John Dempsey (footballer, born 1946)
{{Short description|Irish footballer and manager (1946–2024)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2017}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = John Dempsey
| image =
| full_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1946|3|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Hampstead, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|11|6|1946|3|15|df=y}}
| death_place =
| height =
| position = Centre back
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1964–1969
| clubs1 = Fulham
| caps1 = 149
| goals1 = 4
| years2 = 1969–1978
| clubs2 = Chelsea
| caps2 = 166
| goals2 = 4
| years3 = 1976
| clubs3 = → Serbian White Eagles
| caps3 =
| goals3 =
| years4 = 1978–1980
| clubs4 = Philadelphia Fury
| caps4 = 81
| goals4 = 2
| years5 = 1983–1984
| clubs5 = Dundalk
| caps5 = 10
| goals5 = 0
| totalcaps = 404
| totalgoals = 10
| nationalyears1 = 1966–1972
| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland
| nationalcaps1 = 19
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| manageryears1 = 1976
| managerclubs1 = Serbian White Eagles
| manageryears2 = {{0|0000}}–1982
| managerclubs2 = Maidenhead United
| manageryears3 = 1983–1984
| managerclubs3 = Dundalk
| manageryears4 =
| managerclubs4 = Egham Town
}}
John Dempsey (15 March 1946 – 6 November 2024) was a professional footballer who played as a centre back.{{cite web |url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/36218.html |title=John Dempsey |website=National-Football-Teams.com |access-date=1 June 2012}} 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|date=November 2024}}
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|date=November 2024}}
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.[http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/D/Dempsey.John.htm NASL statistics]. Nasljerseys.com. Retrieved 1 June 2012. In 1979, he was voted the NASL's defender of the year, beating out Franz Beckenbauer who finished second.[http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/indepth/features/37635.chelsea_legend_dempsey_still_a_star/ "Chelsea legend Dempsey still a star"]. This is local London. Retrieved 1 June 2012. In the summer of 1976 he played in the National Soccer League with the Serbian White Eagles where he served as a player-coach.{{Cite news|last=Kernaghan|first=Jim|date=22 April 1976|title=White Eagles buy big names for big money|page=C2|work=Toronto Star}} His stint with the White Eagles was cut short after a dispute in pay and housing accommodations.{{Cite news|last=Kernaghan|first=Jim|date=30 June 1976|title=Serbs' Dempsey seeks red light against the NSL|page=C3|work=Toronto Star}}{{Cite news|date=21 June 1976|title=White Eagles' treatment of coach has British soccer men in a snit|page=B5|work=Toronto Star}}
He was appointed player-manager of Dundalk in August 1983 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.dundalkfc.com/dundalkfcweb/History/1980S.HTM |title="Dundalk History" |accessdate=13 December 2008 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100813230722/http://www.dundalkfc.com/dundalkfcweb/History/1980S.HTM |archivedate=13 August 2010 }}. Dundalk. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
He also had spells managing Maidenhead and Egham Town before retiring from the game in 1984.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}
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.{{Cite web |title=Irish Soccer Facts : Information about the Republic of Ireland Football Team |url=http://www.soccer-ireland.com/football-statistics/irish-soccer-facts.htm |access-date=8 April 2022 |website=www.soccer-ireland.com}}
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|date=November 2024}}
He also worked with adults with autism and learning difficulties in a daycentre in Barnet.
John Dempsey suddenly died on 5 November 2024, at the age of 78.{{cite web|url=https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/john-dempsey-1946-2024 |title=John Dempsey 1946-2024 | publisher=Chelsea|accessdate=5 November 2024}}{{cite news |title=John Dempsey, powerful defender who won the FA Cup and European Cup-Winners' Cup with Chelsea |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2024/11/09/john-dempsey-defender-fa-cup-european-chelsea-died-obituary/ |access-date=9 November 2024 |publisher=The Telegraph |date=9 November 2024}}{{cite news |title=John Dempsey obituary: tough footballer teased for his hairstyles |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/article/john-dempsey-fm5dkgtlv |access-date=14 November 2024 |publisher=The Times |date=14 November 2024}}
Honours
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{NFT|36218|John Dempsey}}
- {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929091912/http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/archive/display.var.37635.0.chelsea_legend_dempsey_still_a_star.php |title=Chelsea legend Dempsey still a star}}
{{Serbian White Eagles managers}}
{{Dundalk F.C. managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dempsey, John}}
Category:English people of Irish descent
Category:Men's association football central defenders
Category:Republic of Ireland men's association footballers
Category:Republic of Ireland men's international footballers
Category:English Football League players
Category:Canadian National Soccer League players
Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players
Category:League of Ireland players
Category:Serbian White Eagles FC players
Category:Philadelphia Fury (1978–1980) players
Category:Canadian National Soccer League coaches
Category:League of Ireland managers
Category:Republic of Ireland association football managers
Category:Serbian White Eagles FC coaches
Category:Maidenhead United F.C. managers
Category:Dundalk F.C. managers
Category:Egham Town F.C. managers