John Fleming (footballer)
Encyclopedia
John Joseph Fleming is an English
former footballer who played 199 league games in the Football League
in a ten year professional career. He later became a player and coach in Australia
.
He began his playing career at Oxford United
in 1971, making 75 league appearances in a four year spell at the club. He spent 1975 to 1980 at Lincoln City
, making over 100 appearances for the club. Loaned out to Port Vale
in 1980, he emigrated to Australia and signed with Wollongong City. He retired as a player in 1986, and later coached Wollongong Olympic, Kemblawarra (in two spells), Port Kembla, and Wollongong United
.
before joining Lincoln City
. At Lincoln he was sent on loan to Port Vale
in March 1980. His debut game was at his regular club on 15 March, where the Vale lost 3–0. He played just a further two games before being sent back to the Imps, having failed to impress at Vale Park
. Fleming joined Wollongong City in the Australian National Soccer League
where he spent the next six years, amassing over a hundred appearances.
After a year away, Fleming returned as coach for the 2005 season, replacing player-coach Richard Lloyd who would miss the season due to work commitments in Canada. However, his second spell at the helm would be short-lived as, at the end of August 2005, he resigned from the club after a dispute over the club's handling of a training ground disciplinary incident involving a youth grade player.
In May 2009 he was sacked as coach of Illawarra Premier League side Port Kembla.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former footballer who played 199 league games in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
in a ten year professional career. He later became a player and coach in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
He began his playing career 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...
in 1971, making 75 league appearances in a four year spell at the club. He spent 1975 to 1980 at Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
, making over 100 appearances for the club. Loaned out to Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
in 1980, he emigrated to Australia and signed with Wollongong City. He retired as a player in 1986, and later coached Wollongong Olympic, Kemblawarra (in two spells), Port Kembla, and Wollongong United
Wollongong United
Wollongong United is an Australian soccer club based in Wollongong, currently participating in the Illawarra Premier League. The club played in the 1991 season of the National Soccer League under the name Wollongong Macedonia, where it finished last....
.
Playing career
Fleming played for Oxford UnitedOxford 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...
before joining Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
. At Lincoln he was sent on loan to Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
in March 1980. His debut game was at his regular club on 15 March, where the Vale lost 3–0. He played just a further two games before being sent back to the Imps, having failed to impress at Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
. Fleming joined Wollongong City in the Australian National Soccer League
National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is the former national association football competition in Australasia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004...
where he spent the next six years, amassing over a hundred appearances.
Wollongong Olympic
In July 1998 he was sacked as coach of Wollongong Olympic despite the club standing in equal fifth place of the league and also being and a semi-finalist in the Bampton Cup.Kemblawarra
A week after departing Olympic, Fleming was appointed coach of Kemblawarra taking over from Joe Coelho, who had been acting as player-coach since the sacking of Jim Dafkovski. He departed the club at the end of the 2003 season.After a year away, Fleming returned as coach for the 2005 season, replacing player-coach Richard Lloyd who would miss the season due to work commitments in Canada. However, his second spell at the helm would be short-lived as, at the end of August 2005, he resigned from the club after a dispute over the club's handling of a training ground disciplinary incident involving a youth grade player.
Port Kembla
In April 2006 he succeeded the sacked Harry Sattin as coach of Port Kembla.In May 2009 he was sacked as coach of Illawarra Premier League side Port Kembla.