Ronnie Jepson

{{Short description|English footballer and manager}}

{{Use British English|date=June 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Ronnie Jepson

| image = Ronnie jepson.jpg

| caption = Jepson as Gillingham's manager in 2006.

| fullname = Ronald Francis Jepson

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|5|12|df=y}}

| birth_place = Audley, Staffordshire, England

| death_date =

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=0}}{{cite book |last1=Rollin |first1=Glenda |last2=Rollin |first2=Jack |title=Rothmans football yearbook 2001-2002 |date=2001 |publisher=London : Headline |isbn=978-0-7472-7256-4 |url=https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball0000unse_m0u3 |access-date=27 November 2022}}

| position = Striker

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1989–1991| clubs1 = Port Vale| caps1 = 22| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1990| clubs2 = → Peterborough United (loan)| caps2 = 18| goals2 = 5

| years3 = 1991–1992| clubs3 = Preston North End| caps3 = 38| goals3 = 8

| years4 = 1992–1993| clubs4 = Exeter City| caps4 = 54| goals4 = 21

| years5 = 1993–1996| clubs5 = Huddersfield Town| caps5 = 107| goals5 = 36

| years6 = 1996–1998| clubs6 = Bury| caps6 = 47| goals6 = 9

| years7 = 1998| clubs7 = Oldham Athletic| caps7 = 9| goals7 = 4

| years8 = 1998–2000| clubs8 = Burnley| caps8 = 59| goals8 = 3

| totalcaps = 354| totalgoals = 86

| manageryears1 = 2005–2007| managerclubs1 = Gillingham

| manageryears2 = 2013| managerclubs2 = Bury

}}

Ronald Francis Jepson (born 12 May 1963) is an English football manager, coach and former player.

A striker, he scored 86 goals in 354 league games in an eleven-year professional career. He moved from Nantwich Town to Port Vale in 1989, turning professional at the age of 25. Loaned out to Peterborough United in 1990, he was sold on to Preston North End for £80,000 in February 1991. He transferred to Exeter City a year later, before he moved on to Huddersfield Town in December 1993 for £70,000. He stayed with the "Terriers" for three years, helping the club to win promotion out of the Second Division in 1995. He moved to Bury for £40,000 in 1996 and helped the "Shakers" to the Second Division title in the 1996–97 campaign. He played for Oldham Athletic following a £40,000 move in January 1998, before arriving at his final club Burnley later in the year. He helped Burnley to win promotion out of the Second Division in 1999–2000 before he retired in 2000.

After a spell coaching at Burnley, he was appointed as Gillingham manager in November 2005. He was in charge for two years before tendering his resignation. He then returned to the back-room as a coach at Huddersfield Town, Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers, Leeds United, Bury, Cardiff City, Middlesbrough and Aberdeen. He took charge of Bury in October 2013 following a period as caretaker manager.

Playing career

A relative latecomer to the professional game at 25, Jepson had first appeared for North West Counties League side Nantwich Town as a teenager in August 1982. He then signed for Congleton Town. He had stints at Alsager Town, Kidsgrove Athletic and Newcastle Town before re-joining Nantwich from Hanley Town in the 1988 close season. He made a big impact, becoming club captain and earning the NWCL Division Two Player of the Month award for January 1989.{{Cite book |last=CHATWIN |first=MICHAEL |title=THE ULTIMATE BOOK OF NANTWICH TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB |publisher=EMPIRE |year=2020 |isbn=978-0-9563068-2-1}} Jepson then started his league career under John Rudge at Port Vale in March 1989.{{cite book|last=Kent|first=Jeff|title=Port Vale Personalities|publisher=Witan Books|page=152|year=1996|isbn=0-9529152-0-0}} The reason for this delay was that he had to spend four years fighting manslaughter charges in Belgium for his alleged involvement in the Heysel Stadium disaster; he was finally found Not Guilty when his trial concluded in April 1989.{{cite book|last=Kent|first=Jeff|title=Port Vale Promotion Chronicle 1988–1989: Back to Where We Once Belonged!|publisher=Witan Books|year=1989|page=17|isbn=0-9508981-3-9}} He worked as a coal miner for six years before becoming a professional footballer.{{cite news |title=SATURDAY INTERVIEW: Andy Neild talks to Clarets striker Ronnie Jepson |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6130634.saturday-interview-andy-neild-talks-clarets-striker-ronnie-jepson/ |access-date=1 March 2024 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |date=13 March 1999 |language=en}}

He appeared just twice for the "Valiants" in 1988–89 as they won promotion out of the Third Division, and was an unused substitute in the play-off final victory over Bristol Rovers.{{cite news |last1=Sherwin |first1=Phil |title=Port Vale win 1989 play-off final to kick-off the best decade in club's history |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/port-vale-1989-promotion-celebration-2930046 |access-date=12 June 2020 |work=Stoke Sentinel |date=1 June 2019}} He then played eight Second Division games in 1989–90, and seeing as he was unable to nail down a first-team place at Vale Park he was loaned out to Peterborough United in January 1990 for a three-month spell. He played eighteen Fourth Division games for Mark Lawrenson's "Posh", scoring five goals, as they missed out on the play-offs by just three points. Back in Burslem, he played nineteen matches without scoring in 1990–91, before being sold to Preston North End for £80,000 in February 1991.

Les Chapman's "Lilywhites" finished 17th in the Third Division in 1990–91 and 1991–92. Jepson played 43 matches for the club in league and cup competitions, scoring 12 goals. He signed with Exeter City after Alan Ball paid out a £60,000 fee in July 1992.{{cite web |title=Jepson, Ronnie |url=https://grecianarchive.exeter.ac.uk/items/show/403 |website=grecianarchive.exeter.ac.uk |access-date=9 November 2022 |language=English}} He helped the "Grecians" to maintain their third tier status in 1992–93; they finished three points ahead of his former club Preston North End, who occupied the final relegation place. They did drop into the basement division in 1993–94, but Jepson left St James Park before this eventuality. He played 67 games for Exeter, scoring 25 goals, including four in one match against Wrexham.

In December 1993, Huddersfield Town manager Neil Warnock paid Exeter £70,000 to secure Jepson's services.{{cite web|title=Profile|url=http://www.qpr.co.uk/page/BackroomStaff/0,,10373~2513476,00.html|publisher=Queens Park Rangers F.C.|access-date=23 February 2012}} He formed a successful strike partnership with Andy Booth at Leeds Road. He scored five goals in 23 games throughout the remainder of the season, including a hat-trick past York City on 22 January. The pair helped the "Terriers" to gain promotion in 1994–95, beating Bristol Rovers 2–1 in the play-off final at Wembley, with Jepson crossing the ball to Booth for the opening goal of the game.{{cite news|last=Haylett|first=Trevor|title=Shadow over Warnock's joy|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/shadow-over-warnocks-joy-1621656.html|access-date=23 February 2012|date=29 May 1995}} He also scored twice in the final of the 1995 Yorkshire Electricity Cup, as Huddersfield beat Hull City 4–2. Throughout the season, he made 54 appearances, scoring 23 goals, whilst Booth hit 30 goals. Jepson was voted the club's Player of the Year for his efforts. He scored 14 goals in 48 appearances under new manager Brian Horton in 1995–96, after which Booth was sold to Sheffield Wednesday for £2.7 million. "Rocket Ronnie", as the Huddersfield fans called Jepson, also left the McAlpine Stadium, having played a total of 125 games for the club in all competitions, scoring 42 goals.

He signed with Bury on a £40,000 transfer in August 1996, as he helped Stan Ternent's "Shakers" to top the Second Division table in 1996–97, finishing ahead of Stockport County by a two-point margin; Jepson had scored nine goals in 36 appearances throughout the campaign. However, he hit the target just once in the first half of the 1997–98 campaign and was sold on to Oldham Athletic for £40,000 in January 1998. He featured just nine times at Boundary Park, scoring four goals, before departing at the end of the season after Neil Warnock was replaced by Andy Ritchie.

He signed with Burnley in time for the start of the 1998–99 campaign, rejoining former manager Stan Ternent, and scored once in seventeen appearances for "Clarets". He helped the club to win promotion into the First Division in 1999–2000, scoring twice in 36 appearances in both encounters with former club Bury, as Burnley finished second in the Second Division. He made fifteen appearances in 2000–01, all as a substitute before an Achilles problem ended his playing days. He had made 68 appearances for the club over all competitions.

Coaching and management career

Upon retiring as a player, Stan Ternent, who had signed Jepson at both Bury and Burnley, then appointed him to his first coaching role as reserve team coach at the "Clarets". In June 2002 he was linked to the vacant management position at Huddersfield Town, though Jepson opted to stay at Turf Moor.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/burnley/2074012.stm|title=Jepson rules out Town job|date=29 June 2002|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=8 June 2009}}

In May 2004, the club did not renew Ternent's contract at Burnley, and Jepson was let go along with him. In December of the same year, Ternent became manager at Gillingham, and Jepson joined him, again as assistant manager. Although the "Gills" fortunes improved, they narrowly failed to escape relegation from the Championship. Ternent left the club during the summer, but Jepson remained as assistant to new manager Neale Cooper.

The 2005–06 season did not start well for Gillingham. Following a run of bad results and an FA Cup defeat to non-League Burscough, Cooper resigned. Jepson was appointed manager on 15 November 2005, initially on a caretaker basis. Still, he signed a two-year contract within the first two months, although this was not made public until several months later. Jepson turned the season around, and the "Gills", having flirted with relegation danger, finally finished in 14th place with 60 points. He was nominated for the League One Manager of the Month award in April. However, the award went to Bristol City manager Gary Johnson.{{Cite news | title = Johnson lands April manager prize | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bristol_city/4972796.stm | publisher = BBC Sport | date = 4 May 2006 | access-date = 2 January 2009}} During the close season Jepson's assistant Mick Docherty, who had been on a short-term contract, signed a new two-year contract for the role. Jepson was able to make long-term adjustments to the playing squad.

At the end of the 2006–07 season Jepson was once again linked with the newly vacant management position at Huddersfield,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/6441137.stm|title=Scally insists Jepson will stay |date=12 March 2007|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=8 June 2009}} despite claiming to be happy at the Priestfield Stadium.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/6457669.stm|title=Boss Jepson commits to Gillingham |date=16 March 2007|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=8 June 2009}} Jepson was relieved to keep Gillingham in League One at the end of the season,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/6557251.stm|title=Jepson happy with Gills survival |date=15 April 2007|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=8 June 2009}} however, following a poor start to the 2007–08 campaign, with five defeats from the first six matches, Jepson resigned as manager.{{cite news| title = Gillingham manager Jepson resigns| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/6985975.stm| publisher = BBC Sport| date = 9 September 2007| access-date = 9 September 2007}}

On 24 April 2008, it was confirmed that Jepson would return to Huddersfield Town. Previously, he had been approached to become the manager.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/6430389.stm|title=Huddersfield set for Jepson talks |date=8 March 2007|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=8 June 2009}} However, this appointment saw him reunited with Stan Ternent, who was the newly appointed manager at the club, Jepson would once again become his assistant. The next month, the pair were joined by Mick Docherty, who joined as first-team coach, having previously worked with Jepson and Ternent at Burnley.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/h/huddersfield_town/7400133.stm|title=Coach Docherty joins Huddersfield |date=14 May 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=8 June 2009}} After just six months at the club, all three men left the club in November 2008 after a difference of opinion with the board of directors.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/h/huddersfield_town/7707920.stm|title=Huddersfield sack manager Ternent |date=4 November 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=8 June 2009}}

Jepson spent a year out of football before joining his former manager at Huddersfield, Neil Warnock, then at Crystal Palace, as reserve team coach in July 2009. He spent a year there before moving to Queens Park Rangers to link up with Warnock once again as reserve team coach in July 2010. After Warnock was sacked by the club and appointed manager at Leeds United, Jepson followed him to Elland Road in February 2012,{{cite web|title=Jepson leaves to join Warnock at Leeds|url=http://www.westlondonsport.com/qpr/jepson-leaves-to-join-warnock-at-leeds/|work=West London Sport|date=22 February 2012 |access-date=23 February 2012}} where he remained until Warnock's resignation in April 2013.{{cite news|last=Tallentire|first=Mark|title=Neil Warnock calls time after 13 months as Leeds manager|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/apr/01/leeds-united-neil-warnock-exit|access-date=9 April 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=1 April 2013}}

He was appointed as Kevin Blackwell's assistant manager at League Two side Bury in June 2013.{{cite news|title=Ronnie Jepson appointed Bury assistant manager|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22785833|access-date=9 June 2013|publisher=BBC Sport|date=5 June 2013}} Blackwell was sacked on 14 October, and Jepson was appointed as caretaker manager.{{cite web|title=Chairman's statement: Kevin Blackwell|url=http://www.buryfc.co.uk/news/article/chairmans-statement-kevin-blackwell-1114233.aspx|publisher=Bury F.C.|access-date=16 October 2013}} It was later confirmed that he would remain as manager until at least January.{{cite news|title=Bury appoint Ronnie Jepson as manager until January|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24676865|access-date=4 November 2013|publisher=BBC Sport|date=25 October 2013}} However, the club announced David Flitcroft as their new manager on 9 December 2013, and Jepson was released from his contract.{{cite news|title=Bury appoint David Flitcroft as their new manager|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25311576|access-date=10 December 2013|publisher=BBC Sport|date=9 December 2013}}

He returned to the game in October 2016, when newly appointed Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock named Jepson his first-team coach.{{cite news|title=Cardiff City appoint former Sheffield United and Leeds boss Neil Warnock|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/neil-warnock-cardiff-city-sheffield-united-leeds-crystal-palace-queens-park-rangers-paul-trollope-a7345731.html|access-date=5 October 2016|work=The Independent|date=5 October 2016}} Warnock and his staff, including Jepson, were sacked in November 2019.{{cite news |title=Cardiff City part company with their manager |url=https://fanbanter.co.uk/cardiff-city-part-company-with-their-manager/ |access-date=28 March 2020 |work=Fan Banter |date=11 November 2019}} He and Blackwell rejoined Warnock in his new role at Middlesbrough in June 2020.{{cite news |title=Trusted Lieutentants [sic] Join New Boro Manager {{!}} Middlesbrough FC |url=https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/trusted-lieutentants-join-new-boro-manager |access-date=1 July 2020 |publisher=Middlesbrough F.C. |date=23 June 2020 |language=en}} The trio were removed from their positions in November 2021.{{cite news |title=Middlesbrough part with veteran Warnock |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59192580 |access-date=8 November 2021 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=6 November 2021}}

On 13 February 2023, Jepson again followed Warnock as his assistant manager to Huddersfield Town, the club where Jepson had won promotion as a player under Warnock and also worked as Stan Ternent's assistant manager briefly in 2008.{{cite web|url=https://www.htafc.com/news/2023/february/neil-warnock-returns-to-town-as-manager/|title=NEIL WARNOCK RETURNS TO TOWN AS MANAGER|publisher=Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|date=13 February 2023|accessdate=13 February 2023}} Warnock described Jepson as a "colossus" as the duo guided Huddersfield to safety at the end of the Championship season.{{cite news |last1=Chicken |first1=Steven |title=Neil Warnock praises Huddersfield Town 'colossus' Ronnie Jepson |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/huddersfield-town-colossus-ronnie-jepson-26848539 |access-date=4 June 2023 |work=YorkshireLive |date=5 May 2023 |language=en}} Warnock and Jepson signed new one-year contracts in June 2023, only to depart three months later.{{cite news |last1=Howson |first1=Dom |title=Neil Warnock and Ronnie Jepson pen new contracts to remain at Huddersfield Town |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/warnock-jepson-huddersfield-town-contracts-27118120 |access-date=28 July 2023 |work=YorkshireLive |date=14 June 2023 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Chicken |first1=Steven |title=Neil Warnock wants Ronnie Jepson's Huddersfield Town 'legend' status recognised |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/warnock-jepson-huddersfield-town-legend-27743583 |access-date=22 September 2023 |work=YorkshireLive |date=19 September 2023 |language=en}} In February 2024, Warnock was appointed interim manager of Aberdeen and again appointed Jepson as his assistant.{{cite news |title=Neil Warnock back in management aged 75 with Aberdeen until end of season |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/feb/05/neil-warnock-aberdeen-manager-aged-75-end-of-season |access-date=5 February 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=5 February 2024}} Warnock and Jepson left the club the following month.{{cite news |title=Aberdeen FC - Neil Warnock to leave Aberdeen |url=https://www.afc.co.uk/2024/03/09/neil-warnock-to-leave-aberdeen/ |access-date=16 March 2024 |work=Aberdeen FC |date=9 March 2024 |language=en}}

Personal life

His son, Oliver, also played non-League football.{{cite news |last1=Popat |first1=Shahed Popat |title=Oliver Jepson confident in Kidsgrove Athletic staying up and hoping to turn around clubs current form |url=https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/kidsgroveathleticfc/news/oliver-jepson-confident-in-kidsgrove-athletic-staying-up-and-hoping-to-turn-around-clubs-current-form-2227543.html |access-date=1 March 2024 |work=www.pitchero.com |date=22 March 2018 |language=en}}

Career statistics

=Playing statistics=

Source:{{ENFA}}{{Soccerbase}}

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"|Other

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
rowspan="4"|Port Vale

|1988–89

|Third Division

|2

0000020
1989–90

|Second Division

|5

0000050
1990–91

|Second Division

|15

02020190
colspan="2"|Total

!22

02020280
Peterborough United (loan)

|1989–90

|Fourth Division

|18

00000185
rowspan="3"|Preston North End

|1990–91

|Third Division

|14

30034177
1991–92

|Third Division

|24

50020265
colspan="2"|Total

!38

800544312
rowspan="3"|Exeter City

|1992–93

|Second Division

|38

81061459
1993–94

|Second Division

|16

1321422216
colspan="2"|Total

!54

21311036725
rowspan="4"|Huddersfield Town

|1993–94

|Second Division

|23

50000235
1994–95

|Second Division

|41

19211035323
1995–96

|First Division

|43

1222304814
colspan="2"|Total

!107

364313312442
rowspan="3"|Bury

|1996–97

|Second Division

|31

910523711
1997–98

|First Division

|16

02041221
colspan="2"|Total

!47

930935912
Oldham Athletic

|1997–98

|Second Division

|9

4000094
rowspan="4"|Burnley

|1998–99

|Second Division

|15

10020171
1999–2000

|Second Division

|31

23020362
2000–01

|First Division

|13

00020150
colspan="2"|Total

!59

33060683
colspan="3"|Career total

!354

861544513414103

=Managerial statistics=

class=wikitable style="text-align: center"

|+ Managerial record by team and tenure

rowspan=2|Team

!rowspan=2|From

!rowspan=2|To

!colspan=5|Record

{{abbr|P|Matches played}}{{abbr|W|Matches won}}{{abbr|D|Matches drawn}}{{abbr|L|Matches lost}}{{abbr|Win %|Win percentage}}
align=left|Gillingham

|align=left|15 November 2005

|align=left|9 September 2007

{{WDL|86|31|16|39|decimals=1}}

align=left|Bury

|align=left|16 October 2013

|align=left|9 December 2013

{{WDL|10|2|5|3|decimals=1}}

colspan=3|Total{{Soccerbase manager|2018|Ronnie Jepson}}

{{WDLtot|96|33|21|42|decimals=1}}

Honours

References

{{reflist}}

{{Huddersfield Town F.C. Player of the Year}}

{{Navboxes

| title = Managerial positions

| list1 =

{{Gillingham F.C. managers}}

{{Bury F.C. managers}}

}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jepson, Ronnie}}

Category:1963 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Audley, Staffordshire

Category:Footballers from Staffordshire

Category:English men's footballers

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:Nantwich Town F.C. players

Category:Congleton Town F.C. players

Category:Alsager Town F.C. players

Category:Kidsgrove Athletic F.C. players

Category:Newcastle Town F.C. players

Category:Port Vale F.C. players

Category:Peterborough United F.C. players

Category:Preston North End F.C. players

Category:Exeter City F.C. players

Category:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players

Category:Bury F.C. players

Category:Oldham Athletic A.F.C. players

Category:Burnley F.C. players

Category:North West Counties Football League players

Category:English Football League players

Category:English football managers

Category:Gillingham F.C. managers

Category:Bury F.C. managers

Category:English Football League managers

Category:English football coaches

Category:Burnley F.C. non-playing staff

Category:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. non-playing staff

Category:Queens Park Rangers F.C. non-playing staff

Category:Bury F.C. non-playing staff

Category:Crystal Palace F.C. non-playing staff

Category:Cardiff City F.C. non-playing staff

Category:Middlesbrough F.C. non-playing staff

Category:Aberdeen F.C. non-playing staff

Category:People acquitted of manslaughter