and his repeat step-overs, although he suffered increasing disciplinary problems, missing many games through a combination of injury and suspension. In the 2002/03 season
, Grimsby
were relegated to League One
after finishing bottom of the Championship
. Injury prevented Pouton from playing until December in League One
and he only then played five times before leaving the club to free up finances.
paid £30,000 to bring him back into the Championship
. Pouton did reasonably well in a season in which Gillingham survived relegation by the skin of their teeth - staying up by one goal whilst Walsall
were relegated instead. The next season was poor by Pouton's standards. He started the season on loan to Hartlepool
for whom he played six times and scored in the 3-3 draw with Hull
in the Football League Trophy
(Hartlepool won 4-1 on penalties). He returned to Gillingham, but only played a handful of games (twelve) as Gillingham were finally relegated. The 2005/06 season
was better for Pouton as he re-established himself in midfield. He played in the opening day victory over Colchester
and were it not for a succession of injuries perhaps would have played in more than the 24 games in which he appeared. Injuries continued to bedevil him in the following season, and on 31 January 2007 it was announced that he had opted to retire.
, however injuries again restricted him in claiming a regular first team place. During his spell at Dover Athletic, Pouton gained two promotions to the Isthmian League Premier Division and then the Conference South
. Over his two seasons at Crabble Stadium
, Pouton became a firm fans favourite with his exquisite passing and ability to change a game. Pouton won Dover's goal of the season prize in the 2008–09 season.
where he was soon appointed vice captain.
. Pouton made his debut for Sutton on 5 September 2009 against Boreham Wood
and played for the rest of the 2009-10 campaign at the Gander Green Lane
club before retiring from playing at the end of the season.
, who at the time were 8 points adrift at the bottom of the Isthmian League Premier Division. Pouton joined up with former Maidstone team mate Jay Saunders who had just been given the role of player-caretaker manager at the club. Saunders and Pouton led Maidstone to 5 wins from nine games, and although it was not enough to save Maidstone from relegation, Saunders and Pouton were both awarded their respective roles on a permanent basis on May 2, 2011.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who has subsequently moved into coaching. He is currently assistant manager at Maidstone United
Maidstone United F.C.
Maidstone United Football Club is an English football team from Maidstone, Kent.The current club is a continuation of the old Maidstone United, which was a member of the Football League between 1989 and 1992. The club was forced out of the league by financial ruin but the youth squad formed the...
. Pouton is perhaps best known for his spell at Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
for whom he made over 100 appearances between 1999 and 2004. He also played league football for York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
, Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
and Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
and also played semi-professionally for Dover Athletic
Dover Athletic F.C.
Dover Athletic Football Club is an association football team based in the town of Dover, Kent, England. The club was formed in 1983 after the dissolution of the town's previous club, Dover, whose place in the Southern League was taken by the new club...
, Maidstone United
Maidstone United F.C.
Maidstone United Football Club is an English football team from Maidstone, Kent.The current club is a continuation of the old Maidstone United, which was a member of the Football League between 1989 and 1992. The club was forced out of the league by financial ruin but the youth squad formed the...
and Sutton United
Sutton United F.C.
Sutton United Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Conference South. They are based in Sutton, London, and play their home games at the Borough Sports Ground in Gander Green Lane....
.
Oxford United
Pouton came through the youth ranks at Newcastle UnitedNewcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, his hometown club, but was not retained, and tried his luck at Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
. Again, he was never presented with an opportunity to play during his time there and was released at the end of the 1995-1996 season.
York City
Pouton was snapped up on a free transfer by York CityYork City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
in time for the 1996/97 season
1996-97 in English football
The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.- Premier League :...
. His debut came early on in the season as a substitute in the 2-1 home defeat against Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
. He produced some good performances in the reserves and was eventually rewarded with his first start in the 3-0 home win against Hartlepool
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
. Pouton went on to make 25 appearances that season, three of which were in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
. His first career goal was an 80th minute consolation goal in the 4-2 home defeat to Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
. The following season saw Pouton firmly establish himself as a tough tackling midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, although his over-exuberance led to six bookings that season (to add to the six he had received the previous season). The highlight of the 1997/98 season
1997-98 in English football
The 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title...
for Pouton undoubtedly came at Roots Hall
Roots Hall
Roots Hall is a multi-use sports stadium in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England, primarily used for football games and is the home of the Football League Two club Southend United. With a capacity of 12,392 Roots Hall is the largest football stadium in Essex, and is the current venue for the final of...
in a 4-4 draw with Southend
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
in which he scored twice. Pouton only scored once the following season, but he managed to pick up nine bookings as he started to pick up a reputation as a tough tackler.
Grimsby Town
At the beginning of the 1999/2000 season, GrimsbyGrimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
made an approach to take Pouton on loan. Despite not starting a game during his month long loan spell, Pouton impressed sufficiently in his six substitute appearances to prompt Grimsby to pay £150,000 to secure him on a permanent basis. Upon signing, Pouton became a first team regular and went on to play in the majority of Grimsby's games that season. Surprisingly, in hindsight, Pouton only picked up two bookings that season in 41 games. His first goal for Grimsby (and only goal of the season) was an equaliser at Blundell Park
Blundell Park
Blundell Park is a football ground in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England and home to Grimsby Town Football Club. The stadium was built in 1898, but only one of the original stands remain. The current capacity of the ground is 9546, though with the introduction of all seating in the late...
in a 1-1 draw with Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
. Over the next three seasons, Pouton was booked 18 times and sent off
Misconduct (football)
Misconduct in association football is any conduct by a player that is deemed by the referee to warrant a disciplinary sanction in accordance with Law 12 of the Laws of the Game. Misconduct may occur at any time, including when the ball is out of play, during half-time and before and after the...
twice. Despite his occasional lapses in discipline, Pouton was generally a success at Grimsby, and although he was not noted for his goals, he still managed eleven goals including a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in the 6-2 home win against Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
(although two of those goals were penalties
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
). He became a cult hero for his Never Say Die attitude, and his repeat step-overs, although he suffered increasing disciplinary problems, missing many games through a combination of injury and suspension. In the 2002/03 season
2002-03 in English football
The 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Most Memorable rise:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time.-Most Memorable...
, Grimsby
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
were relegated to League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
after finishing bottom of the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
. Injury prevented Pouton from playing until December in League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
and he only then played five times before leaving the club to free up finances.
Gillingham
GillinghamGillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
paid £30,000 to bring him back into the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
. Pouton did reasonably well in a season in which Gillingham survived relegation by the skin of their teeth - staying up by one goal whilst Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
were relegated instead. The next season was poor by Pouton's standards. He started the season on loan to Hartlepool
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
for whom he played six times and scored in the 3-3 draw with Hull
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
in the Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
(Hartlepool won 4-1 on penalties). He returned to Gillingham, but only played a handful of games (twelve) as Gillingham were finally relegated. The 2005/06 season
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
was better for Pouton as he re-established himself in midfield. He played in the opening day victory over Colchester
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
and were it not for a succession of injuries perhaps would have played in more than the 24 games in which he appeared. Injuries continued to bedevil him in the following season, and on 31 January 2007 it was announced that he had opted to retire.
Dover Athletic
Pouton came out of retirement in June 2007 to sign on a semi-professional basis for Dover AthleticDover Athletic F.C.
Dover Athletic Football Club is an association football team based in the town of Dover, Kent, England. The club was formed in 1983 after the dissolution of the town's previous club, Dover, whose place in the Southern League was taken by the new club...
, however injuries again restricted him in claiming a regular first team place. During his spell at Dover Athletic, Pouton gained two promotions to the Isthmian League Premier Division and then the Conference South
Conference South
Conference South is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National...
. Over his two seasons at Crabble Stadium
Crabble Stadium
Crabble Athletic Ground is a football stadium located in the northern Dover suburb of River, Kent, England. It was the home of the various incarnations of Dover F.C. from 1931 until the club folded in 1983...
, Pouton became a firm fans favourite with his exquisite passing and ability to change a game. Pouton won Dover's goal of the season prize in the 2008–09 season.
Maidstone United
At the end of the 2008-09 season Pouton decided against signing a new contract with Dover due to work commitments and further travelling. He subsequently signed for fellow Kent side Maidstone UnitedMaidstone United F.C.
Maidstone United Football Club is an English football team from Maidstone, Kent.The current club is a continuation of the old Maidstone United, which was a member of the Football League between 1989 and 1992. The club was forced out of the league by financial ruin but the youth squad formed the...
where he was soon appointed vice captain.
Sutton United
In late August 2009 Pouton left Maidstone after just four appearances to join Isthmian League Premier Division rivals Sutton UnitedSutton United F.C.
Sutton United Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Conference South. They are based in Sutton, London, and play their home games at the Borough Sports Ground in Gander Green Lane....
. Pouton made his debut for Sutton on 5 September 2009 against Boreham Wood
Boreham Wood F.C.
Boreham Wood F.C. are a football club based in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, at Meadow Park football ground. They were established in 1948, and have reached the FA Cup 2nd Round proper twice in their history. For 2011-12 they will play in Conference South...
and played for the rest of the 2009-10 campaign at the Gander Green Lane
Borough Sports Ground
The Borough Sports Ground is the home of Sutton United F.C.. It is also known as Gander Green Lane or simply GGL because of its location on that road...
club before retiring from playing at the end of the season.
Maidstone United
On 18 March 2011 Pouton was named caretaker assistant manager at Maidstone UnitedMaidstone United F.C.
Maidstone United Football Club is an English football team from Maidstone, Kent.The current club is a continuation of the old Maidstone United, which was a member of the Football League between 1989 and 1992. The club was forced out of the league by financial ruin but the youth squad formed the...
, who at the time were 8 points adrift at the bottom of the Isthmian League Premier Division. Pouton joined up with former Maidstone team mate Jay Saunders who had just been given the role of player-caretaker manager at the club. Saunders and Pouton led Maidstone to 5 wins from nine games, and although it was not enough to save Maidstone from relegation, Saunders and Pouton were both awarded their respective roles on a permanent basis on May 2, 2011.