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John Peverell

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John Peverell
Personal information
Full name John Richard Peverell,[1]
Date of birth (1941-09-17) 17 September 1941 (age 83)
Place of birth Richmond, Yorkshire, England
Position(s) Right back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Ferryhill Athletic
1961–1972 Darlington 419 (13)
1972–1973 Stockton
1973–1974 South Shields
1974 Shildon
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

John Richard Peverell (born 17 September 1941) is an English former professional footballer who made more than 400 appearances in the Football League for Darlington, playing primarily at right back.[2] His total of 465 appearances in all competitions for the club is second only to Ron Greener's 490. He was part of the team that won promotion to the Football League Third Division in 1966, and was selected as a member of the Darlington all-time "Dream Team" in 2003.

Life and career

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Peverell was born on 17 September 1941 in Richmond, North Riding of Yorkshire.[1] He played football for Ferryhill Athletic before joining Fourth Division club Darlington. He signed professional forms in September 1959, and made his first-team debut two years later, on 9 September 1961 at home to Colchester United, taking the place at left back of George Mulholland who was suffering from tonsillitis;[3] Darlington lost the match 2–0,[4] but Peverell stayed in the team for the next match, a League Cup visit to Rotherham United of the Second Division. According to the Birmingham Post, "Rotherham never looked like scoring, but they were given their winner through a second-half own goal by Peverell".[5] He played twice more that season, each time at left back, established himself in the first team at right half in 1962–63, and made the right-back position his own the following season.[6]

He continued to score own goals: of the seven conceded by Darlington during the 1964–65 season, Peverell contributed four.[7] He "thundered [the ball] in with his left foot from 30 yards (27 m)" for his first goal at the right end and the first in a 2–0 win against Hartlepools United on 28 March 1966 that took Darlington to within a point of the division leaders.[8] He was ever-present as the team finished as runners-up – missing out on the title on goal average – and gained their first promotion since 1925.[9][10] Peverell continued as first choice at right back through relegation from the Third Division and for another five seasons in the Fourth.[11]

Peverell retired from the professional game at the end of the 1971–72 season because of what was described as a long-standing thigh injury,[12] albeit one which had not stopped him being ever-present throughout both that season and the previous one.[13] He made 419 league appearances for Darlington, 465 in all senior competitions, a total second only to Ron Greener's 490.[14] He was described by the Northern Echo as "a no-nonsense right-back",[15] and by Neil Warnock, on whom he inflicted a ruptured spleen and fractured ankle during a match in 1972, as playing like a bouncer.[16] He was selected as a member of the Darlington "Dream Team" via a competition in the club's match programme, as part of the "Farewell to Feethams" celebrations when the club left its longtime home ground in 2003.[17] After the ground was demolished for housing, roads on the development were named after Peverell and Greener.[18]

He went on to play non-league football for Stockton of the Midland League,[19] Northern Premier League club South Shields,[20] whom he captained to the semi-finals of the 1973–74 FA Trophy,[21][22] and Shildon of the Northern League.[23] After finishing with professional football he made a career in financial services.[24]

References

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  1. ^ a b "John Peverell". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  2. ^ "John Peverell". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  3. ^ "Darlington's new back". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 8 September 1961. p. 34 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Tweddle (2000), p. 58.
  5. ^ "Ipswich gain revenge with cup-tie win. Largest gate". Birmingham Post. 12 September 1961. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Tweddle (2000), pp. 58–60.
  7. ^ "Manchester City in luck's way". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 11 September 1965. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Peverell blasts the door open". The Journal. Newcastle. 29 March 1966. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Tweddle (2000), p. 62.
  10. ^ "Class of '66 reunited at Fortress Feethams". The Northern Echo. Darlington. 18 January 2003. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  11. ^ Tweddle (2000), pp. 63–68.
  12. ^ Weatherill, Simon (21 June 2018). "Memory match – Cambridge 1972". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  13. ^ Tweddle (2000), pp. 67–68.
  14. ^ "Club Honours and Records". Darlington F.C. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  15. ^ "Darlington FC Greatest". The Northern Echo. Darlington. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  16. ^ Warnock, Neil (7 January 2006). "What I've learnt this week". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  17. ^ "Feethams greatest game". Farewell to Feethams. Darlington Supporters' Trust. Archived from the original on 18 January 2005. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  18. ^ "Feethams housing development salutes record appearance makers". The Northern Echo. Darlington. 9 July 2015. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  19. ^ "Worksop surge ahead". Football Post. Nottingham. 30 December 1972. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ Smith, Tony (10 December 1973). "Peverell's show". The Journal. Newcastle. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Pope, Colin (19 February 1974). "F.A. Challenge Trophy preview. Wealdstone to beat this Shields side". Harrow Observer. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ "South Shields {2}". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  23. ^ "Shildon release Peverell". The Journal. Newcastle. 7 December 1974. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Wallowing in nostalgia as Lol's lads return to a field of dreams". The Northern Echo. Darlington. 20 January 2003. Retrieved 21 September 2021.

Sources

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