John Pemberton (footballer)
Encyclopedia
John Pemberton is an English former footballer who made more than 300 appearances in the Football League
and Premier League playing as a defender
for Rochdale
, Crewe Alexandra
, Crystal Palace
, Sheffield United
and Leeds United
. He is also the former manager of Nottingham Forest
's reserve team, and spent a brief period as interim manager of the club's first team. He is currently the academy manager at Sheffield United.
but was released in June 1983. He signed for Chadderton F.C.
, then Rochdale A.F.C.
before moving to Crewe Alexandra
in 1985. He initially came to prominence when he joined Crystal Palace
in 1988, helping them win promotion to the First Division
in 1989. He appeared for Palace in the 1990 FA Cup Final
against Manchester United
. The initial tie was drawn 3–3 after extra time, with United winning the replay 1–0 after extra time.
In 1990, Pemberton transferred to Sheffield United
. During his début against Liverpool in the season opener, he was forced to play in goal after an injury to the United keeper. His most memorable moment game in 1993 when he scored the winning penalty in the shootout against Blackburn Rovers in the Quarter Final replay in the FA Cup
. The following summer, he was sold to Yorkshire rivals Leeds United
. Pemberton became something of a cult figure at Leeds owing to his determination and high work-rate. He appeared in a second Wembley final when he played for Leeds in the 1996 League Cup Final
against Aston Villa
; again, unfortunately for Pemberton, his side was defeated.
He ended his career back at Crewe Alexandra with two appearances in the 1997–98 season.
's reserve team to the Central League title in the 2007–08 season. In December 2008, following the dismissal of first-team manager Colin Calderwood
, Pemberton was appointed as caretaker manager
for the match against Norwich City
, guiding Forest to a 3–2 victory. Billy Davies
was appointed to the post, but did not take over with immediate affect. Pemberton took charge of the Forest side which caused an upset in the Third Round of the FA Cup by winning 3–0 at the City of Manchester Stadium
against Premier League opponents Manchester City
. At the end of the 2008–09 season Davies reorganised his coaching staff, and Pemberton's contract was terminated by mutual consent after more than a decade as part of Forest's backroom team.
The following season saw him join Crystal Palace
's coaching staff for a short spell. The Eagles were in administration, and Pemberton was brought in, along with manager Paul Hart
and assistant Dougie Freedman
(both of whom had worked with Pemberton as a manager and a player respectively at Forest), for two months to keep the Eagles in Championship
. This was achieved on the final day of the season, after which his contract expired.
After leaving Palace he was appointed as the manager of Sheffield United's academy in May 2010 and guided his young team to the Youth FA Cup Final
the following season, losing out to Manchester United over two legs.
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! colspan=2|FA Cup
! colspan=2|League Cup
! colspan=2|Total>
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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...
and Premier League playing as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
for Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
, 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...
, Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
and Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. He is also the former manager 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...
's reserve team, and spent a brief period as interim manager of the club's first team. He is currently the academy manager at Sheffield United.
Playing career
He started his career as a junior at Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
but was released in June 1983. He signed for Chadderton F.C.
Chadderton F.C.
Chadderton F.C. are a Semi-Professional football club in the North West Counties Football League, Division One. Founded in 1947 They are based in Chadderton, Greater Manchester...
, then Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
before moving to 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...
in 1985. He initially came to prominence when he joined Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
in 1988, helping them win promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
in 1989. He appeared for Palace in the 1990 FA Cup Final
1990 FA Cup Final
The 1990 FA Cup Final was a football match contested by Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium, London, England. The match finished 3–3 after extra time. Bryan Robson and Mark Hughes scored for United; Gary O'Reilly and Ian Wright for Palace...
against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. The initial tie was drawn 3–3 after extra time, with United winning the replay 1–0 after extra time.
In 1990, Pemberton transferred to Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. During his début against Liverpool in the season opener, he was forced to play in goal after an injury to the United keeper. His most memorable moment game in 1993 when he scored the winning penalty in the shootout against Blackburn Rovers in the Quarter Final replay 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...
. The following summer, he was sold to Yorkshire rivals Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
. Pemberton became something of a cult figure at Leeds owing to his determination and high work-rate. He appeared in a second Wembley final when he played for Leeds in the 1996 League Cup Final
1996 Football League Cup Final
The 1996 Coca-Cola Cup Final took place on 24 March 1996 at Wembley Stadium and was contested between Aston Villa and Leeds United. This was the 35th final and the 29th to be played at Wembley...
against 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...
; again, unfortunately for Pemberton, his side was defeated.
He ended his career back at Crewe Alexandra with two appearances in the 1997–98 season.
Managerial career
Pemberton coached Nottingham ForestNottingham 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...
's reserve team to the Central League title in the 2007–08 season. In December 2008, following the dismissal of first-team manager Colin Calderwood
Colin Calderwood
Colin Calderwood is a Scottish football player and coach. In November 2011 he was appointed as Chris Hughton's assistant manager at Birmingham City....
, Pemberton was appointed as caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
for the match against Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
, guiding Forest to a 3–2 victory. Billy Davies
Billy Davies
William McIntosh "Billy" Davies is a Glasgow-born Scottish football manager, noted for his achievement in the Football League Championship with East Midlands Rivals Derby County and Nottingham Forest and Preston North End which has led him to be described, in 2011, as "probably the best manager at...
was appointed to the post, but did not take over with immediate affect. Pemberton took charge of the Forest side which caused an upset in the Third Round of the FA Cup by winning 3–0 at the City of Manchester Stadium
City of Manchester Stadium
The City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester, England – also known as the Etihad Stadium for sponsorship purposes– is the home ground of...
against Premier League opponents 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...
. At the end of the 2008–09 season Davies reorganised his coaching staff, and Pemberton's contract was terminated by mutual consent after more than a decade as part of Forest's backroom team.
The following season saw him join Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
's coaching staff for a short spell. The Eagles were in administration, and Pemberton was brought in, along with manager Paul Hart
Paul Hart
Paul Hart is an English football manager and former football defender, who is currently Academy Director at Charlton Athletic. The son of Johnny Hart, a football inside forward and manager, Hart had five-year spells with both Blackpool and Leeds United, while also playing for Nottingham Forest and...
and assistant Dougie Freedman
Dougie Freedman
Douglas "Dougie" Freedman is a Scottish former professional football player who played as a striker. He is currently manager at Championship club Crystal Palace, where he spent ten of his sixteen years as a player.-Barnet:...
(both of whom had worked with Pemberton as a manager and a player respectively at Forest), for two months to keep the Eagles in 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...
. This was achieved on the final day of the season, after which his contract expired.
After leaving Palace he was appointed as the manager of Sheffield United's academy in May 2010 and guided his young team to the Youth FA Cup Final
2010–11 FA Youth Cup
The FA Youth Cup sponsored by E.ON 2010–11 was the 59th edition of the FA Youth Cup. 460 clubs were initially accepted, with 53 teams being new entries....
the following season, losing out to Manchester United over two legs.
Career statistics
! colspan=2|League
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! colspan=2|League Cup
! colspan=2|Total>
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
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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...
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Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
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Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
>
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Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
>
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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...
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External links
- League stats at Neil Brown's site