Jon Cullen
{{For|the ice hockey player|John Cullen}}
{{short description|English footballer (born 1973)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Jon Cullen
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = David Jonathan Cullen
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|1|10|df=y}}
| birth_place = Bishop Auckland, England
| position = Midfielder
| height = {{height|ft=6|in=0}}
| youthyears1 = 19??–1991 | youthclubs1 = Doncaster Rovers
| years1 = 1991–1993 | clubs1 = Doncaster Rovers | caps1 = 9 | goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1992–199? | clubs2 = → Bishop Auckland (loan)
| years3 = 1993–1996 | clubs3 = Spennymoor United
| years4 = 1996–1997 | clubs4 = Morpeth Town
| years5 = 1997–1998 | clubs5 = Hartlepool United | caps5 = 34 | goals5 = 12
| years6 = 1998–2000 | clubs6 = Sheffield United | caps6 = 4 | goals6 = 0
| years7 = 1999 | clubs7 = → Shrewsbury Town (loan) | caps7 = 10 | goals7 = 1
| years8 = 1999 | clubs8 = → Hartlepool United (loan) | caps8 = 0 | goals8 = 0
| years9 = 1999–2000 | clubs9 = → Halifax Town (loan) | caps9 = 11 | goals9 = 5
| years10 = 2000–2002 | clubs10 = Peterborough United | caps10 = 44 | goals10 = 5
| years11 = 2001 | clubs11 = → Carlisle United (loan) | caps11 = 11 | goals11 = 0
| years12 = 2002 | clubs12 = Darlington | caps12 = 3 | goals12 = 0
| years13 = 2002–2003 | clubs13 = Spennymoor United
| years14 = 2003 | clubs14 = Morpeth Town
| years15 = 2003 | clubs15 = Halifax Town | caps15 = 7 | goals15 = 0
| years16 = 2003–2004 | clubs16 = Spennymoor United
| years17 = 2004–2005 | clubs17 = Washington Nissan
| years18 = 2005–2006 | clubs18 = Newcastle Blue Star
| years19 = 2006–2008 | clubs19 = Sunderland Nissan
| years20 = 2008 | clubs20 = Morpeth Town
| years21 = 2008–2009 | clubs21 = Horden Colliery Welfare
| totalcaps =
| totalgoals =
}}
David Jonathan Cullen (born 10 January 1973) is an English former professional footballer who made 126 appearances in the Football League in the 1990s and 2000s. A midfielder, he played League football for Doncaster Rovers, Hartlepool United, Sheffield United, Shrewsbury Town, Halifax Town, Peterborough United, Carlisle United and Darlington, and non-League football for a number of clubs in the north of England.
Life and career
Cullen was born in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, in 1973.{{Hugman|4463|accessdate=4 June 2020}} He came through the youth system at Doncaster Rovers{{cite web |url=https://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/academy/about-rovers-academy/alumni/ |title=Alumni |publisher=Doncaster Rovers F.C. |accessdate=25 May 2020}} and made his senior debut on 11 May 1991, in the starting eleven for the last Fourth Division match of the 1990–91 season, away to Gillingham. Doncaster lost 2–0. Cullen turned professional in September 1991, and made a handful of first-team appearances in the first half of that season, but dropped out of contention. In 1992–93, he spent time on loan at Northern Premier League Premier Division club Bishop Auckland.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103750112/jon-cullen-signs-for-bishop-auckland-on/ |title=Bay's chance for revenge |newspaper=The Journal |location=Newcastle |date=3 October 1992 |page=59 |via=Newspapers.com |quote=Bishop Auckland have signed midfield player Jon Cullen from Doncaster Rovers on loan, and he makes his debut at home to Winsford United in the HFS premier division today.}} After one more substitute appearance in August 1993, Doncaster released him and he joined another Northern Premier League club, Spennymoor United, where he spent three seasons before moving on to Morpeth Town of the Northern League.
In March 1997, Cullen returned to the Football League when Hartlepool United manager Mick Tait signed him from Morpeth for a fee of £1,000 and a significant sell-on clause.{{cite web |url=https://www.hufcsupporterstrust.org.uk/terrace-thoughts-26-12-04-2019 |title=Terrace Thoughts 26 |first=John |last=Ashton |publisher=Hartlepool United Supporters' Trust |date=12 April 2019 |accessdate=25 May 2020}} Under Tait's management, he emerged as what the Northern Echo called a cultured playmaker,{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7106675.midgley-looks/ |title=Midgley looks on |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=19 June 2001 |accessdate=4 June 2020}} and his developing goalscoring form in the 1997–98 season{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7086151.sunderland-fan-cullen-hoping-get-one-arch-rivals/ |title=Sunderland fan Cullen hoping to get one over arch-rivals |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=27 January 2002 |accessdate=4 June 2020}}{{snd}}12 goals from 28 Third Division (fourth-tier) matches{{snd}}earned him a move to First Division club Sheffield United. The club could not risk rejecting the £250,000 fee, of which £75,000 had to go to Morpeth, because he would have been able to leave at the end of the season for free under the Bosman ruling.{{cite news |url=https://archive.org/stream/NewsUK1998UKEnglish/Feb%2009%201998%2C%20The%20Times%2C%20%2366120%2C%20UK%20%28en%29#page/n30/mode/1up |title=Hartlepool held up by double strike from Roberts |first=Lynne |last=Critchley |newspaper=The Times |location=London |date=9 February 1998 |page=31}} Despite leaving both club and division in January, Cullen remained Hartlepool's top scorer for the season and was named in the Third Division Team of the Year.{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=1190&season_id=127&teamTabs=stats |title=Hartlepool squad details 1997/98 |website=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |accessdate=25 May 2020}}
{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-bergkamp-aims-to-finish-in-england-1155048.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604193956/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-bergkamp-aims-to-finish-in-england-1155048.html |archive-date=4 June 2020 |url-access=registration |url-status=live |title=Football: Bergkamp aims to finish in England |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=7 April 1998 |accessdate=14 June 2022}}
Cullen did not reproduce his Hartlepool form at the higher level. He made just four substitute appearances in 18 months, and in the 1999–2000 season spent spells on loan to Shrewsbury Town and Halifax Town, both Third Division clubs, before joining Peterborough United for a £35,000 fee in March 2000. He played regularly for what remained of the season, helped his team reach the play-offs, and played well in the final as Peterborough beat Darlington 1–0 to gain promotion to the Second Division.{{cite web |url=http://www.espnfc.com/england/players/cullenjon.html |title=England: Jon Cullen |website=ESPNsoccernet |date=15 March 2001 |accessdate=25 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604182205/http://www.espnfc.com/england/players/cullenjon.html |archive-date=4 June 2020}} He continued in the first team until injuries intervened, and after a cartilage operation he finished the season on loan at Carlisle United. Cullen was released at the end of the 2001–02 season, during which he made 17 appearances, and he signed a one-month contract with Third Division Darlington.{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7062997.quakers-hand-midfielders-short-contracts/ |title=Quakers hand midfielders short contracts |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=16 August 2002 |accessdate=25 May 2020}} After four matches, his deal was extended, but he was let go two weeks later,{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7059548.quakers-look-get-back-track/ |title=Quakers look to get back on track |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=17 September 2002 |accessdate=25 May 2020}}
{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7057830.taylors-top-ten-failure/ |title=Taylor's top-ten failure |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=3 October 2002 |accessdate=25 May 2020}} and he returned to his former club of Spennymoor.{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7055717.unibond-league-bishops-road-safety/ |title=Unibond League: Bishops on road to safety |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=21 October 2002 |accessdate=25 May 2020}}
A trial with Malaysian club Selangor in February yielded nothing,{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/other-sport/2003/02/14/cullen-is-the-man-for-giants/ |title=Cullen is the man for Giants |first=Azrul |last=Naimi |newspaper=The Star |location=Malaysia |date=14 February 2003 |accessdate=25 May 2020 |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604212527/https://www.thestar.com.my/sport/other-sport/2003/02/14/cullen-is-the-man-for-giants/ |archive-date=4 June 2020}} and Cullen made a brief return to another former club, Morpeth Town,{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7041402.albany-northern-league-today-terriers-return-top-spot-rivals-slip/ |title=The Albany Northern League Today: Terriers return to top spot after rivals slip up |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=24 February 2003 |accessdate=25 May 2020}} before trying his luck equally fruitlessly in the United States with the Chicago Fire and the Long Island Rough Riders in March and April. He finished the season back at Morpeth,{{cite press release |url=http://www.chicago-fire.com/pressbox/pressrelease/releasetext.asp?prID=1219 |title=Chicago Fire Weekly Release. Fire preseason training update |date=24 March 2003 |publisher=Chicago Fire |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030608114043/http://www.chicago-fire.com/pressbox/pressrelease/releasetext.asp?prID=1219 |archivedate=8 June 2003}}
{{cite news |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A183465611/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=37c5ac7d |title=Town hit Consett for six |newspaper=Morpeth Herald |date=16 April 2003 |accessdate=25 May 2020 |via=Gale OneFile |url-access=subscription}} played seven Conference matches for Halifax Town at the start of the 2003–04 season,{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/halifax_town/3056104.stm |title=Halifax sign duo |website=BBC Sport |date=8 July 2003 |accessdate=25 May 2020}} before another spell with Spennymoor, during which he scored a hat-trick of penalties.{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7013730.unibond-league/ |title=Unibond League |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=3 October 2003 |accessdate=25 May 2020}}
{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7004294.unibond-league-quarter-given-bishop/ |title=The Unibond League: Quarter 'given' to Bishop |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=9 January 2004 |accessdate=25 May 2020}} He then played Northern League football for Washington Nissan,{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/6976353.west-pile-misery-poor-tow-law-five-goal-thumping/ |title=West pile on misery for poor Tow Law in five-goal thumping |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=4 October 2004 |accessdate=25 May 2020}} Newcastle Blue Star,{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7143953.blue-star-march-maintain-record/ |title=Blue Star march on to maintain record |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=5 September 2005 |accessdate=25 May 2020}} further spells with the renamed Sunderland Nissan and with Morpeth Town,{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/876148.albany-northern-league/ |title=Albany Northern League |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=12 August 2006 |accessdate=25 May 2020}}
{{cite news |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A174240825/GPS?u=wikipedia&sid=GPS&xid=d8449384 |title=Soccer In Brief: Cullen back |newspaper=Evening Chronicle |location=Newcastle |date=5 February 2008 |page=47 |accessdate=25 May 2020 |via=Gale OneFile |url-access=subscription}} and Horden Colliery Welfare.{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/4004519.non-league-preview/ |title=Non-league preview |newspaper=The Northern Echo |location=Darlington |date=27 December 2008 |accessdate=25 May 2020}}
Career statistics
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="5"|Doncaster Rovers
|1991–92{{cite web |url=http://www.enfa.co.uk/playersearch.php |title=Player search: Cullen, DJ (Jon) |website=English National Football Archive |accessdate=4 June 2020 |url-access=subscription}} | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992–93
|Fourth Division | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1{{efn|name=FLT|Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy}} | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| 1993–94 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994–95
|Third Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| colspan="2"|Total
!9||0||1||0||3||1||1||0||14||1 | ||||||||||
| rowspan="3"|Hartlepool United
|1996–97{{soccerbase season|10865|1996|accessdate=25 May 2020}} |Third Division | 6 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 6 | 0 | |||
| 1997–98{{soccerbase season|10865|1997|accessdate=25 May 2020}}
|Third Division | 28 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=FLT}} | 0 | 33 | 12 |
| colspan="2"|Total
!34||12||1||0||2||0||2||0||39||12 | ||||||||||
| rowspan="4"|Sheffield United | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | |||
| 1998–99{{soccerbase season|10865|1998|accessdate=25 May 2020}}
|First Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | |
| 1999–2000
|First Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!4||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||4||0 | ||||||||||
| Shrewsbury Town (loan)
|Third Division | 10 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 10 | 1 | |||
| Halifax Town (loan)
|1999–2000{{soccerbase season|10865|1999|accessdate=25 May 2020}} |Third Division | 11 | 5 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 11 | 5 | |||
| rowspan="4"|Peterborough United
|Third Division | 13 | 3 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1{{efn|Appearance in Football League play-offs}} | 0 | 14 | 3 | ||
| 2000–01{{soccerbase season|10865|2000|accessdate=25 May 2020}} | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=FLT}} | 1 | 22 | 2 |
| 2001–02{{soccerbase season|10865|2001|accessdate=25 May 2020}}
|Second Division | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=FLT}} | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| colspan="2"|Total
!44||5||3||0||2||0||4||1||53||6 | ||||||||||
| Carlisle United (loan)
|Third Division | 11 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 11 | 0 | |||
| Darlington
|2002–03{{soccerbase season|10865|2002|accessdate=4 June 2020}} |Third Division | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4 | 0 | ||
| Halifax Town
|2003–04{{soccerbase season|10865|2003|accessdate=25 May 2020}} | 7 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 7 | 0 | |||
| colspan="3"|Total
!133||23||5||0||8||1||7||1||153||25 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
References
{{reflist}}
{{1997–98 Football League Third Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cullen, Jon}}
Category:Footballers from County Durham
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Doncaster Rovers F.C. players
Category:Bishop Auckland F.C. players
Category:Spennymoor United A.F.C. players
Category:Morpeth Town A.F.C. players
Category:Hartlepool United F.C. players
Category:Sheffield United F.C. players
Category:Shrewsbury Town F.C. players
Category:Halifax Town A.F.C. players
Category:Peterborough United F.C. players
Category:Carlisle United F.C. players
Category:Darlington F.C. players
Category:Sunderland Nissan F.C. players
Category:Newcastle Blue Star F.C. players
Category:Darlington Town F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Northern Premier League players