Graham Fenton

Graham Anthony Fenton (born 22 May 1974) is an English football manager and former professional footballer who is the current manager of Blyth Spartans.

Graham Fenton
Personal information
Full name Graham Fenton
Date of birth (1974-05-22) 22 May 1974
Place of birth Whitley Bay, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Blyth Spartans (manager)
Youth career
Wallsend Boys Club
1990–1992 Aston Villa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1995 Aston Villa 30 (3)
1994 → West Bromwich Albion (loan) 7 (3)
1995–1997 Blackburn Rovers 27 (7)
1997–2000 Leicester City 34 (3)
2000 → Walsall (loan) 9 (1)
2000 Stoke City 5 (1)
2000–2001 St Mirren 26 (2)
2001–2003 Blackpool 15 (5)
2002 → Darlington (loan) 6 (1)
2003–2009 Blyth Spartans 116 (9)
2009–2010 North Shields 4 (2)
Total 279 (37)
International career
1994 England U21 1 (0)
Managerial career
2004 Blyth Spartans (caretaker)
2012–2016 North Shields
2016–2022 South Shields
2022– Blyth Spartans
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

He played as a striker in the Premier League for Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City, as well as in the Football League for West Bromwich Albion, Walsall, Stoke City, Blackpool and Darlington. He also spent a year in Scotland with St Mirren before later playing for Non-league Blyth Spartans.

He was capped once by England at under-21 level.

Since retiring from playing he moved into management and has since managed both North Shields and South Shields. He also had a spell as caretaker manager of Blyth Spartans during his time there as a player.

He was sacked by South Shields on 16 January 2022 and replaced by Kevin Phillips.[2]

Club career

Fenton joined Aston Villa as a trainee in June 1990, turning professional in February 1992.[3] He was loaned out to West Bromwich Albion in January 1994, making his league debut against Leicester City in the same month.[3] His loan spell at Albion was very successful, producing three goals in seven games and contributing to Albion's eventual survival in Division One, leaving many Albion fans "bitterly disappointed" when he did not sign permanently.[3] He instead returned to Villa, making his club debut in a 0–0 Premiership draw at home to Manchester City on 22 February 1994. In March 1994, he played in Villa's League Cup winning side, playing all of the 3–1 victory against Manchester United at Wembley.[4]

In November 1995, having struggled to claim a regular place in the Villa Park first team, Fenton made a £1.5 million move to reigning Premiership champions Blackburn, but his first team opportunities were limited as he faced competition from Alan Shearer, Chris Sutton and Kevin Gallacher. He scored seven times for Blackburn, including two as a late substitute against Newcastle United, the team Fenton has supported since childhood, in April 1996, which effectively ended Newcastle's title challenge.

In August 1997, he moved to Martin O'Neill's Leicester City for a fee of £1.1million. He scored on his Leicester debut, having replaced Ian Marshall as a late substitute in the 2–1 win away to Liverpool, but again struggled to establish himself, making only 34 league appearances (21 as substitute) over three seasons. Despite being left out of Leicester's squad for the 2000 Football League Cup Final he made four appearances and scored one goal during their victorious League Cup campaign.[5] He also scored one of the penalties in the shootout against Fulham in the quarter final.[6]

He joined Walsall on loan in March 2000, scoring once against Port Vale[7] and had an unsuccessful trial with Barnsley in July 2000.[8] In August 2000 he joined Stoke City on a monthly contract,[9] scoring once against Reading,[10] and at the end of the following month, signed for St Mirren on a two-year contract.[11]

In August 2001, Fenton joined Blackpool on a free transfer, but once more struggled to establish himself in the first team. He was an unused substitute for the final as Blackpool won the 2001–02 Football League Trophy.[12] He had a spell on loan with Darlington between September and December 2002,[13][14] scoring once against Bournemouth,[15] and was one of nine players released by Blackpool manager Steve McMahon in May 2003.[16]

In July 2003, Fenton returned to the North East of England, joining Blyth Spartans.[17] Blyth manager Paul Baker appointed Fenton as player-assistant manager in July 2004.[18] Fenton took over as caretaker-manager of Blyth when Baker left that September,[19] returning to his player-assistant manager role in October 2004 after the appointment of Harry Dunn as manager.[20] In the 2005–06 season he was part of the Spartans' side that gained promotion to the Conference North by winning the Northern Premier League. He was assistant manager and player at North Shields from 2009 until 2012.[21]

International career

Fenton made his only appearance for the England Under-21s on 15 November 1994 in a 1–0 win against Ireland U-21s at St James' Park, the team included several future full internationals, including Sol Campbell and Nicky Butt.[22]

Managerial career

Fenton took over as manager of former Amateur Cup Winners North Shields in April 2012, after previous manager Anthony Woodhouse resigned. Fenton took over with 4 games remaining with the club missing out on promotion from a strong position for the second consecutive season. Two years later, he led North Shields to winning the Northern League Division Two title and promotion to Division One. During the 2014–15 season, Fenton led North Shields to success in the 2015 FA Vase Final, beating Glossop North End 2–1.

On 5 September 2016, Fenton resigned from his role at North Shields and subsequently joined South Shields as a joint manager.[23]

Graham Fenton was sacked by South Shields on Sunday 16th January 2022.

Career statistics

Source:[24]

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Aston Villa 1993–94 Premier League 1210010–131
1994–95 Premier League 1420030–172
1995–96 Premier League 400000–40
Total 303004000340
West Bromwich Albion (loan) 1993–94 First Division 730000–73
Blackburn Rovers 1995–96 Premier League 1460000–146
1996–97 Premier League 1311020–161
Total 277102000307
Leicester City 1997–98 Premier League 233101020273
1998–99 Premier League 900021–111
1999–2000 Premier League 203041–91
Total 343407220475
Walsall (loan) 1999–2000 First Division 9100000091
Stoke City 2000–01 Second Division 5100200071
St Mirren 2000–01 Scottish Premier League 262102000292
Blackpool 2001–02 Second Division 155101030205
2002–03 Second Division 0000000000
Total 155101030205
Darlington (loan) 2001–02 Third Division 6100000061
Career Total 15926701825018928
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the UEFA Cup, Football League play-offs and Football League Trophy.

Honours

References
  1. Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack (1999). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1999–2000. London: Headline Book Publishing. p. 470. ISBN 0-7472-7627-7.
  2. "Kevin Phillips reacts as ex-Sunderland striker is named manager of South Shields". www.shieldsgazette.com. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  3. Matthews, Tony (2005). The Who's Who of West Bromwich Albion. Breedon Books. pp. 79–80. ISBN 1-85983-474-4.
  4. "Graham Fenton on his remarkable rise from an unknown to Aston Villa's cup hero". Sunday Mercury. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  5. "Games played by Graham Fenton in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  6. "Fulham trio fail from spot". BBC. 12 January 2000. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  7. "Walsall leave Vale in fear". The Guardian. 21 March 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
  8. "Fenton's trial ends with release". BBC Sport. 27 July 2000. Retrieved 19 August 2007.
  9. "Fenton joins Stoke on loan". BBC Sport. 10 August 2000. Retrieved 19 August 2007.
  10. "Reading 3-3 Stoke". BBC. 29 August 2000. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
  11. "Saints swoop for Fenton". BBC Sport. 29 September 2000. Retrieved 19 August 2007.
  12. "Seasiders relish return to scene of past success". The Independent. 25 March 2002. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  13. "Darlington sign Fenton". BBC Sport. 19 September 2002. Retrieved 19 August 2007.
  14. "Fenton extends Quakers stay". BBC Sport. 16 October 2002. Retrieved 19 August 2007.
  15. "Darlington 2-2 Bournemouth". BBC. 21 September 2002. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
  16. "Blackpool release nine". BBC Sport. 2 May 2003. Retrieved 19 August 2007.
  17. "Fenton coup for Blyth". Non League Daily. 16 July 2003. Retrieved 19 August 2007.
  18. "Blyth appoint Fenton as number two". Non League Daily. 8 July 2004. Retrieved 19 August 2007.
  19. "Baker quits Blyth..." Non League Daily. 23 September 2004. Retrieved 19 August 2007.
  20. ".....and Dunn lands Spartans Post". Non League Daily. 4 October 2004. Retrieved 19 August 2007.
  21. "Fenton quits assistant role with Robins". News Guardian. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  22. Courtney, Barrie (10 January 2004). "England — U-21 International Results 1986-1995 - Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 19 August 2007.
  23. "Graham Fenton and Lee Picton appointed joint managers of club". South Shields F.C. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
  24. Graham Fenton at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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