John Spencer (Scottish footballer)

Rangers

Spencer started his career at Rangers, signing with the club in 1985. Future Scotland colleague Eoin Jess was a teammate at youth level. His signing, even as a 12-year-old schoolboy who had yet to play a competitive senior match proved problematic; Spencer was Catholic and the club had a strong Protestant culture. His decision to sign for Rangers meant that he was regularly threatened and challenged to fights at the Catholic school he attended, St Ninian's High School in Giffnock, while Celtic-supporting members of his family would walk by him in the street, and have never spoken to him since. He also encountered sectarianism within Rangers, as one player remarked to him that "you'll be fucking happy now that we've signed one of your kind" when it became known that Mo Johnston would sign for the club.

Spencer made his debut for Rangers in 1987, appearing 13 times and scoring twice. In 1988, he was loaned by then manager Graeme Souness to Morton, where he made four appearances (scoring once) before returning to Ibrox. Spencer remained a fringe player at Ibrox and after a further loan spell with Lai Sun of Hong Kong was sold in 1992 to Chelsea for a fee of £450,000.

Chelsea

At Chelsea, Spencer enjoyed a consistent period of playing in his career. Between 1992 and 1996, he made 103 appearances and scored 36 goals. Spencer was featured in the Chelsea team which lost 4–0 to Manchester United in the 1994 FA Cup Final.

Queens Park Rangers

In November 1996, recently appointed Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit sold Spencer for £2.5 million to Queens Park Rangers, then in the second tier of English football, the First Division. Spencer appeared 56 times and scored 25 goals, but QPR failed to gain promotion to the Premier League after Spencer's initial season, and in his second flirted with relegation.

Everton

In 1998, he moved to Everton, initially on loan, but subsequently for a fee of £1.5 million. Reunited with Walter Smith, his former manager at Rangers, Spencer's career at Everton quickly stalled, as he struggled to make the grade as a Premiership player. After only eight months and nine games he was loaned to Motherwell.

Motherwell

In 1999, Spencer's move to Motherwell was made permanent, for a club-record fee of £500,000. Spencer's signing was seen as evidence of a raised level ambition at Fir Park. Scoring 21 times in 81 appearances spread over three seasons, Spencer's time at Motherwell was tempered by a series of injuries. His final season, 2000–01, saw three goals. As Motherwell sought to cut costs, Spencer was sold to Colorado Rapids on 21 February 2001.

Colorado Rapids

Spencer made an impressive MLS debut with the Rapids. In his first year, he started 22 games, and finished the year with 14 goals and seven assists, and was subsequently named to the MLS Best XI. Spencer's second year was once more hampered by injuries, but he still finished with five goals and four assists in 13 games. He returned to form in 2003, leading the team in scoring again with 14 goals and five assists, winning a place in the MLS Best XI, as well as ranking as a finalist for the MLS MVP Award.

In 2004, as injuries kept him out of several games, he finished the season with four goals and one assist in 19 starts. He retired after the season. On 30 August 2009, Spencer was inducted into the Rapids Gallery of Honor at halftime of the Dynamo's 1–0 loss to the Rapids

International career

Spencer's prominence at Chelsea saw him gain the first of 14 caps for the Scotland national team, appearing as a substitute in a 1–1 draw with Russia at Hampden Park in Scotland's successful campaign to qualify for the 1996 European Championship.

Houston Dynamo

Upon retiring from his playing career, Spencer joined Houston Dynamo as an assistant coach on Dominic Kinnear's staff. With Spencer on staff, the Dynamo won back-to-back MLS Cup championships in 2006 and 2007. Spencer also served as the head coach for the Dynamo Reserves and led that squad to the 2008 MLS Reserve Division Championship.

Portland Timbers

Appointed the first head coach in the Timbers' MLS history on 10 Aug. 2010, Spencer led the Timbers to a successful season in 2011, finishing on the brink of a coveted MLS Cup playoff berth in what was his first season as a head coach and the club's inaugural MLS season.

Under Spencer's guidance in 2011, the Timbers opened their MLS era with a historic start, winning their first five MLS matches on their home field at Jeld-Wen Field. Portland became the first MLS expansion side to win the first five home matches of its inaugural season. The Timbers’ momentum at home continued throughout the season as the club finished among MLS leaders in goals scored at home (30) and home wins (9). The Timbers' success at home combined with energy of their passionate supporters group, the Timbers Army, gave Jeld-Wen Field the reputation of being one of the most intimidating venues for visiting teams in MLS. The club's 11 wins in 2011 ranks tied for fourth with the 2006 Houston Dynamo among wins for MLS "expansion" franchises (that Houston franchise being a relocated San Jose Earthquakes franchise).

Known as a "players coach", Spencer installed an attacking style of play and a blue-collar, hard-working mentality to the Timbers in his first season at the helm. Following a slow start for the Timbers in their second season, Spencer was relieved of his coaching duties for the Portland Timbers in July 2012.

Personal life

John Spencer is brother-in-law to Scottish football manager Billy Davies, who has managed Motherwell, Preston North End, Derby County and Nottingham Forest.

Managerial record