John Relish
Encyclopedia
John Relish is an English
football manager and former player, who previously managed Conference South
side Bath City
before moving aside to develop a football academy at the club in October 2008. He was also involved in the coaching setup which oversaw Wales
win in the non-league Four nations tournament in 2006.
Relish began his playing career as a schoolboy with Liverpool
before joining Chester City
as an apprentice. He left in 1974 to spent the next thirteen years of his career playing for Newport County
, mostly during the most successful period in the clubs long history. Relish was part of the team that won promotion and the Welsh Cup
and in the subsequent season reached the quarter-final of the 1981 European Cup Winners Cup.
In 1986, with Newport in the midst of a financial crisis that would see the club eventually forced out of existence, Relish took over as manager until Jimmy Mullen took over the role. He continued to play for Newport until 1987 when he left to join Forest Green Rovers
. In 1989 he returned to Newport, this time as player-manager of the reformed team and remained in post until 1993, having led Newport to promotion from the Hellenic League.
Relish was assistant manager under Colin Addison
at Merthyr Tydfil
during Addison's first spell in charge of Merthyr.
He became assistant manager of Weston-super-Mare under his former Newport manager Len Ashurst
and took full charge of the club in 1998. He was sacked in October 2001 after an indifferent start to the season.
He returned to Merthyr Tydfil
, again as assistant-manager, but now under Andy Beattie in June 2002. He became Merthyr's manager in 2003, but resigned in May 2005 after the playing budget had been cut for the following season.
He was appointed as manager of Bath City
the following month, and the following season guided Bath to the Southern League title, and with it promotion to the Conference South
. He moved aside to be replaced by his former assistant Adie Britten in October 2008, although remained with the club to work with their community and youth development programme.
His son Lee, played football for Hereford United
, Newport County
and Welsh League side Caerleon
before retiring through injury. In December 2007, Lee Relish was appointed manager of Cinderford Town
.
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...
football manager and former player, who previously managed 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...
side Bath City
Bath City F.C.
Bath City Football Club are a semi-professional football club based in Bath, Somerset. They play in the Conference National league after gaining promotion from the Conference South via the play-offs in May 2010...
before moving aside to develop a football academy at the club in October 2008. He was also involved in the coaching setup which oversaw Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
win in the non-league Four nations tournament in 2006.
Relish began his playing career as a schoolboy with Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
before joining Chester City
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
as an apprentice. He left in 1974 to spent the next thirteen years of his career playing for Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
, mostly during the most successful period in the clubs long history. Relish was part of the team that won promotion and the Welsh Cup
Welsh Cup
The Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
and in the subsequent season reached the quarter-final of the 1981 European Cup Winners Cup.
In 1986, with Newport in the midst of a financial crisis that would see the club eventually forced out of existence, Relish took over as manager until Jimmy Mullen took over the role. He continued to play for Newport until 1987 when he left to join Forest Green Rovers
Forest Green Rovers F.C.
Forest Green Rovers Football Club is an English football club based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, currently the longest-serving members of the Conference National. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.-Early years:...
. In 1989 he returned to Newport, this time as player-manager of the reformed team and remained in post until 1993, having led Newport to promotion from the Hellenic League.
Relish was assistant manager under Colin Addison
Colin Addison
Colin Addison is an English former professional footballer and manager.Addison has managed a wide variety of clubs in the UK, as well as in countries such as Spain, South Africa, Kuwait and Qatar. Notably he was the player-manager of Hereford United during their famous 1971-72 FA Cup run, which...
at Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil F.C.
Merthyr Tydfil Football Club was a Welsh football club based at the Penydarren Park ground in Merthyr Tydfil. In 2010 the club was liquidated and reformed under the name Merthyr Town, which was accepted into Division One of the Western League.-History:...
during Addison's first spell in charge of Merthyr.
He became assistant manager of Weston-super-Mare under his former Newport manager Len Ashurst
Len Ashurst
Len Ashurst is a former footballer, manager and football administrator in England.-Career:As a player, Ashurst was a left-sided defender. He joined Liverpool in 1953 as an apprentice. After being released, he joined Sunderland in 1957, where he would go on to spend 14 years...
and took full charge of the club in 1998. He was sacked in October 2001 after an indifferent start to the season.
He returned to Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil F.C.
Merthyr Tydfil Football Club was a Welsh football club based at the Penydarren Park ground in Merthyr Tydfil. In 2010 the club was liquidated and reformed under the name Merthyr Town, which was accepted into Division One of the Western League.-History:...
, again as assistant-manager, but now under Andy Beattie in June 2002. He became Merthyr's manager in 2003, but resigned in May 2005 after the playing budget had been cut for the following season.
He was appointed as manager of Bath City
Bath City F.C.
Bath City Football Club are a semi-professional football club based in Bath, Somerset. They play in the Conference National league after gaining promotion from the Conference South via the play-offs in May 2010...
the following month, and the following season guided Bath to the Southern League title, and with it promotion to 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...
. He moved aside to be replaced by his former assistant Adie Britten in October 2008, although remained with the club to work with their community and youth development programme.
His son Lee, played football for Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
, Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
and Welsh League side Caerleon
Caerleon A.F.C.
Caerleon Association Football Club is an association football club based in the Roman village of Caerleon on the northern outskirts of the City of Newport, South Wales. Caerleon resided in the Welsh Football League Division One for numerous seasons but were relegated to Division Two for the 2010–11...
before retiring through injury. In December 2007, Lee Relish was appointed manager of Cinderford Town
Cinderford Town F.C.
Cinderford Town A.F.C. are a football club based in Cinderford in Gloucestershire, England. They were established in 1922 and joined the Western League in 1946. For the 2011-12 season, they are members of the Southern League Division One South and West...
.