Playing position Name John Faulkner Years Team Role Footballer | Position Defender | |
 | ||
Date of birth (1948-03-10) 10 March 1948 (age 67) | ||
John Faulkner (born 10 March 1948) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender for Leeds United and Luton Town in the 1970s. Faulkner was born in Orpington, Kent, England.
Contents
Playing career
Faulkner joined Sutton United in 1969 from fellow minnows Cray Wanderers and was playing for the non-league side when they met Leeds United in the fourth round of the FA Cup in 1970. He effectively marked Leeds centre forward, Mick Jones, during the game and impressed Leeds manager, Don Revie, sufficiently for Revie to sign him as cover for Jack Charlton who was then in his mid-30s. Faulkner made his debut against Burnley in April 1970, when he scored an own goal, and made his second appearance against Manchester City, two weeks later, when he broke his kneecap in a collision with an opposing player. Charlton retained his place in the first-team in the following seasons and Faulkner made only two more appearances for Leeds against Lierse SK in the Inter Cities Fairs Cup. In March 1972, he joined Luton Town, for whom he made 209 appearances. Faulkner later played in the North American Soccer League for the Memphis Rogues and the California Surf.
Coaching career
In the summer of 1992, Faulkner was invited by the new Norwich City manager Mike Walker to join the coaching staff at the club as reserve team manager. He filled the role for three seasons, surviving two changes of manager, until the club, now managed by Gary Megson, was relegated to Division One at the end of the 1994–95 season. Most of the coaching staff, including Faulkner, left the club as a result.
However, a year later Walker returned to the club and made Faulkner his assistant manager. Faulkner's second spell at Norwich lasted two seasons and, when Walker left in April 1998, he was appointed caretaker manager for the remaining game of the season, a 1–0 victory over Reading. He left the club in June when Bruce Rioch and Bryan Hamilton were hired as the club's new managerial team.