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John Dempsey
Personal information
Date of birth	15 March 1946
Place of birth	Hampstead, England
Date of death	6 November 2024 (aged 78)
Position(s)	Centre back
Senior career*
Years	Team
1964–1969	Fulham
1969–1978	Chelsea
1976	→ Serbian White Eagles
1978–1980	Philadelphia Fury
1983–1984	Dundalk
Total
International career
1966–1972	Republic of Ireland
Managerial career
1976	Serbian White Eagles
0000–1982	Maidenhead United
1983–1984	Dundalk
	Egham Town
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

John Dempsey (15 March 1946 – 6 November 2024) was an English professional footballer who played as a centre back.^[1] He played for Fulham and Chelsea in the 1960s and 1970s before moving to the United States to join Philadelphia Fury. He ended his career after a stint in Ireland with Dundalk. Born in England, he represented the Republic of Ireland national team at international level.

Club career

Starting his career with Fulham, making his debut in 1963 and 149 appearances over six years, Dempsey was signed for West London rivals Chelsea by Dave Sexton in January 1969 for £70,000. He made his Chelsea debut against Southampton in February that year and established himself in the side for the remainder of the 1968–69 season.^{[citation needed]}

Dempsey featured in the successful Chelsea side of the early 1970s, winning the FA Cup with the club in 1970, playing in both fiercely contested final matches against Leeds United as his side eventually ran out 2–1 winners. A year later, the Cup Winners' Cup was added with a win against Real Madrid in another replay in Athens, in which Dempsey scored the opening goal with a powerful volley following a corner (one of only five goals he scored for the club) as Chelsea won 2–1.^{[citation needed]}

He had no further success with the club, but remained during the turbulent later 1970s, and eventually left in March 1978 with the club by then in Division Two, and moved to the Philadelphia Fury of the NASL, playing alongside fellow ex-Chelsea star Peter Osgood.^[2] In 1979, he was voted the NASL's defender of the year, beating out Franz Beckenbauer who finished second.^[3] In the summer of 1976 he played in the National Soccer League with the Serbian White Eagles where he served as a player-coach.^[4] His stint with the White Eagles was cut short after a dispute in pay and housing accommodations.^[5]^[6]

He was appointed player-manager of Dundalk in August 1983^[7] making his League of Ireland debut on 9 October at Sligo Rovers but departed by mutual consent in March after a series of confrontations with referees.^[7]

He also had spells managing Maidenhead and Egham Town before retiring from the game in 1984.^{[citation needed]}

International career

Dempsey won a number of international caps for the Republic of Ireland (he qualified to play for Ireland through his parents). He was the first Irish international player ever to be sent off in a 1970 FIFA World Cup qualification game, being that against Hungary in the Népstadion.^[8]

Later life and death

Dempsey was involved in local charity work and attended the tributes to Peter Osgood at Stamford Bridge following the latter's death.^{[citation needed]}

He also worked with adults with autism and learning difficulties in a daycentre in Barnet.^[3]

John Dempsey suddenly and sadly passed away on 5 November 2024, at the age of 78.^[9]^[10]^[11]

Honours

Chelsea

References

^ "John Dempsey". National-Football-Teams.com. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
^ NASL statistics. Nasljerseys.com. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
^ ^a ^b "Chelsea legend Dempsey still a star". This is local London. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
^ Kernaghan, Jim (22 April 1976). "White Eagles buy big names for big money". Toronto Star. p. C2.
^ Kernaghan, Jim (30 June 1976). "Serbs' Dempsey seeks red light against the NSL". Toronto Star. p. C3.
^ "White Eagles' treatment of coach has British soccer men in a snit". Toronto Star. 21 June 1976. p. B5.
^ ^a ^b ""Dundalk History"". Archived from the original on 13 August 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). Dundalk. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
^ "Irish Soccer Facts : Information about the Republic of Ireland Football Team". www.soccer-ireland.com. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
^ "John Dempsey 1946-2024". Chelsea. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
^ "John Dempsey, powerful defender who won the FA Cup and European Cup-Winners' Cup with Chelsea". The Telegraph. 9 November 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
^ "John Dempsey obituary: tough footballer teased for his hairstyles". The Times. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
^ Vernon, Leslie; Rollin, Jack (1977). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1977–78. London: Brickfield Publications Ltd. p. 491. ISBN 0354 09018 6.