John Askey

John Askey
Personal information
Full name John Colin Askey[1]
Date of birth (1964-11-04) 4 November 1964[2]
Place of birth Stoke-on-Trent, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current team
 Shrewsbury Town (manager)
Youth career
Port Vale
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1982–1983 Port Vale 0 (0)
1983–1984 Milton United
1984–2003 Macclesfield Town 511 (109)
Total 511 (109)
National team
1990 England semi-pro 1 (0)
Teams managed
2003–2004 Macclesfield Town
2013–2018 Macclesfield Town
2018– Shrewsbury Town
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

John Colin Askey (born 4 November 1964) is an English former professional footballer who is the manager of League One club Shrewsbury Town. He is the son of former Port Vale player Colin Askey.

He had a 19-year playing career at Macclesfield Town, from 1984 to 2003, and was voted the club's PFA Fans' Favourites and cult hero.[3] During this time the club spent six seasons in English Football League and won the Northern Premier League title in 1986–87, the Football Conference title in 1994–95 and 1996–97, and promotion out of the Third Division in 1997–98. Town also won the Northern Premier League Challenge Cup, Northern Premier League President's Cup, and Conference League Cup.

He stayed on at Macclesfield Town as a coach after retiring as a player in 2003, and was appointed as manager in October 2003. He was replaced as manager in April 2004, but stayed on at the club as a coach, before he was appointed as manager for a second time in April 2013. He coached Macclesfield to the 2017 FA Trophy Final, where they were beaten by York City. The following season, 2017–18, he led the team back into the Football League as champions of the National League despite having one of the division's lowest budgets. Following this achievement, he moved on to manage Shrewsbury Town in June 2018.

Playing career

Askey was a youth-team player at Port Vale, the club where his father, Colin Askey, made over 200 appearances over the 1950s.[4][5] Despite winning the club's Young Player of the Year award in 1982, he was never handed a first team debut. He first joined Macclesfield Town from Milton United in 1984, alongside his brother Bob, to fill a gap when the club were short of players. He scored 14 league goals in the 1990–91 campaign. He remained as a player throughout the club's Northern Premier League title win in 1986–87 and subsequent promotion to the Football Conference. The successful times continued and John played a part in consolidation in the Football Conference, including a testimonial season in 1994 which featured a match against Manchester United. He helped Sammy McIlroy's "Silkmen" to win the Football Conference title in 1994–95.[6] The club were denied promotion that season, but Askey managed to add to his medal collection with a second Football Conference title two years later.[7] Injury kept John out of the FA Trophy final win in 1996.[7]

He became a full-time professional following the club's promotion to English Football League and continued as a regular part of the side who were promoted immediately to what was then known as the Second Division. He scored 15 goals in 45 appearances in the 1999–2000 season. His final match for the club came on the last day of the 2002–03 season against Rochdale.[8]

Management career

First spell at Macclesfield Town

Askey worked at Macclesfield Town as assistant manager to David Moss until Moss was sacked in October 2003 with the club in 20th-position in the Third Division, at which point the club appointed Askey as his replacement.[9] His management career started well with a 2–2 draw at Hull City, a 3–0 FA Cup win over Boston United, a 4–0 victory over Huddersfield Town, and a 4–1 win at Kidderminster Harriers. But results began to slide and one win in his final 13 matches prompted the club to look for a replacement. Askey was demoted to assistant manager to new boss Brian Horton in early April, and Horton managed to steer the club out of the Third Division relegation zone.[10] Askey stayed on as assistant manager, and with the arrival of Paul Ince moved on to work as youth team manager.

Second spell at Macclesfield Town

He was again given charge of the first-team at Macclesfield Town when manager Stephen King was sacked after a 3–1 defeat by Grimsby Town on 3 April 2013.[11] His appointment was made into a permanent one two months later despite him losing four of his initial five matches in charge.[12] He took the club to the Third Round of the FA Cup and 15th in the Conference Premier in the 2013–14 season, and was given a 12-month rolling contract in the summer, though budget cutbacks meant that he lost the services of assistant manager Efe Sodje.[13][14] Named as Conference Premier Manager of the Month award for January 2015 after his team recorded three victories, he led the club to a sixth-place finish in 2014–15, finishing just one point outside of the play-offs, and signed a new extended contract in the summer.[15][16] He led the club to a tenth-place finish in 2015–16.

His Macclesfield side beat League One club Walsall in the First Round of the FA Cup in 2016–17, becoming the only non-league side to beat a Football League side in the opening round that season; Askey said "it is massive as it means we can pay the VAT bill this week".[17] Macclesfield finished the season in ninth place and also reached the 2017 FA Trophy Final at Wembley Stadium, where they were beaten 3–2 by York City.[18] However many of the squad left at the end of the season as Macclesfield were unable to compete financially with many of their divisional rivals; George Pilkington, Mitch Hancox and Danny Whitaker being some of the few players who remained.[7] Macclesfield endued a difficult season off the pitch during the 2017–18 campaign, as financial problems meant that players went unpaid in January despite the wage bill being one of the lowest in the division.[19] Despite these restrictions, Askey managed to guide Macclesfield to promotion back to the Football League as champions of the National League.[7]

Shrewsbury Town

On 1 June 2018, Askey was appointed as manager of League One club Shrewsbury Town. Signing a three-year contract, he said that "My hopes are to get Shrewsbury promoted. Whether that will be next season, or in another year or two, you've got to aim high".[20] He appointed John Filan, whom he had previously worked with at Macclesfield, as his assistant,[21] whilst retaining the services of goalkeeping coach Danny Coyne and physiotherapist Chris Skitt as his back room team.[20]

Personal life

His father, Colin Askey, had a 15-year career in the Football League, spent mostly with Port Vale.[4] His brother, Bob Askey, managed Newcastle Town.[22]

Career statistics

Playing statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Port Vale1982–83Fourth Division0000000000
Macclesfield Town[lower-alpha 1] 1984–85[23]Northern Premier League21—1031
1985–86[24]Northern Premier League9011—30131
1986–87[25]Northern Premier League102—55177
1987–88[26]Football Conference4110—4110
1988–89[26]Football Conference3511—3511
1989–90[26]Football Conference339—339
1990–91[26]Football Conference3914—3914
1991–92[26]Football Conference335—335
1992–93[26]Football Conference317—317
1993–94[26]Football Conference303—303
1994–95[26]Football Conference309—309
1995–96[26]Football Conference00—00
1996–97[26]Football Conference377—377
1997–98[27]Third Division39600201[lower-alpha 2]0426
1998–99[28]Second Division384414200467
1999–2000[29]Third Division401520201[lower-alpha 2]04515
2000–01[30]Third Division37310401[lower-alpha 2]0433
2001–02[31]Third Division181100000191
2002–03[32]Third Division92101000112
Total 511109102132125546118
Career total 511109102132125546118
  1. ↑ Statistics are incomplete
  2. 1 2 3 Appearances in Football League Trophy

Managerial statistics

As of match played 13 October 2018
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref.
PWDLWin %
Macclesfield Town 27 October 2003 1 April 2004 27 7 8 12 025.9 [33]
Macclesfield Town 3 April 2013 1 June 2018 267 120 58 89 044.9 [11][33]
Shrewsbury Town 1 June 2018 Present 16 3 7 6 018.8 [33]
Total 310 130 73 107 041.9 —

Honours

As a player

Macclesfield Town

Individual

As a manager

Macclesfield Town

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2003). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2003/2004. Queen Anne Press. p. 29. ISBN 1-85291-651-6.
  2. ↑ "John Askey". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  3. ↑ "Macclesfield's cult heroes". BBC Sport. 30 April 2005. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  4. 1 2 Sherwin, Phil (2013). Men of Steele. Hanley, Staffordshire: Pass. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-9926579-1-8.
  5. ↑ Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2013). Non-League Club Directory 2014. Tony Williams Publications. p. 1006. ISBN 978-1-869833-72-5.
  6. ↑ "League Managers Association – JOHN ASKEY". LMA. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "John Askey: Macclesfield Town boss says promotion to League Two is his 'biggest achievement'". BBC Sport. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  8. ↑ Brown, Matthew (5 January 2011). "The Greatest Goal I Ever Saw: John Askey vs Rochdale". Sabotage Times. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  9. ↑ "Macclesfield appoint Askey". BBC Sport. 27 October 2003. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  10. ↑ "Macclesfield appoint Horton". BBC Sport. 1 April 2004. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  11. 1 2 "Club statement". Macclesfield Town F.C. 3 April 2013. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016.
  12. ↑ "Macclesfield: John Askey & Efe Sodje are new management team". BBC Sport. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  13. ↑ "Macclesfield: John Askey says FA Cup run can boost interest". BBC Sport. 15 January 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  14. ↑ "Macclesfield: John Askey offered contract but Efe Sodje leaves". BBC Sport. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  15. 1 2 Shaw, Aaron (6 February 2015). "John Askey wins Conference Manager of the Month Award for January Macclesfield Town". Macclesfield Town F.C. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  16. ↑ "John Askey: Macclesfield Town manager extends contract". BBC Sport. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  17. ↑ "FA Cup: Macclesfield Town win at Walsall helps pay off debts". BBC Sport. 7 November 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  18. 1 2 "FA Trophy final – Macclesfield Town v York City". BBC Sport. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  19. ↑ "Macclesfield's miracle season under John Askey despite off-field issues". Sky Sports. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  20. 1 2 "John Askey: Shrewsbury Town appoint Macclesfield Town boss as manager". BBC Sport. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  21. ↑ "Shrewsbury Town: John Filan named assistant manager to John Askey". BBC Sport. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  22. ↑ "Askey goes at Newcastle Town". Pitchero Non-League. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  23. ↑ "Season Statistics - NPL - 1984-85". www.silkmenarchives.org.uk.
  24. ↑ "Season Statistics - NPL - 1985-86". www.silkmenarchives.org.uk.
  25. ↑ "Season Statistics - NPL - 1986-87". www.silkmenarchives.org.uk.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Harman, John (2005). Alliance to Conference. Tony Williams Publications. ISBN 978-1-869833-52-7.
  27. ↑ "Games played by John Askey in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  28. ↑ "Games played by John Askey in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  29. ↑ "Games played by John Askey in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  30. ↑ "Games played by John Askey in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  31. ↑ "Games played by John Askey in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  32. ↑ "Games played by John Askey in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  33. 1 2 3 "Managers: John Askey". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
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