John Ebbrell
Encyclopedia
John Ebbrell is a retired English
football midfielder, currently managing the Centre of Excellence at Tranmere Rovers.
in 1986 and was quickly fast-tracked by Howard Kendall
to regularly train with the first team squad, resulting in an early first team call-up and then to becoming a regular first team player in the early 1990s. During a difficult decade for the Toffees Ebbrell was part of the Everton squad that reached the final of the FA Cup
in 1995, but after missing the semi-final (in which Everton comfortably beat an impressive Tottenham Hotspurs) through suspension, manager Joe Royle
continued with the other two thirds of the Dogs of War for the final - Barry Horne
and Joe Parkinson
. Ebbrell's Everton career consisted of 253 appearances.
, bought Ebbrell in a £1m transfer deal.
Ebbrell's career at Sheffield United was blighted by an ankle injury, originally sustained at Everton but deteriorated after surgery during his time at Sheffield United, to the extent that Ebbrell was forced to retire from professional football early in 1999.
Everton hosted a testimonial match in which Joe Royle provided the opposition in the form of Manchester City
, as recognition of Ebbrell's service extending to more than 10 years of Everton's most challenging history, when preserving top flight football was the ultimate ambition.
International -
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football midfielder, currently managing the Centre of Excellence at Tranmere Rovers.
Everton
Ebbrell signed schoolboy forms for Everton aged 12. Everton proposed Ebbrell attend trials for the first intake of the FA/GM National Football School at Lilleshall in 1984. The trials were successful and he went on to captain the England schoolboys teams at various age levels. Shortly after graduating he signed professional forms for EvertonEverton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in 1986 and was quickly fast-tracked by Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall
Howard Kendall is an English football manager and former player. He is most famous for his connection to Everton, a club that he both played for and managed. His uncle Harry Taylor played for Newcastle United and Fulham in the 1950s....
to regularly train with the first team squad, resulting in an early first team call-up and then to becoming a regular first team player in the early 1990s. During a difficult decade for the Toffees Ebbrell was part of the Everton squad that reached the final of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in 1995, but after missing the semi-final (in which Everton comfortably beat an impressive Tottenham Hotspurs) through suspension, manager Joe Royle
Joe Royle
Joseph "Joe" Royle is an English football manager. In his club career, he played for Everton , Manchester City, Bristol City, Norwich City, and the England national team...
continued with the other two thirds of the Dogs of War for the final - Barry Horne
Barry Horne
Barry Horne was an English animal rights activist. He became known around the world in December 1998, when he engaged in a 68-day hunger strike in an effort to persuade the British government to hold a public inquiry into animal testing, something the Labour Party had said it would do before it...
and Joe Parkinson
Joe Parkinson
Joe Parkinson is a former professional footballer, who played in midfield for Wigan Athletic, A.F.C. Bournemouth and Everton....
. Ebbrell's Everton career consisted of 253 appearances.
Sheffield United
In 1997 Howard Kendall, then manager of Sheffield UnitedSheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, bought Ebbrell in a £1m transfer deal.
Ebbrell's career at Sheffield United was blighted by an ankle injury, originally sustained at Everton but deteriorated after surgery during his time at Sheffield United, to the extent that Ebbrell was forced to retire from professional football early in 1999.
Everton hosted a testimonial match in which Joe Royle provided the opposition in the form of Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, as recognition of Ebbrell's service extending to more than 10 years of Everton's most challenging history, when preserving top flight football was the ultimate ambition.
Playing Career Statistics
| Season | League Apps (sub) | League Goals | Cup Apps (sub) | Cup Goals | Total Apps (Sub) | Total Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-87 | - (-) | - | - (1) | - | - (1) | - | |
| 1987-88 | - (-) | - | - (-) | - | - (-) | - | |
| 1988-89 | 1 (3) | - | - (1) | - | 1 (4) | - | |
| 1989-90 | 13 (4) | - | 4 (-) | - | 17 (4) | - | |
| 1990-91 | 34 (2) | 3 | 14 (-) | 4 | 48 (2) | 7 | |
| 1991-92 | 39 (-) | 1 | 7 (-) | - | 46 (-) | 1 | |
| 1992-93 | 24 (-) | 1 | 4 (-) | - | 28 (-) | 1 | |
| 1993-94 | 39 (-) | 41 | 6 (-) | - | 45 (-) | 4 | |
| 1994-95 | 26 (-) | - | 3 (-) | - | 29 (-) | - | |
| 1995-96 | 24 (1) | 4 | 7 (-) | 2 | 31 (-) | 6 | |
| 1996-97 | 7 (-) | - | 1 (-) | - | 8 (-) | - | |
| Career | 207 (10) | 13 | 16 (2) | 6 | 253 (12) | 19 |
Managers Played for
Club - Howard Kendall, Colin Harvey, Jimmy Gabriel, Mike Walker, Joe Royle.International -
Chief Scout
Despite regular suggestions by a range of colleagues and managers as being ideally suited to a coaching role, Ebbrell's first post-playing football role was as Chief Scout under David Moyes at Everton, a post Ebbrell held for 3 years before subsequently leaving to pursue a football agency role.Football Agency
Ebbrell co-founded X8 Ltd, a football representation and agency business. In 2002 X8 merged with Proform Sports Management Ltd. The combined agency represented approximately 60 players (including a young Wayne Rooney). The timing of Ebbrell's departure from the business, and football agency in general, followed a notoriouse episode in which Rooney moved to join another agent. It appears to have left Ebbrell sufficiently disillusioned to pursue career outside football in 2004.Outside Football
It is understood that Ebbrell followed a traditional ex-footballer's path of property development and residential investment.Coach
Ebbrell resumed his football career when he started coaching at Tranmere Rovers in the 2008-09 season.Centre of Excellence Manager
In July 2010 Ebbrell succeeded Kenny Shiels as Tranmere Rovers' Centre of Excellence Manager.Clubs
- 1986-1997 :
EvertonEverton F.C.Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football... - 1997-1999 : Sheffield UnitedSheffield United F.C.Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...