Alex Penny
Encyclopedia
Alexander Penny is a former youth trainee footballer and is currently an academy coach with Southampton FC.
centre of excellence from his schoolboy club Shrewton United F.C.
at the age of 12 after his mathematics
teacher John Atyeo
recommended him to both Arsenal and Bristol City. During his time at the club Penny qualifing through his grandmother was called up to the Scottish under 16s preliminary squad for the 1992 European championships in Cyprus. After 3 years Penny was not offered an apprenticeship at the gunners but joined Yeovil Town
. Penny was released by the glovers after the youth team was dispanded. Trials at Oxford United
, Exeter City
and Crewe Alexandra
soon followed but Penny ended up playing for his local team Shrewton United
and working as a lifeguard.
Penny finnished playing at the age of 24 after a brief spell at Weston-super-Mare and the early promise that was shown as a player was not fulfilled.
when he was approached by Derby County
in 2000. During his time with the Rams, Penny represented the ex-rams football team and also developed new coaching methods for young goalkeepers working within the academy.
In 2003, Penny became first team understudy to Wolverhampton Wanderers
goalkeeping coach Bobby Mimms
and senior coach at Wolves Women's FC working with Aston Villa
legend Dennis Mortimer
and England
international Player Emily Westwood
.
Penny became one of the youngest coaches to obtain the UEFA 'A' coaching license this was another clear indication of his quality as a coach. Soon other clubs came courting the services of one of the brightest coaches in the country and Penny decided to join premiership team Birmingham City FC.
After 3 years with Birmingham City
, Penny returned to Bristol City in 2006.
Penny joined Southampton FC as Technical coach within its academy set up in a part time capacity at the start of 2008.
Later in 2008, Penny moved into international football working with the Dominica Football Association
and the Dominica national football team
coaching players such as Glenson Prince and Ross Jeremy.
Penny was appointed FA @ Futsal Technical Director in 2009 and was instrumental in developing the pathways from futsal
into the 11 aside game. Futsal
is the game that developed players such as Cristiano Ronaldo
and Lionel Messi
. Penny is credited with working and analysing top players from abroad and moving the game forward within the UK.
Penny rejoined Southampton FC academy in 2010.
and his most recent being Goalkeeping Essentials http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0954290003. The book featured Lee Camp
of Nottingham Forest
, Gareth McKeown
of Derby County
and Tonton Zola Moukoko
of Atlantis FC
and Championship Manager
fame.
The books have been endorsed by many sports people including Bobby Mimms
of Blackburn Rovers
, Chris Weale
of Leicester City
, Alan Hodgkinson
of Oxford United
and Damon Hague
the former two weight world boxing champion.
and on his maternal mothers side to hollywood actress Angela Lansbury
.
Playing career
Penny was a promising young goalkeeper who joined ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
centre of excellence from his schoolboy club Shrewton United F.C.
Shrewton United F.C.
Shrewton United F.C. are a football club based in Shrewton, Wiltshire, England. They won the Wiltshire Football League Premier Division in 2001-02 and 2002-03...
at the age of 12 after his mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
teacher John Atyeo
John Atyeo
John Atyeo was an English football striker who spent the majority of his career at Bristol City. He won six England caps between 1955 and 1957, scoring five goals...
recommended him to both Arsenal and Bristol City. During his time at the club Penny qualifing through his grandmother was called up to the Scottish under 16s preliminary squad for the 1992 European championships in Cyprus. After 3 years Penny was not offered an apprenticeship at the gunners but joined Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
. Penny was released by the glovers after the youth team was dispanded. Trials 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...
, Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
and Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
soon followed but Penny ended up playing for his local team Shrewton United
Shrewton United F.C.
Shrewton United F.C. are a football club based in Shrewton, Wiltshire, England. They won the Wiltshire Football League Premier Division in 2001-02 and 2002-03...
and working as a lifeguard.
Penny finnished playing at the age of 24 after a brief spell at Weston-super-Mare and the early promise that was shown as a player was not fulfilled.
Coaching career
Penny breakthrough came whilst training at Bristol CityBristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
when he was approached by Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
in 2000. During his time with the Rams, Penny represented the ex-rams football team and also developed new coaching methods for young goalkeepers working within the academy.
In 2003, Penny became first team understudy to Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
goalkeeping coach Bobby Mimms
Bobby Mimms
Robert Andrew "Bobby" Mimms is an English former football goalkeeper.-Playing career:Born in York, Mimms began his footballing career as an apprentice at Halifax Town. However, he failed to break into the first team and joined Rotherham United in November 1981 for a fee of £15,000...
and senior coach at Wolves Women's FC working with Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
legend Dennis Mortimer
Dennis Mortimer
Dennis Mortimer is an English former footballer and distinguished captain of Aston Villa.Mortimer began his career with Coventry City, where he came through the ranks and made over 200 appearances as a promising midfielder...
and England
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...
international Player Emily Westwood
Emily Westwood
Emily Elizabeth Westwood is an English football player. She is an attacking midfielder for England women and Birmingham City Ladies, but has filled in as an emergency defender when needed...
.
Penny became one of the youngest coaches to obtain the UEFA 'A' coaching license this was another clear indication of his quality as a coach. Soon other clubs came courting the services of one of the brightest coaches in the country and Penny decided to join premiership team Birmingham City FC.
After 3 years with Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, Penny returned to Bristol City in 2006.
Penny joined Southampton FC as Technical coach within its academy set up in a part time capacity at the start of 2008.
Later in 2008, Penny moved into international football working with the Dominica Football Association
Dominica Football Association
The Dominica Football Association is the governing body of football in Dominica.The Dominica national football team is the national team of Dominica and is controlled by the Dominica Football Association.-External links:* at the FIFA website....
and the Dominica national football team
Dominica national football team
The Dominica national football team is the national team of Dominica and is controlled by the Dominica Football Association. A member of CONCACAF, it is among its weakest teams, getting beaten 10–0 and 8–0 by Mexico in 2006 World Cup qualifying....
coaching players such as Glenson Prince and Ross Jeremy.
Penny was appointed FA @ Futsal Technical Director in 2009 and was instrumental in developing the pathways from futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
into the 11 aside game. Futsal
Futsal
Futsal is a variant of association football that is played on a smaller pitch and mainly played indoors. Its name is a portmanteau of the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol de salón , which can be translated as "hall football" or "indoor football"...
is the game that developed players such as Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
and Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi
Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine footballer who plays for FC Barcelona and captains the Argentina national team, mainly as a striker. Messi received several Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year nominations by the age of 21, and won in 2009 and 2010...
. Penny is credited with working and analysing top players from abroad and moving the game forward within the UK.
Penny rejoined Southampton FC academy in 2010.
Career outside football
Penny has written 2 books on football The Art of Defending with Jimmy HaarhoffJimmy Haarhoff
James "Jimmy" Haarhoff is a former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Birmingham City. He played international football for Northern Ireland at under-18 level.-Career:Haarhoff was born in Lusaka, Zambia...
and his most recent being Goalkeeping Essentials http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0954290003. The book featured Lee Camp
Lee Camp
Lee Michael John Camp is an English-born Northern Irish footballer who plays for Nottingham Forest and internationally for Northern Ireland as a goalkeeper. He has also played for the England under-21's.-Derby County:...
of Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, Gareth McKeown
Gareth McKeown
Gareth McKeown is a footballer from Northern Ireland who currently plays for Irish League side Crusaders.-Biography:Gareth previously played for Derby County in England, whilst at Derby County Gareth appeared in the popular coaching book goalkeeping essentials by Alex Penny before returning to...
of Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
and Tonton Zola Moukoko
Tonton Zola Moukoko
Tonton Zola Moukoko is a Congolese-born Swedish footballer, who plays as a midfielder for Atlantis FC.-Early career:Moukoko arrived in Sweden aged seven or nine with his brother Fedo, after they were orphaned. He began playing with Djurgården's youth teams and came to be considered one of the most...
of Atlantis FC
Atlantis FC
Atlantis FC is a Finnish football club, based in Helsinki. It currently plays in the third tier of Finnish football .-History:The club was founded in late 1995 when Johanneksen Dynamo and FC Norssi merged...
and Championship Manager
Championship Manager
Championship Manager was the very first game in the popular Championship Manager series of association football management simulation games. The game was originally released on the Amiga and Atari ST in September, 1992 and then ported to the PC/DOS platform soon after...
fame.
The books have been endorsed by many sports people including Bobby Mimms
Bobby Mimms
Robert Andrew "Bobby" Mimms is an English former football goalkeeper.-Playing career:Born in York, Mimms began his footballing career as an apprentice at Halifax Town. However, he failed to break into the first team and joined Rotherham United in November 1981 for a fee of £15,000...
of Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, Chris Weale
Chris Weale
Christopher "Chris" Weale is an English footballer who plays for Leicester City as a goalkeeper.-Yeovil Town:...
of Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, Alan Hodgkinson
Alan Hodgkinson
Alan Hodgkinson MBE is a former footballer who played in the position of goalkeeper. At just over , Hodgkinson was on the small side for a goalkeeper, but made up for the lack of height by his good positional play.-Football career:He signed for Sheffield United from Worksop Town on 1 August 1953,...
of 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...
and Damon Hague
Damon Hague
Damon Hague is a former two weight World Boxing Foundation champion.Hague was the first boxer ever to win a WBF World title from Derby. In late 2003, Hague was due to defend his WBF title against Robin Reid, but Reid decided to take on Sven Ottke in Germany.Hague was also undefeated British kick...
the former two weight world boxing champion.
Personal life
Penny's wife, Emma, is head academy physiotherapist at Bristol City they have 3 children. Penny also has a daughter, Leah from a former relationship. Penny is related on his paternal fathers side to former Burnley and Peru international goalkeeper Diego PennyDiego Penny
Diego Alonso Penny Valdez is a Peruvian international footballer who plays professionally for Juan Aurich, as a goalkeeper...
and on his maternal mothers side to hollywood actress Angela Lansbury
Angela Lansbury
Angela Brigid Lansbury CBE is an English actress and singer in theatre, television and motion pictures, whose career has spanned eight decades and earned her more performance Tony Awards than any other individual , with five wins...
.