| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1953-10-05)5 October 1953 (age 71) | ||
| Place of birth | Huyton, Lancashire, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Full back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Liverpool | |||
| Chester | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1972–1974 | Chester | 11 | (1) |
| 1974–1987 | Newport County | 337 | (9) |
| 1987–1989 | Forest Green Rovers | ||
| 1989–1990 | Newport County | 10 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1986 | Newport County | ||
| 1989–1993 | Newport County | ||
| 1998–2001 | Weston-super-Mare | ||
| 2003–2005 | Merthyr Tydfil | ||
| 2005–2008 | Bath City | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
John Relish (born 5 October 1953) is an Englishfootball manager and former player, who previously managedConference South sideBath City before moving aside to develop a football academy at the club in October 2008. He was also involved in the coaching setup which oversaw Wales win in thenon-league Four nations tournament in 2006.
Relish began his playing career as aschoolboy withLiverpool before joiningChester City as an apprentice. He left in 1974 to spend the next thirteen years of his career playing forNewport County, mostly during the most successful period in the club's long history. Relish was part of the team that won promotion to theFootball League Third Division, won the1980 Welsh Cup and in the subsequent season reached the quarter-final of the1981 European Cup Winners Cup.[2]
In 1986, with Newport in the midst of a financial crisis that would see the club eventually forced out of existence, Relish took over as manager untilJimmy Mullen took over the role. He continued to play for Newport until 1987 when he left to joinForest Green Rovers. In 1989, he returned to Newport, this time as player-manager of the reformed team and remained in post until 1993, having led Newport to promotion from the Hellenic League.[3]
Relish was assistant manager underColin Addison atMerthyr Tydfil during Addison's first spell in charge of Merthyr.[4]
He became assistant manager ofWeston-super-Mare under his former Newport managerLen Ashurst and took full charge of the club in 1998. He was sacked in October 2001 after an indifferent start to the season.[5]
He returned toMerthyr Tydfil, again as assistant-manager, but now under Andy Beattie in June 2002.[4] He became Merthyr's manager in 2003, but resigned in May 2005 after the playing budget had been cut for the following season.[6]
He was appointed as manager ofBath City the following month,[7] and the following season guided Bath to the Southern League title, and with it promotion to theConference South. He moved aside to be replaced by his former assistant Adie Britten in October 2008, although remained with the club to work with their community and youth development programme.[8]
His son Lee, played football forHereford United,Newport County,Weston-Super-Mare,Cinderford Town and Welsh League sideCaerleon before retiring through injury. In December 2007, Lee Relish was appointed manager ofCinderford Town.[9]
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