John Dreyer (footballer)

John Dreyer
Personal information
Full name John Brian Dreyer
Date of birth (1963-06-11) 11 June 1963
Place of birth Alnwick, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position Defender or midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1984–1985 Wallingford Town
1985–1988 Oxford United 60 (2)
1985Torquay United (loan) 5 (0)
1988Fulham (loan) 12 (2)
1988–1994 Luton Town 214 (13)
1994–1996 Stoke City 49 (3)
1995Bolton Wanderers (loan) 2 (0)
1996–2000 Bradford City 80 (2)
2000–2001 Cambridge United 40 (0)
2001–2003 Stevenage Borough 26 (0)
Total 488 (22)
Teams managed
2003 Stevenage Borough
2003–2004 Maidenhead United
2013 Preston North End (caretaker)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


John Brian Dreyer (born 11 June 1963) is an English former professional footballer who played in defence and midfield. After retiring, he became a manager.

Playing career

Born in Alnwick, Northumberland, Dreyer started his career with Wallingford Town, leaving to join Oxford United in January 1985. He joined Torquay United on loan in December 1985 and made his league debut, for Torquay, on 14 December in a 1–1 draw at home to Cambridge United. He returned to Oxford on 13 January 1986, but moved on loan again on 27 March 1986, joining Fulham until the end of the season. He broke into the Oxford first team the following season, playing 60 times before a £140,000 move to Luton Town on 27 June 1988.

In six years at Kenilworth Road he played 214 games, scoring 13 times, but was released at the end of the 1993–94 season. In July 1994 he joined Stoke City, but started only two games for the Potters. He joined Bolton Wanderers in March 1995, and was part of the Trotters squad which secured promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.

On 6 November 1996, he signed for Bradford City for £25,000. He scored on his debut in a 3–3 draw at Huddersfield Town. Dreyer scored a further three goals that season all in the FA Cup. They included two goals at Wycombe Wanderers and one in City's 3–2 upset of Everton.

Dreyer struggled to hold down a regular place in the side the following season but in 1998–99 he helped the Bantams to gain promotion to the Premier League including making a vital clearance in the final win of the season, 3–2 at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Although Dreyer made just 14 starts in City's season in the top flight, he made an equally vital contribution with the only goal in a 1–0 victory over Sunderland as Bradford stayed up by just two points.[1]

He left the Bantams after turning down a new one-year contract as he felt he deserved a two-year deal.[2] He joined Cambridge United in July 2000,[3] playing a major role in keeping Cambridge in Division Two the following season. He left after one season (and one goal against Colchester in the Football League Trophy)[4] and was linked with a return to Oxford United as player-coach in July 2001. Later that month he did join Oxford, but only on trial as a player,[5] joining in with pre-season training and playing in a pre-season friendly. However, the Oxford board would not provide the money needed, claiming that they had no need for an extra defender, and on 4 August 2001 he signed for Conference side Stevenage Borough. In January 2002 he was linked with a move back to the Football League with Torquay United,[6] but remained with Stevenage. He was caretaker manager of Stevenage for a spell in January 2003 alongside David Preece, winning 3 and drawing 1 of his first 4 games in charge. but left in May 2003 to seek a managerial position.[7]

Managerial career

In May 2003, Dreyer became manager of Maidenhead United,[8] guiding the team to the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy and securing promotion in the new Conference South.[9] Dreyer leaves Maidenhead in November 2004.[10]

In December 2006, Dreyer was named as assistant manager of Rushden & Diamonds.[11] taking the club from 2nd bottom of the Conference to 12th in less than 3 months. On 2 May 2008, Dreyer was named assistant manager to Graham Westley at Stevenage Borough.[12] Reacing the Conference play off Semi finals and Winning the FA Trophy in 2009. In 2010 Stevenage Win the Conference title and reach the FA Trophy final at Wembley. In 2011 Stevenage win back to back promotions beating Torquay United in the League 2 play off final at Old Trafford. Despite being well placed to achieve a third consecutive promotion Dreyer followed Westley to Preston North End in January 2012, taking up the role of assistant manager.[13] On 14 February 2013, Dreyer was named as Caretaker Manager of Preston North End following the departure of Graham Westley.[14] Beating Eddie Home's top of the table Bournemouth 2-0. Preston reach the League 1 play off semi finals, where they are beaten by eventual winners Rotherham United. Preston are promoted to the Championship, beating Swindon 4-0 at Wembley in the League 1 play off final. In January 2016 Dreyer joins eventual League 2 champions Northampton Town on a short term contract as Head of recruitment.

Career statistics

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Oxford United 1984–85 Second Division 0000000000
1985–86 First Division 0000000000
1986–87 First Division 252103010302
1987–88 First Division 350108020460
Total 6022011030762
Torquay United (loan) 1985–86 Fourth Division 5000000050
Total 5000000050
Fulham (loan) 1985–86 Second Division 122100000132
Total 122100000132
Luton Town 1988–89 First Division 181005010241
1989–90 First Division 382103110432
1990–91 First Division 383302031464
1991–92 First Division 422101000442
1992–93 First Division 382201010422
1993–94 First Division 403702020513
Total 214131401418125015
Stoke City 1994–95 First Division 182002030232
1995–96 First Division 190100021221
1996–97 First Division 121003000151
Total 493105051604
Bolton Wanderers (loan) 1994–95 First Division 2000002040
Total 2000002040
Bradford City 1996–97 First Division 281330000314
1997–98 First Division 170002000190
1998–99 First Division 210005000260
1999–2000 Premier League 141001000151
Total 802438000925
Cambridge United 2000–01 Second Division 400102011441
Total 400102011441
Stevenage Borough 2001–02 Conference National 240000010250
2002–03 Conference National 2000000020
Total 260000010260
Career total 4882223340120357129
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Anglo-Italian Cup, Full Members Cup, Football League play-offs and Football League Trophy.

References

  1. Telegraph & Argus, City doomed fears Dreyer
  2. Dreyer quits Bantams. BBC News (1 July 2000). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
  3. Cambridge snap up Dreyer. BBC News (14 July 2000). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
  4. "Cambridge Utd 2-0 Colchester Utd". BBC. 5 December 2000. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  5. Dreyer returns to Oxford. BBC News (10 July 2001). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
  6. Torquay chase Dreyer. BBC News (23 January 2002). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
  7. Dreyer leaves Boro. BBC News (14 May 2003). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
  8. Dreyer appointed boss at Maidenhead. Nonleaguedaily.com (16 May 2003). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
  9. Maidenhead United F.C. Bbc.co.uk (13 February 2008). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
  10. Dreyer quits Maidenhead. Nonleaguedaily.com (24 November 2004). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
  11. Rushden name new assistant boss. BBC News (19 December 2006). Retrieved on 27 August 2011.
  12. Stevenage Borough Football Club
  13. "Stevenage confirm Westley departure". Stevenage F.C. 2012-01-13. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
  14. "Preston North End: John Dreyer named caretaker boss". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 February 2013.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/9/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.