John Peverell

Peverell was born on 17 September 1941 in Richmond, North Riding of Yorkshire.[1] He played football for Ferryhill Athletic before joining Fourth Division club Darlington. He signed professional forms in September 1959, and made his first-team debut two years later, on 9 September 1961 at home to Colchester United, taking the place at left back of George Mulholland who was suffering from tonsillitis;[3] Darlington lost the match 2–0,[4] but Peverell stayed in the team for the next match, a League Cup visit to Rotherham United of the Second Division. According to the Birmingham Post, "Rotherham never looked like scoring, but they were given their winner through a second-half own goal by Peverell".[5] He played twice more that season, each time at left back, established himself in the first team at right half in 1962–63, and made the right-back position his own the following season.[6]

He continued to score own goals: of the seven conceded by Darlington during the 1964–65 season, Peverell contributed four.[7] He "thundered [the ball] in with his left foot from 30 yards (27 m)" for his first goal at the right end and the first in a 2–0 win against Hartlepools United on 28 March 1966 that took Darlington to within a point of the division leaders.[8] He was ever-present as the team finished as runners-up – missing out on the title on goal average – and gained their first promotion since 1925.[9][10] Peverell continued as first choice at right back through relegation from the Third Division and for another five seasons in the Fourth.[11]

Peverell retired from the professional game at the end of the 1971–72 season because of what was described as a long-standing thigh injury,[12] albeit one which had not stopped him being ever-present throughout both that season and the previous one.[13] He made 419 league appearances for Darlington, 465 in all senior competitions, a total second only to Ron Greener's 490.[14] He was described by the Northern Echo as "a no-nonsense right-back",[15] and by Neil Warnock, on whom he inflicted a ruptured spleen and fractured ankle during a match in 1972, as playing like a bouncer.[16] He was selected as a member of the Darlington "Dream Team" via a competition in the club's match programme, as part of the "Farewell to Feethams" celebrations when the club left its longtime home ground in 2003.[17] After the ground was demolished for housing, roads on the development were named after Peverell and Greener.[18]

He went on to play non-league football for Stockton of the Midland League,[19] Northern Premier League club South Shields,[20] whom he captained to the semi-finals of the 1973–74 FA Trophy,[21][22] and Shildon of the Northern League.[23] After finishing with professional football he made a career in financial services.[24]

• Tweddle, Frank (2000). The Definitive Darlington F.C. Nottingham: SoccerData. ISBN 978-1-899468-15-7.