John Cornforth (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = John Cornforth

| image =

| fullname = John Michael Cornforth{{Hugman|4137|access-date=14 November 2019}}

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}{{cite book |editor-last=Sewell |editor-first=Albert |title=News of the World Football Annual 1996–97 |publisher=Invincible Press |location=London |date=1996 |page=401 |isbn=978-0-00-218737-4}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1967|10|7}}

| birth_place = Whitley Bay, England

| currentclub =

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1985–1991 | clubs1 = Sunderland | caps1 = 32 | goals1 = 2

| years2 = 1986 | clubs2 = → Doncaster Rovers (loan) | caps2 = 7 | goals2 = 3

| years3 = 1989 | clubs3 = → Shrewsbury Town (loan) | caps3 = 3 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1990 | clubs4 = → Lincoln City (loan) | caps4 = 9 | goals4 = 1

| years5 = 1991–1996 | clubs5 = Swansea City | caps5 = 149 | goals5 = 16

| years6 = 1996 | clubs6 = Birmingham City | caps6 = 8 | goals6 = 0

| years7 = 1996–1999 | clubs7 = Wycombe Wanderers | caps7 = 47 | goals7 = 6

| years8 = 1998 | clubs8 = → Peterborough United (loan) | caps8 = 4 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 1999 | clubs9 = Cardiff City | caps9 = 10 | goals9 = 1

| years10 = 1999–2000 | clubs10 = Scunthorpe United | caps10 = 4 | goals10 = 1

| years11 = 2000–2001 | clubs11 = Exeter City | caps11 = 24 | goals11 = 2

| nationalyears1 = 1995 | nationalteam1 = Wales | nationalcaps1 = 2 | nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2001–2002 | managerclubs1 = Exeter City

| manageryears2 = 2004–2005 | managerclubs2 = Newport County

| manageryears3 = 2006 | managerclubs3 = Torquay United

}}

John Michael Cornforth (born 7 October 1967) is a former Wales international football player and is now a coach. Originally from Whitley Bay in the north-east of England, Cornforth and his family have been settled in Devon for some time.

Cornforth is currently{{update-inline|date=January 2024}} assistant manager at Northern Premier side Blyth Spartans.

Playing career

Cornforth usually appeared in midfield during his playing days. He made a total of 322 starts for his various clubs over his career, scoring 36 goals in the process. Whilst at Swansea City he was a part of the team that won after a penalty shootout in the 1994 Football League Trophy Final.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-sublime-swansea-glide-to-victory-welsh-pride-stirred-at-wembley-1372474.html |title=Football: Sublime Swansea glide to victory: Welsh pride stirred at Wembley |first=Clive |last=White |newspaper=The Independent|location=London |date=25 April 1994 |access-date=12 June 2019}} At one point he commanded a transfer fee of £350,000, in his 1996 transfer from Swansea to Birmingham City. His four and a half years and nearly 200 games for Swansea led him to declare himself "a true Jack".{{cn|date=January 2024}}

International career

Cornforth was eligible to play for the Wales national football team due to his paternal grandmother, who was from Llantrisant. He had two caps before a cruciate ligament injury interrupted his career.{{Cite web |url=https://www.newport-county.co.uk/indepth_players_profiles_04-05/county_gallery_john_cornforth.html |title=County galler: John Cornforth |first=Ray |last=Taylor |publisher=Newport County A.F.C. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050307180218/https://www.newport-county.co.uk/indepth_players_profiles_04-05/county_gallery_john_cornforth.html |archive-date=7 March 2005}}

Coaching career

Cornforth was player-coach, assistant manager{{cn|date=January 2024}} and manager of Exeter City.

In July 2004 he joined the coaching team (unpaid) at his local side Crediton United.{{cite news |url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=19229 |title=Cornforth helps out at local club |website=NonLeagueDaily |date=27 July 2004 |access-date=26 September 2007 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925140823/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=19229 |archive-date=25 September 2012}}

In September 2004 he took over from Peter Nicholas as manager of Newport County but was sacked in 2005.{{cite news |url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=20806 |title=County go for Cornforth |website=NonLeagueDaily |date=29 September 2004 |access-date=26 September 2007 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925140832/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=20806 |archive-date=25 September 2012}}

In January 2006 Cornforth took over as caretaker manager at Torquay United from Leroy Rosenior with the side deep in relegation trouble;{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2006/01/25/leroy_leaves_feature.shtml |title=Leroy leaves Plainmoor |first=Laura |last=Joint |website=BBC Devon |date=25 January 2006 |access-date=2 June 2021}} soon afterwards, he was appointed as manager until the end of the season.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2006/02/02/john_cornforth_feature.shtml |title=Cornforth is new Gulls boss |first=Laura |last=Joint |website=BBC Devon |date=2 February 2006 |access-date=26 September 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060211233916/http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2006/02/02/john_cornforth_feature.shtml |archive-date=11 February 2006}} The side's form worsened however, and Ian Atkins replaced Cornforth in April, having joined the club as an advisor to Cornforth the previous month.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/4905934.stm |title=Atkins takes over as Torquay boss |publisher=BBC Sport |date=13 April 2006 |access-date=2 June 2021}} Against all odds, Atkins managed to rescue the side and lift them a comfortable three points clear from relegation.

In August 2007, Cornforth rejoined his local side Crediton United as an advisor.{{cite news |url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=44101 |title=Cornforth joins Crediton |website=NonLeagueDaily |date=7 August 2007 |access-date=26 September 2007 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925140903/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=44101 |archive-date=25 September 2012}} The following month he was reported to be combining this role with working as a milk tanker driver, while hoping for a return to football management at a higher level.{{cite news |url=http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/midweekherald/sport/story.aspx?brand=MDWOnline&category=sportfootball&tBrand=devon24&tCategory=sportmdw&itemid=DEED25%20Sep%202007%2013%3A09%3A56%3A137 |title=Hurford catches the eye of former city boss Cornforth |newspaper=Midweek Herald |location=Devon |date=25 September 2007 |access-date=26 September 2007}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

In November 2010 Cornforth was appointed Manager of South West Peninsula League side Witheridge.{{cn|date=January 2024}}

In February 2012 Cornforth joined Blyth Spartans F.C. as Assistant manager to Tom Wade.{{cn|date=January 2024}}

Honours

Individual

PFA Team of the Year: 1994–95 Second Division{{cite book |last=Lynch |title=The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes |page=150}}

References

External links

{{Soccerbase|1662}}
{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192901/http://www.uptheposh.com/people/339/ Profile]}} at UpThePosh! The Peterborough United Database

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Category:1967 births

Category:Living people

Category:Welsh men's footballers

Category:Wales men's international footballers

Category:Sunderland A.F.C. players

Category:Doncaster Rovers F.C. players

Category:Shrewsbury Town F.C. players

Category:Lincoln City F.C. players