John Lewis (footballer, born 1955)

John Lewis
Personal information
Date of birth (1955-10-15) 15 October 1955 (age 69)
Place of birth Tredegar, Wales
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Bristol Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1974–1978 Aberbargoed Buds
1978 Pontllanfraith 1 (0)
1978–1983 Cardiff City 140 (9)
1983–1987 Newport County 153 (8)
1987–1989 Swansea City 25 (0)
1989–1991 Abergavenny Thursdays
1991 Barry Town
1992–1995 Newport 76 (4)
1995–1998 Ebbw Vale 12 (0)
1998–1999 Merthyr Tydfil
1999 Rhayader Town 2 (0)
1999–2000 Bohemians 0 (0)
2000–2001 Llanelli 0 (0)
2001 Merthyr Tydfil
International career
Wales U-21 1 (0)
Managerial career
1987 Newport County
Merthyr Tydfil
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

For people with the same name see John Lewis (disambiguation)

John Lewis (born 15 October 1955) is a Welsh former professional footballer and manager.

Career

Lewis was born in Tredegar and was spotted by Cardiff City while playing for Pontllanfraith in a Welsh Football League match and was quickly offered a contract by then manager Jimmy Andrews. He made his Cardiff debut against Blackburn Rovers in September 1978. He went on to become a regular fixture in the Bluebirds line-up over the next few years before eventually leaving the club along with Linden Jones and Tarki Micallef to join Newport County in a swap deal that saw Nigel Vaughan and Karl Elsey go the other way and join Cardiff.[2]

After establishing himself in the County side he went on to become the club's player-manager when Jimmy Mullen left for Aberdeen in 1987 but could not prevent the club being relegated in the 1986–87 season and was subsequently sacked after Newport took only one point from their first six games in the following season. He moved on to spend one season at Swansea City making 25 appearances before moving to Hereford before retiring.

Wales Under-21s

Lewis made one appearance for the Wales under-21 team.

Coaching career

Lewis was manager at Newport County and Merthyr. In February 2006 he returned to Merthyr as coach.

Managerial statistics

Team Nat From To Record
G W D L Won %
Newport County Wales 5 March 1987 7 September 1987 20 3 3 14 15.00

References

  1. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 114. ISBN 0362020175.
  2. ^ Newport County A-Z of transfers