John Bailey (footballer, born 1957)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1 April 1957 | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Blackburn Rovers | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1975–1979 | Blackburn Rovers | 120 | (1) |
| 1979–1986 | Everton | 171 | (3) |
| 1986–1988 | Newcastle United | 40 | (0) |
| 1988–1991 | Bristol City | 80 | (1) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. | |||
John Bailey (born 1 April 1957 in Liverpool) is a retired English professional footballer who played in the 1984 FA Cup Final with Everton.
Career
Bailey began his career at Blackburn Rovers as an apprentice in 1973, turning professional in 1975 and making his first six Football League appearances in the 1975-76 season. He became a regular player in 1976-77 and had made 120 league appearances for Rovers by the time of their relegation to the Football League Third Division at the end of the 1978-79 season, after which he was transferred to First Division Everton for £300,000.
Everton were being managed by Gordon Lee when Bailey arrived, but after two seasons of bottom half finishes Lee was sacked in favour of new manager Howard Kendall, who had ironically been appointed to Blackburn Rovers as Bailey was being transferred to Everton. At first, it looked as though Bailey's days at Goodison Park were numbered as he was selected in just 12 out of 42 First Division games in 1981-82, but he won his place back in the side for the 1982-83 season and helped them maintain their progress under Kendall with a second successive top 10 finish. He was in the side that won the FA Cup in 1984, but then lose his place in the team to new arrival Pat Van Den Hauwe. However, his 15 league appearances in 1984-85 were enough to merit a league championship medal, but he played just one league game in 1985-86 before being transferred to First Division rivals Newcastle United in October 1985.
When Bailey arrived on Tyneside in the autumn of 1985, they were in the top half of the First Division but had not maintained their excellent form of the opening weeks of the season which had seen them emerge as surprise title contenders. He remained at Newcastle until the end of the 1987-88 season, when they finished eighth, and dropped down two divisions to join Bristol City.
Bailey was part of one of Bristol City's most successful post-1980 sides during his three years at Ashton Gate, helping them reach the Football League Cup semi-finals in his first season, win promotion to the Second Division in his second, and secure their Second Division status with a top half finish in his third and final season before retiring as a player and returning to Everton as a coach.