John Welsh (English footballer)
{{short description|English footballer (born 1984)}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = John Welsh
| image = John Welsh.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Welsh with Preston North End in 2016
| full_name = John Joseph Welsh{{Cite book | editor-first = Barry J. | editor-last = Hugman | title = The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10 | year = 2009 | publisher = Mainstream Publishing | isbn = 978-1-84596-474-0}}
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/players/2282/John-Welsh/overview |title=John Welsh: Overview |publisher=Premier League |access-date=10 August 2022}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1984|1|10}}
| birth_place = Wavertree, England
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = {{0|000}}1994–2001
| youthclubs1 = Liverpool
| years1 = 2001–2006
| clubs1 = Liverpool
| caps1 = 4
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2005–2006
| clubs2 = → Hull City (loan)
| caps2 = 20
| goals2 = 2
| years3 = 2006–2009
| clubs3 = Hull City
| caps3 = 30
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2008
| clubs4 = → Chester City (loan)
| caps4 = 6
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2008
| clubs5 = → Carlisle United (loan)
| caps5 = 4
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2009
| clubs6 = → Bury (loan)
| caps6 = 5
| goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2009–2012
| clubs7 = Tranmere Rovers
| caps7 = 130
| goals7 = 11
| years8 = 2012–2018
| clubs8 = Preston North End
| caps8 = 143
| goals8 = 3
| years9 = 2018–2019
| clubs9 = Grimsby Town
| caps9 = 13
| goals9 = 0
| years10 = 2019–2020
| clubs10 = Atherton Collieries
| caps10 = 19
| goals10 = 0
| years11 = 2020–2021
| clubs11 = Stafford Rangers
| caps11 = 28
| goals11 = 1
| totalcaps = 402
| totalgoals = 18
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 = England U16
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| nationalyears2 =
| nationalteam2 = England U20
| nationalcaps2 =
| nationalgoals2 =
| nationalyears3 = 2004–2007
| nationalteam3 = England U21
| nationalcaps3 = 8
| nationalgoals3 = 1
| club-update = 00:41, 30 January 2020 (UTC)
| ntupdate = 12 March 2006
}}
John Joseph Welsh Sr (born 10 January 1984) is an English former professional footballer who played as midfielder.
Welsh notably played in the Premier League for Liverpool, where he began his career before playing for Hull City, Chester City, Carlisle United, Bury, Tranmere Rovers and Grimsby Town. In 2019 he dropped down to play at semi-professional level with Atherton Collieries before finishing his career with Stafford Rangers.
He was captain of the England under-20 team, and has been capped eight times for the under-21s. He represented England U20 at 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship.
Career
=Liverpool=
Wavertree born Welsh, joined Liverpool at the age of 10. He progressed through the ranks, becoming captain of the Reserve Team in the process. Welsh trained with the Liverpool first team squad at their Melwood training ground from the middle of the 2001–02 season.
In the 2002–03 season John Welsh played only one game for the first team – his début match against Ipswich Town on 4 December 2002 in a League Cup fourth round tie at home – when he replaced Vladimír Šmicer in the 83rd minute. Also, he was amongst the substitutes for a number of European games.
His first game in Premiership was against Arsenal on 4 October 2003, when he replaced Salif Diao in the 82nd minute, but he couldn't help his team avoid defeat – they lost 2–1, and unfortunately for Welsh, his first act was to be booked for a foul on Ray Parlour. Welsh featured in Liverpool's run to the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final, coming on as a substitute in the round of 16 away tie against Bayer Leverkusen.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4321531.stm |title=B Leverkusen 1–3 Liverpool |publisher=BBC |date=9 March 2005 |access-date=14 August 2009}} Liverpool would go on to win the trophy but Welsh was left out of the final match day squad.
=Hull City=
After three starts and seven substitute appearances in all competitions for Liverpool, in August 2005, John went on a season-long loan to Championship side Hull City. The club were impressed, and in November 2005 agreed a deal which saw Liverpool take promising young winger Paul Anderson in exchange. The swap took place on 4 January 2006.
However, three minutes into a match against Preston North End on 10 March 2007, Welsh dived into a tackle with Preston's Neil Mellor, a former Liverpool teammate. Welsh was carried off on a stretcher, and it later transpired that he had broken both the tibia and fibula in his right leg, ruling him out for many months.
=Loans away from Hull=
On 31 December 2007, Chester City announced they would be signing Welsh on loan when the transfer window reopened the following day.{{Cite news| title= Midfield Options Boosted| url= http://www.chestercityfc.net/article/1466854/Midfield-options-boosted| publisher= Chester City Official Website| date= 31 December 2007| access-date= 31 December 2007| archive-date= 7 July 2009| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090707110148/http://www.chestercityfc.net/article/1466854/Midfield-options-boosted| url-status= dead}} He made his Chester debut on 1 January 2008, in a 2–0 home defeat to Grimsby Town, and spent the rest of the month in Chester's starting line-up before returning to Hull.
He joined Carlisle United on 27 October 2008 for an initial one-month loan making his debut against Hartlepool United.
In March 2009, he joined Football League Two side Bury on loan and was released from Hull on 2 June 2009.[https://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hK3rwxjSfqtoOnU5BRawqAGcXTUQ Windass and Bridges among eight released by Hull]{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
=Tranmere Rovers=
In July 2009, Welsh signed a deal with League One side Tranmere Rovers. He had a very consistent season for Tranmere, playing the holding midfield role successfully. Welsh also scored four goals in his first season at Prenton Park, including a volley in the 4–2 victory over Gillingham and a 25-yard strike in a 2–1 home victory over Brighton. The club offered him contract terms for the 2012–13 season.{{cite web|title=Moore Rebuilding Squad |url=http://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10365~2762894,00.html |work=Tranmere Rovers FC |date=8 May 2012 |access-date=8 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511045214/http://www.tranmererovers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10365~2762894%2C00.html |archive-date=11 May 2012 }}
=Preston North End=
In May 2012, it was announced that Welsh had signed for Preston North End on a two-year contract.{{cite web | title=Welsh Agrees to Join|url=http://www.pnefc.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10362~2772314,00.html |work=Preston North End FC |date=14 May 2012 |access-date=14 May 2012 }} He was voted Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year of Preston North End for the season 2012/13.{{cite web | title=John Welsh Is 2013 Player of the Year |url=http://www.pnefc.net/news/article/john-welsh-is-2013-player-of-the-year-280413-796916.aspx |work=Preston North End FC |date=28 April 2013 |access-date=29 April 2013 }} On 17 December 2013, Welsh extended his contract with Preston for a further twelve months, thus keeping him at the club until the summer of 2015.{{cite web | title=PNE Extend Nine Players' Contracts|url=http://www.pnefc.net/news/article/pne-extend-nine-players-contracts171213-1241674.aspx |work=Preston North End Official Website |date=7 December 2013 |access-date=7 December 2013}}
Despite Tom Clarke taking over the captaincy for the 2014–15 season, Welsh still played a major part in getting the club promoted via the play-offs. This form was rewarded with a new two-year contract. At the end of the 2018 season he left Preston North End and was given an award for longest serving Preston player.
=Grimsby Town=
Welsh signed a two-year contract with League Two club Grimsby Town on 25 June 2018.{{cite news |title=Introducing Michael Jolley's Seventh Summer Signing |url=https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/2018/june/introducing-michael-jolleys-seventh-summer-signing/ |publisher=Grimsby Town F.C. |access-date=25 June 2018}}{{dead link|date=December 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} He was firmly installed as club captain for the 2018–19 season.{{cite news |title=Welsh To Be Skipper |url=https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/2018/july/welsh-to-be-skipper/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710184104/https://www.grimsby-townfc.co.uk/news/2018/july/welsh-to-be-skipper/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=10 July 2018 |publisher=Grimsby Town F.C. |access-date=10 July 2018}} Welsh left the club by mutual consent on 20 March 2019.{{cite news |first=Liam |last=Wood |title=John Welsh leaves Grimsby Town by mutual consent after seven months at EFL club |url=https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-preston-grimsby-john-welsh-2668215 |publisher=Grimsby Town F.C. |access-date=20 March 2019}} This may have been in part due to his participation in a fracas at a bus stop in which he broke a woman's leg.{{cite news |first=Martine |last=Olsen |title=Ex-Liverpool player kicked woman and asked "don't you know who I am?" After 11 pints |url=https://metro.co.uk/2019/03/26/ex-liverpool-player-kicked-woman-said-dont-know-11-pints-9031768/ |work=Metro |access-date=31 October 2020}}
=Non-League=
In October 2019 he joined Atherton Collieries on a short-term contract.{{cite web| url = https://www.betvictornorthernpremier.co.uk/colls-in-welsh-coup-59060| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191007071212/https://www.betvictornorthernpremier.co.uk/colls-in-welsh-coup-59060| archive-date = 2019-10-07| title = Colls in Welsh coup – The BetVictor Northern Premier}} It was announced in August 2020 that he had signed for Stafford Rangers, on step 10 of the English football pyramid.{{Cite web | url=https://www.staffordrangersfc.co.uk/rangers-continue-to-strengthen-squad/ | title=Rangers continue to strengthen squad | date=7 August 2020 }}
On 8 October 2021, Welsh announced he was leaving Stafford and subsequently retired in order to focus on other work commitments.{{Cite web | url=https://www.staffordrangersfc.co.uk/new-signings-5/ | title=New Signings | date=8 October 2021 }}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 21 August 2018}}
{{notelist}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120210175119/http://www.hullcityafc.net/page/ProfilesDetail/0%2C%2C10338~23358%2C00.html John Welsh profile] at hullcityafc.net
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080516120132/http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/team/past_players/players/welsh/ John Welsh profile] at liverpoolfc.tv
- {{Soccerbase}}
{{Preston North End F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Welsh, John}}
Category:Footballers from Liverpool
Category:England men's youth international footballers
Category:England men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Premier League players
Category:English Football League players
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Liverpool F.C. players
Category:Hull City A.F.C. players
Category:Chester City F.C. players
Category:Carlisle United F.C. players
Category:Tranmere Rovers F.C. players
Category:Preston North End F.C. players
Category:Grimsby Town F.C. players