James Perch
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = James Perch
| image = Perchinho v cardiff.jpg
| image_size = 200
| caption = Perch playing for Newcastle United in 2012
| fullname = James Robert Perch{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/general-news/efl-squad-numbering-06.09.2019.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Scunthorpe United |publisher=English Football League |page=63 |access-date=26 October 2019}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|9|28|df=y}}
| birth_place = Mansfield, England
| position = Defender / Defensive midfielder
| currentclub =
| youthyears1 = 1996–2004
| youthclubs1 = Nottingham Forest
| years1 = 2004–2010
| clubs1 = Nottingham Forest
| caps1 = 190
| goals1 = 12
| years2 = 2010–2013
| clubs2 = Newcastle United
| caps2 = 65
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2013–2015
| clubs3 = Wigan Athletic
| caps3 = 82
| goals3 = 3
| years4 = 2015–2018
| clubs4 = Queens Park Rangers
| caps4 = 74
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2018–2020
| clubs5 = Scunthorpe United
| caps5 = 71
| goals5 = 3
| years6 = 2020–2023
| clubs6 = Mansfield Town
| caps6 = 90
| goals6 = 4
| years7 = 2023–2025
| clubs7 = Ilkeston Town
| caps7 = 34
| goals7 = 1
| totalcaps = 605
| totalgoals = 24
| club-update = 11:57, 5 January 2025 (UTC)
}}
James Robert Perch (born 28 September 1985) is an English former professional footballer. Perch was versatile and has covered many positions in both defence and across midfield. However, he is usually deployed at right back.
Career
=Nottingham Forest=
Perch was born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire and began his career at Nottingham Forest. He made 22 league appearances in his début season as Forest were relegated from the rebranded Football League Championship. His first professional goal came in the same season, scoring in the 63rd minute against Doncaster Rovers in the Third Round of the Football League Cup. After his first season, he signed a new contract to extend his stay a further 2 1/2 years.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/4308717.stm|title=Perch signs new Forest contract|date=1 March 2005|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=8 August 2013}} He made over 200 appearances for Forest (including 30 league appearances in the 2007/08 campaign when Forest were promoted back to the Championship) before moving to newly promoted Newcastle United.
=Newcastle United=
On 5 July 2010, Perch signed for Newcastle United for an undisclosed fee believed to be around £1 million, on a four-year deal.{{Cite news|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=806092&cc=5739|title=Newcastle land Forest star Perch|date=5 July 2010|work=ESPNsoccernet|publisher=ESPN|access-date=17 July 2010|archive-date=23 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023163516/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=806092&cc=5739|url-status=dead}} Forest had rejected a transfer bid from Newcastle in January of the same year.{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/nottm_forest/8469300.stm|title=Nottingham Forest reject Newcastle's offer for Perch|date=20 January 2010|publisher=BBC|access-date=8 August 2013}} He made his debut for Newcastle against Manchester United on 16 August 2010 in a 3–0 defeat.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/8906329.stm|title=Man Utd 3–0 Newcastle|date=16 August 2010|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|first=Saj|last=Chowdhury|access-date=26 September 2010}} On 18 September 2010, he set a new Premier League record by being the first player ever to receive five yellow cards in his first five games in the league.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/9004742.stm|title=Everton 0–1 Newcastle|date=18 September 2010|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|first=Phil|last=McNulty|access-date=26 September 2010}}
His only goal for Newcastle came in a 4–3 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20779136|title=Man Utd 4–3 Newcastle|date=26 December 2012|publisher=BBC|access-date=8 August 2013}}
During his stay, Perch was nicknamed "Perchinho" due to the fans respect for his steady performances and versatility.
=Wigan Athletic=
On 3 July 2013, Perch completed a move to recently relegated FA Cup holders Wigan Athletic, signing a four-year contract with the club. The transfer fee was undisclosed, but was estimated to be around £750,000.{{cite web|title=Wigan complete Perch swoop|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/218369.html?CMP=OTC-RSS|publisher=ESPN|access-date=3 July 2013|date=3 July 2013|archive-date=3 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203100317/http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/218369.html?CMP=OTC-RSS|url-status=dead}} Perch made his league debut for Wigan on 3 August 2013, in a 4–0 away victory over Barnsley.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23474726 "Barnsley 0–4 Wigan"] BBC Sport. 3 August 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2014. He scored his first goal for the club on 9 March 2014, in a 2–1 win against Premier League Manchester City, helping holders Wigan to the semi-finals of the FA Cup for a consecutive season.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26404260 "Manchester City 1–2 Wigan"] BBC Sport. 9 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
=Queens Park Rangers=
On 31 July 2015, Perch signed for Championship side Queens Park Rangers on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33735035|title=James Perch: QPR sign Wigan Athletic defender|date=31 July 2015|publisher=BBC|access-date=31 July 2015}} Perch made his competitive QPR debut in the first game of the 2015-16 Championship Season which resulted in a 2–0 defeat against Charlton Athletic, he played the whole game.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33744140|title=Charlton 2-0 QPR|publisher=BBC Sport|date=8 August 2015|access-date=12 August 2015}}
On 6 April 2018, it was announced that Perch would leave the club at the end of the 2017–18 season.{{Cite web|url=http://the72.co.uk/100057/queens-park-rangers-confirm-three-players-will-leave-end-season/|title=Queens Park Rangers confirm three players will leave at the end of the season|date=6 April 2018}}
=Scunthorpe United=
He joined Scunthorpe United in August 2018, signing a two-year contract.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45038413 James Perch: Scunthorpe United sign former QPR midfielder] BBC Sport. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
=Mansfield Town=
Perch signed for his hometown club Mansfield Town in August 2020.{{cite news |last=Thirkill |first=Stephen |url=https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/james-perch-delighted-sign-home-town-club-mansfield-town-2941968 |title=James Perch delighted to sign for home town club Mansfield Town |work=Mansfield Chad |date=13 August 2020 |access-date=28 May 2022}} He suffered a fractured skull in August 2021 that initially ruled him out of action for the 2021–22 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58598098 |title=James Perch: Mansfield Town defender suffers fractured skull |work=BBC Sport |date=17 September 2021 |access-date=28 May 2022}} Perch made a return to training quicker than expected in January 2022,{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60138536 |title=James Perch: Mansfield Town defender cleared to return after fractured skull |work=BBC Sport |date=26 January 2022 |access-date=28 May 2022}} and made his return to the starting line-up against Port Vale on 15 March.{{cite news |last=Lomas |first=John |url=https://www.chad.co.uk/sport/football/mansfield-town-first-team-start-for-james-perch-at-port-vale-3613001 |title=Mansfield Town first team start for James Perch at Port Vale |work=Mansfield Chad |date=15 March 2022 |access-date=28 May 2022}}
=Ilkeston Town=
On 8 September 2023, Perch signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division club Ilkeston Town.{{cite web|url=https://ilkestontownfc.co.uk/james-perch-is-a-robin/|title=James Perch Is A Robin|website=ilkestontownfc.co.uk|date=8 September 2023|accessdate=8 September 2023}}
On 3 January 2025, Perch announced his retirement from playing football. {{cite web|url=https://www.newcastleunited.com/en/news/james-perch-announces-retirement|title=James Perch announces retirement|website=www.newcastleunited.com|date=3 January 2025|accessdate=5 January 2025}}
International career
In October 2012, he was approached by the Jamaica Football Federation, who wanted Perch to play for Jamaica during their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}} Perch is also eligible for Barbados through his father, who was born on the island.{{cite web|title=James Perch exclusive interview|url=http://www.thejournal.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/james-perch-exclusive-interview-4410940|publisher=The Journal|access-date=5 April 2012|date=6 June 2014}}
Career statistics
{{notelist}}
Honours
Nottingham Forest
- Football League One runner-up: 2007–08
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Soccerbase}}
- {{ESPN FC}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perch, James}}
Category:Footballers from Mansfield
Category:Black British sportsmen
Category:English men's footballers
Category:English people of Jamaican descent
Category:Sportspeople of Jamaican descent
Category:English people of Barbadian descent
Category:Sportspeople of Barbadian descent
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Men's association football utility players
Category:Nottingham Forest F.C. players
Category:Newcastle United F.C. players
Category:Wigan Athletic F.C. players
Category:Queens Park Rangers F.C. players
Category:Scunthorpe United F.C. players
Category:Mansfield Town F.C. players
Category:Ilkeston Town F.C. players
Category:Premier League players
Category:English Football League players