Steve Fallon
Encyclopedia
Stephen Paul Fallon is an English former footballer who made 410 appearances in the Football League
playing as a defender
for Cambridge United
. From 1999 to 2010 he was manager
of Histon
.
and brought up in Whittlesey
, Cambridgeshire
. He played for Whittlesey and for Kettering Town
before joining Cambridge United
as an 18-year-old, where he went on to make 410 league appearances, helping the club to promotions
from the Fourth
to the Second Division
. Fallon retired from League football in 1986 because of a knee injury, and then spent nine years as player-manager of Southern League
club (and cross-city rivals) Cambridge City
.
In 1999 Fallon took over as manager of Histon
, and led them from the Eastern Counties League Premier Division
(level 9 of the English football league system
) to the Conference National
(level 5). In December 2006, Histon faced Fallon's former club Cambridge United in the first round of the FA Trophy
in the first competitive match for more than 40 years between the two clubs, who had been seven divisions apart as recently as the early 1990s. Histon won 5–0.
On 12 January 2010, a day after being re-instated as manager after being suspended following disagreements with the Chairman, it was announced that Histon had sacked Fallon citing "irreconcilable differences".
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...
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 Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
. From 1999 to 2010 he was manager
Manager (association football)
In association football, a manager is responsible for running a football club or a national team. The manager of a professional club is responsible directly to the club president. The position of manager is almost exclusively used in British football...
of Histon
Histon F.C.
Histon Football Club is an English football club based in the twin villages of Histon and Impington, approximately north of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. From the 2007–08 season they competed in the Conference National, the highest level that the club has ever reached in the English football league...
.
Career
Fallon was born in PeterboroughPeterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
and brought up in Whittlesey
Whittlesey
Whittlesey, historically known as Whittlesea as the name of the railway station is still spelt, or Witesie, is an ancient Fenland market town around six miles east of Peterborough in the county of Cambridgeshire in England...
, Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
. He played for Whittlesey and for Kettering Town
Kettering Town F.C.
Kettering Town Football Club are a football club originating in Kettering, Northamptonshire but currently based in the nearby village of Irthlingborough. The club play in the Conference National after winning the Conference North in 2007–08...
before joining Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
as an 18-year-old, where he went on to make 410 league appearances, helping the club to promotions
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
from the Fourth
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
to the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. Fallon retired from League football in 1986 because of a knee injury, and then spent nine years as player-manager of Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
club (and cross-city rivals) Cambridge City
Cambridge City F.C.
Cambridge City Football Club is an English football club currently playing in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:The club was founded in 1908 Cambridge Town F.C., as Cambridge had not been granted city status at that point, and were committed to amateur sport...
.
In 1999 Fallon took over as manager of Histon
Histon F.C.
Histon Football Club is an English football club based in the twin villages of Histon and Impington, approximately north of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire. From the 2007–08 season they competed in the Conference National, the highest level that the club has ever reached in the English football league...
, and led them from the Eastern Counties League Premier Division
Eastern Counties Football League
The Eastern Counties Football League is an English football league at levels 9 and 10 of the English football league system. It currently contains clubs from Norfolk, Suffolk, northern Essex and eastern Cambridgeshire, and is a feeder to the regional divisions of the Isthmian League and Southern...
(level 9 of the English football league system
English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing...
) to the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
(level 5). In December 2006, Histon faced Fallon's former club Cambridge United in the first round of the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
in the first competitive match for more than 40 years between the two clubs, who had been seven divisions apart as recently as the early 1990s. Histon won 5–0.
On 12 January 2010, a day after being re-instated as manager after being suspended following disagreements with the Chairman, it was announced that Histon had sacked Fallon citing "irreconcilable differences".