John Welsh
Welsh with Preston North End in 2016
Personal information
Full name John Joseph Welsh[1]
Date of birth (1984-01-10) 10 January 1984[1]
Place of birth Wavertree, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
0001994–2001 Liverpool
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2006 Liverpool 4 (0)
2005–2006 → Hull City (loan) 20 (2)
2006–2009 Hull City 30 (1)
2008 → Chester City (loan) 6 (0)
2008 → Carlisle United (loan) 4 (0)
2009 → Bury (loan) 5 (0)
2009–2012 Tranmere Rovers 130 (11)
2012–2018 Preston North End 143 (3)
2018–2019 Grimsby Town 13 (0)
2019–2020 Atherton Collieries 19 (0)
2020–2021 Stafford Rangers 28 (1)
Total 402 (18)
International career‡
England U16
England U20
2004–2007 England U21 8 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:41, 30 January 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 March 2006

John Joseph Welsh (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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5]

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.[6]

Preston North End

In May 2012, it was announced that Welsh had signed for Preston North End on a two-year contract.[7] He was voted Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year of Preston North End for the season 2012/13.[8] 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.[9]

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.[10] He was firmly installed as club captain for the 2018–19 season.[11] Welsh left the club by mutual consent on 20 March 2019.[12] 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.[13]

Non-League

In October 2019 he joined Atherton Collieries on a short-term contract.[14] It was announced in August 2020 that he had signed for Stafford Rangers, on step 10 of the English football pyramid.[15]

On 8 October 2021, Welsh announced he was leaving Stafford and subsequently retired in order to focus on other work commitments.[16]

Career statistics

As of match played 21 August 2018
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Liverpool 2002–03[17] Premier League 0000100010
2003–04[18] 1000001[lower-alpha 1]020
2004–05[19] 3010201[lower-alpha 2]070
Total 40103020100
Hull City (loan) 2005–06[20] Championship 2020010—212
Hull City 2005–06[20] Championship 1200000—120
2006–07[21] 1810030—211
Total 301003000331
Chester City (loan) 2007–08[22] League Two 6000000060
Carlisle United (loan) 2008–09[23] League One 4020000060
Bury (loan) 2008–09[23] League Two 6000000060
Tranmere Rovers 2009–10[24] League One 45440201[lower-alpha 3]0524
2010–11[25] 41410204[lower-alpha 3]0484
2011–12[26] 44310103[lower-alpha 3]0493
Total 1301160508014911
Preston North End 2012–13[27] League One 36120202[lower-alpha 3]0421
2013–14[28] 36250103[lower-alpha 4]0452
2014–15[29] 32040107[lower-alpha 5]0440
2015–16[30] Championship 2401010—260
2016–17[31] 600020—80
2017–18[32] 90200000110
Total 1433140701201763
Grimsby Town 2018–19[33] League Two 4000001[lower-alpha 6]050
Career total 3471723019023041217
  1. ↑ Appearance(s) in UEFA Cup
  2. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  3. 1 2 3 4 Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  4. ↑ One appearance in the Football League Trophy and two in the League One play-offs
  5. ↑ Four appearances in the Football League Trophy and three in the League One play-offs
  6. ↑ Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

Honours

Preston North End

References

  1. 1 2 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84596-474-0.
  2. ↑ "John Welsh: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  3. ↑ "B Leverkusen 1–3 Liverpool". BBC. 9 March 2005. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  4. ↑ "Midfield Options Boosted". Chester City Official Website. 31 December 2007. Retrieved 31 December 2007.
  5. ↑ Windass and Bridges among eight released by Hull
  6. ↑ "Moore Rebuilding Squad". Tranmere Rovers FC. 8 May 2012. Archived from the original on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  7. ↑ "Welsh Agrees to Join". Preston North End FC. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  8. ↑ "John Welsh Is 2013 Player of the Year". Preston North End FC. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  9. ↑ "PNE Extend Nine Players' Contracts". Preston North End Official Website. 7 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  10. ↑ "Introducing Michael Jolley's Seventh Summer Signing". Grimsby Town F.C. Retrieved 25 June 2018.
  11. ↑ "Welsh To Be Skipper". Grimsby Town F.C. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  12. ↑ Wood, Liam. "John Welsh leaves Grimsby Town by mutual consent after seven months at EFL club". Grimsby Town F.C. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  13. ↑ Olsen, Martine. "Ex-Liverpool player kicked woman and asked "don't you know who I am?" After 11 pints". Metro. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  14. ↑ "Colls in Welsh coup – The BetVictor Northern Premier". Archived from the original on 7 October 2019.
  15. ↑ "Rangers continue to strengthen squad". 7 August 2020.
  16. ↑ "New Signings". 8 October 2021.
  17. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  18. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  19. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  20. 1 2 "Games played by John Welsh in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  21. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  22. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  23. 1 2 "Games played by John Welsh in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  24. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  25. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  26. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  27. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  28. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  29. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  30. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  31. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  32. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  33. ↑ "Games played by John Welsh in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  34. ↑ Middleton, Nathan (24 May 2015). "Preston North End 4–0 Swindon Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
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