Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | John Francis Finnigan | ||
Date of birth | 29 March 1976 | ||
Place of birth | Wakefield, England | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
Nottingham Forest | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1995–1998 | Nottingham Forest | 0 | (0) |
1998 | → Lincoln City (loan) | 6 | (0) |
1998–2002 | Lincoln City | 137 | (3) |
2002–2009 | Cheltenham Town | 220 | (20) |
2009–2011 | Kidderminster Harriers | 16 | (3) |
2010–2011 | Bishop's Cleeve | 12 | (0) |
2011–2012 | Shortwood United | ||
Managerial career | |||
2009–2010 | Kidderminster Harriers (caretaker) | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
John Francis Finnigan (born 29 March 1976) is an English football coach and former professional footballer.
He played as a midfielder in the Football League for Lincoln City and Cheltenham Town after starting his career with Nottingham Forest. He later had spells in Non-League for Kidderminster Harriers, Bishop's Cleeve and Shortwood United. He had a brief spell in charge of Kidderminster in 2009. [1]
Born in Wakefield, Finnigan began his career with Nottingham Forest however failed to make an appearance at the City Ground and was loaned out to Lincoln City for his first spell with the club in 1998. He made his first league appearance for Lincoln in April 1998 against Macclesfield Town and featured in the Imps promotion to Division Two.
On his release by Nottingham Forest, Finnigan signed permanently for Lincoln City and for the 2000–01 season he was made team captain. Finnigan missed a large chunk of the 2001–02 season with a neck injury and after four years at Sincil Bank he left the club in March 2002 to join Cheltenham Town. [2] [3]
In his first season with Cheltenham Town, Finnigan helped Cheltenham to promotion via the play-offs, scoring in the play-off final against Rushden & Diamonds at the Millennium Stadium, and also received the 'Player of the Season' award at Whaddon Road.
He was made captain at the club and in 2006 he signed a new two-year contract under manager John Ward to keep him at Cheltenham until the summer of 2008. [4] Finnigan then signed a contract extension to keep him at Cheltenham until 2010 alongside striker Steven Gillespie in August 2007. [5] Finnigan suffered an injury which kept him out of action for a year in 2007. [6]
In the close season of 2009, Finnigan was released by Cheltenham, with the remaining one year on his contract cancelled by mutual consent, quoting 'it was time to move on'. He signed for Conference National side Kidderminster Harriers on a two-year contract. [7]
In October 2010, he parted company with Kidderminster Harriers. [8] [9]
After regaining fitness at Winchcombe School he signed for Bishop's Cleeve in the Southern League, [10] debuting in the 0–0 home draw with Stourport Swifts on 3 January 2011. However, his season was curtailed when he injured his cruciate knee ligaments in Bishop's Cleeve's 2–1 defeat at Abingdon United on 12 March 2011. [11]
After starting the 2011–12 season with Bishop's Cleeve, Finnigan featured just a handful of times under new manager Alex Sykes as he struggled for fitness on his return from injury. Finnigan then signed for Hellenic Premier Division outfit Shortwood United in October 2011. [12] [13] Finnigan was part of the Shortwood United squad that reached the FA Vase quarter finals in March 2012. At the end of the 2011–12 season, Finnigan retired from playing.
Finnigan was appointed as temporary manager of Kidderminster Harriers on 23 December 2009 following the departure of Mark Yates to Cheltenham Town. [14]
Finnigan is also Sport's Development Officer at Winchcombe School, whilst also the Football Academy Manager at Kidderminster College. He very rarely turns out for local Cheltenham teams such as Winchcombe Town and Village Real.
Damian Michael Spencer is an English former professional footballer who played as a forward from 1998 to 2012.
Julian Mark Alsop is an English former professional footballer.
Duane Jerome Courtney is an English semi-professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Midland League Premier Division club Highgate United. He has played in the Football League for Burnley.
John Christopher Mullins is an English former professional footballer who primarily played as a centre-back.
Keith Stephen Lowe is an English former professional footballer who played as a centre back. He made over 634 league and cup appearances in a 19-year playing career.
Steven Craig Armstrong is an English former professional footballer, manager and academy recruitment manager Premier League side Crystal Palace.
Stephen Anthony Guinan is an English former footballer who played as a striker for Nottingham Forest, Greensboro Dynamo, Darlington, Burnley, Crewe Alexandra, Halifax Town, Plymouth Argyle, Scunthorpe United, Cambridge United, Shrewsbury Town, Hereford United, Cheltenham Town, Northampton Town, Forest Green Rovers and Kidderminster Harriers.
Mark Jason Yates is an English former professional footballer and manager, most recently for Stourbridge. As a player, he played primarily in a central midfield role.
Craig Kevin Reid is an English footballer who plays as a striker. Reid started his career at Coventry City's youth academy in 2000, spending two years at the club before opting to join Ipswich Town in 2002. He spent two years at Ipswich, and then returned to Coventry, under a professional contract, in 2004. During his time at Coventry, Reid spent a month on loan at Conference National club Tamworth in March 2006. He was released by Coventry at the end of the 2005–06 season having not made a first-team appearance for his hometown club. In January 2007, Reid signed for Cheltenham Town and spent a year-and-a-half there before being released by the club in May 2008.
Shane Joseph Duff is an English-born former Northern Irish footballer, who last played for Bradford City. He was forced to retire from the professional game on 26 January 2012 due to injury. Known as an uncompromising centre back, he was at Cheltenham Town F.C. for 10 years until 2010. He is also a principal member of Jaguar Sports Coaching.
David Hockaday is an English professional footballer who is currently Head of Male Football at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College. He has previously worked as a manager at Leeds United, Forest Green Rovers, Kidderminster Harriers and in a caretaker capacity at Coventry City.
Neil Howarth is an English football coach and former player. As a player, he played as a defender in the Football League with Macclesfield Town and Cheltenham Town.
Gavin Liam Caines is an English footballer
Thomas William Shaw is an English former footballer and assistant head coach at EFL League One side Lincoln City.
Jake Alexander Lee is an English footballer who is currently with National League South side Weston-super-Mare. He was formerly with Football League side Cheltenham Town.
Russell Anthony Penn is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He was appointed interim manager of National League club Kidderminster Harriers in 2019 and was appointed as permanent manager on 2020.
Amari Aaron Morgan-Smith is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Kidderminster Harriers. He has previously played for Crewe Alexandra, Alsager Town, Stockport County, Ilkeston Town, Luton Town, Macclesfield Town, Kidderminster Harriers, Oldham Athletic, Cheltenham Town and York City.
Alex Sykes is an English football manager and former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He also played internationally for the England Futsal side. He is currently assistant manager of Evesham United.
Michael Jackson is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder. He played in the Football League for both Cheltenham Town and Swansea City. He retired in Bishop's Cleeve in 2013.
Matthew James Blair is a former English professional footballer who last played as a right back for club Cheltenham Town.