Jamie Lawrence
James Hubert Lawrence (born 8 March 1970) is a Jamaican former professional footballer and first team coach at National League South side Whitehawk.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | James Hubert Lawrence[1] | ||
Date of birth | 8 March 1970 | ||
Place of birth | Balham, London, England | ||
Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)[2] | ||
Playing position(s) | Right winger | ||
Club information | |||
Current team |
Whitehawk (First Team Coach) | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1992–1993 | Cowes Sports | ||
1993–1994 | Sunderland | 4 | (0) |
1994–1995 | Doncaster Rovers | 25 | (3) |
1995–1997 | Leicester City | 47 | (1) |
1997–2002 | Bradford City | 155 | (12) |
2002–2004 | Walsall | 22 | (1) |
2003 | → Wigan Athletic (loan) | 4 | (0) |
2004 | Grimsby Town | 5 | (1) |
2004–2005 | Brentford | 14 | (0) |
2005–2006 | Fisher Athletic | ||
2006–2007 | Worthing | 35 | (5) |
2007–2009 | Harrow Borough | ||
2009 | Margate | 2 | (0) |
2009–2011 | Ashford Town | ||
Banstead Athletic | |||
Cobham | |||
Total | 313 | (23) | |
National team | |||
2000–2004 | Jamaica | 24 | (1) |
Teams managed | |||
2009–2011 | Ashford Town | ||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only |
He played as a right winger for Cowes Sports, Sunderland, Doncaster Rovers, Leicester City, Bradford City, Walsall, Wigan Athletic, Grimsby Town, Brentford, Fisher Athletic, Worthing, Harrow Borough, Margate, Ashford Town (where he was player-manager), Banstead Athletic and Cobham
Born in England, he represented Jamaica at international level.
Early and personal life
Lawrence was born in Balham, London, before moving first to Totteridge House in Battersea for a year before settling more permanently on the Latchmere Estate and attending John Burns Primary School.[3] [4] His parents were from Jamaica.[5] As a youth he served two prison sentences.[6][7][8]
Playing career
Club career
He began his career in non-league with Cowes Sports in 1992, before turning professional with Sunderland.[6] He made his professional debut for Sunderland on 20 October 1993.[5] He also played professionally for Doncaster Rovers, Leicester City, Bradford City, Walsall, Wigan Athletic, Grimsby Town and Brentford.[2][4] While playing with Leicester he appeared as a substitute in the 1997 Football League Cup Final replay.[9]
He later played non-league football with Fisher Athletic, Worthing, Harrow Borough, Margate, Ashford Town, Banstead Athletic and Cobham.[2][4][10] While playing for Harrow Borough he cut his knee during a match, and later contracted MRSA.[11]
Coaching career
Lawrence was player-manager of Ashford Town between November 2009 and June 2011.[10]
In December 2014 he signed a six-week contract with the Ghana national team, to be their fitness coach for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, having previously worked in a similar role with Sutton United.[13]
Lawrence was appointed first-team coach at National League South Whitehawk in September 2017.[14]
Other endeavours
His autobiography From Prison to Premiership was released in 2006.[6] It was re-released as an e-book in 2013.[5]
Lawrence started the Jamie Lawrence Football Academy in Tooting 2008.[6]
In April 2019 Lawrence spoke out against racism in football, revealing that during his playing career he had been racially abused by one of his own teammates.[15]
In May 2020 Lawrence began a charity online workout to raise funds during the COVID-19 pandemic.[16]
References
- "Jamie Lawrence". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
- "Jamie Lawrence". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- Lawrence, Jamie (2006). From Prison to the Premiership - The Amazing True Story of Britain's Hardest Footballer. John Blake Publishing Ltd.
- "Profile". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- James Hunter (20 October 2013). "Sunderland saved my life, says former Black Cats star Jamie Lawrence". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- Alistair Magowan (11 March 2008). "Ex-pro Lawrence back at school". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- Glenn Moore (5 April 1997). "Leicester rely on heart to counter international art". The Independent. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- Jamie Jackson (6 July 2003). "Triumph and despair". The Observer. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- Glenn Moore (17 April 1997). "Claridge's five-star silver service". The Independent. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- Gareth Coates (1 July 2012). "International Footballers who have played for the club". Ashford Town (Middlesex) F.C. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- Claire Lomax (24 January 2009). "Lawrence now threatening to legal action". Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- Jamie Lawrence – FIFA competition record
- Simon Parker (30 December 2014). "Bantams hero Lawrence Ghana give it everything at African Cup of Nations". Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
- "Squad – Whitehawk FC".
- ""I was in the stand and every time the boys got the ball there were monkey sounds."". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
- "Ex-City ace holding fundraising workout for NHS and Burns Unit". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.