Kevin Summerfield
Encyclopedia
Kevin Summerfield is an English football coach
and retired player.
He began his career with West Bromwich Albion
as a forward, making his first team debut in 1977, before joining Birmingham City
five years later. A few months later, he signed for his hometown club Walsall
and enjoyed a successful 18 months there, scoring 17 league goals, which led to a transfer to Cardiff City
in 1984. He was signed by Dave Smith for Plymouth Argyle
six months later, where was converted into a midfielder, and was an important member of the squad for the next five years. A broken leg sustained in January 1989 led to a year on the sidelines, and after regaining full fitness he spent time on loan with Exeter City
. He ended his playing career with Shrewsbury Town
.
He returned to Plymouth Argyle in 1997 as the clubs youth team coach, and was appointed caretaker manager
three years later. He became the clubs assistant manager
after the arrival of Paul Sturrock
and led the club to the brink of promotion to the Football League Championship
before joining Sturrock at Southampton
. He gained promotion two more times with Sturrock, at Sheffield Wednesday
in 2005, and Swindon Town
in 2007, before returning to Plymouth Argyle once again. He is now an assistant manager to Les Parry
at Tranmere Rovers
.
, Summerfield started his career as an apprentice with West Bromwich Albion
in 1975. During his time at The Hawthorns
he played for the England youth team on six occasions. After more than five years as a professional at the club he moved on to Birmingham City
, followed by a successful spell with hometown club Walsall
. A short stay with Cardiff City
followed, before he joined Plymouth Argyle
, He spent time on loan Exeter City
in 1990 and ended his playing career Shrewsbury Town
where he was player-coach
.
under manager Kevin Hodges
the following year. After Hodges was sacked in 2000, Summerfield took over as caretaker manager
for five matches until the appointment of Paul Sturrock
as permanent manager. He again took over as Argyle's caretaker manager when Paul Sturrock left to become manager of Southampton
. This time he was in charge for nine matches before following Sturrock to Southampton as his assistant and later again to Sheffield Wednesday
, and Swindon Town
.
During his first spell as Sturrock's assistant at Home Park
, he won the Third Division
title in the 2001–02 season and to the brink of winning the Second Division
title in the 2003–04 season, before moving to Southampton. His and Sturrock's success continued at Hillsborough
when they achieved promotion to the Championship
in their first season with Sheffield Wednesday, and also at Swindon Town
, where the team was promoted to League One
in their year in charge. He returned to Plymouth Argyle once more as assistant manager when Sturrock was reappointed as the clubs manager in November 2007. Summerfield left the club in October 2009, along with fellow coach John Blackley
, after being informed that their contracts would not be renewed at the end of the season. He was replaced by former player Paul Mariner
, who assumed the role of head coach.
He joined Tranmere Rovers
in July 2010 as assistant manager to Les Parry
.
progressed through the ranks at Plymouth before joining Cheltenham in the summer of 2011.
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and retired player.
He began his career with West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
as a forward, making his first team debut in 1977, before joining Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
five years later. A few months later, he signed for his hometown club Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
and enjoyed a successful 18 months there, scoring 17 league goals, which led to a transfer to Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
in 1984. He was signed by Dave Smith for Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
six months later, where was converted into a midfielder, and was an important member of the squad for the next five years. A broken leg sustained in January 1989 led to a year on the sidelines, and after regaining full fitness he spent time on loan with Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
. He ended his playing career with Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
.
He returned to Plymouth Argyle in 1997 as the clubs youth team coach, and was appointed caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
three years later. He became the clubs assistant manager
Manager (association football)
In association football, a manager is responsible for running a football club or a national team. The manager of a professional club is responsible directly to the club president. The position of manager is almost exclusively used in British football...
after the arrival of Paul Sturrock
Paul Sturrock
Paul Whitehead Sturrock is a Scottish football manager who, since July 2010, is the manager of Southend United. Until this appointment, Sturrock had most recently been at English League 1 club Plymouth Argyle in a business support role, having been relieved of his managerial duties, until he quit...
and led the club to the brink of promotion to the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
before joining Sturrock at Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
. He gained promotion two more times with Sturrock, at Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
in 2005, and Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
in 2007, before returning to Plymouth Argyle once again. He is now an assistant manager to Les Parry
Les Parry
Dr. Les Parry is the current manager of Tranmere Rovers.Parry is a qualified physiotherapist and worked with Tranmere Rovers in that capacity since the early nineties before succeeding John Barnes in the managerial position at Tranmere.-Tranmere Rovers:Rovers sacked manager John Barnes and his...
at Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
.
Playing career
Born in WalsallWalsall
Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...
, Summerfield started his career as an apprentice with West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
in 1975. During his time at The Hawthorns
The Hawthorns
The Hawthorns is an all-seater football stadium in West Bromwich, Sandwell, England, with a capacity of 26,484. It has been the home of West Bromwich Albion F.C. since 1900, when it became the sixth ground to be used by the club. The ground was the last Football League ground to be built in the...
he played for the England youth team on six occasions. After more than five years as a professional at the club he moved on to Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, followed by a successful spell with hometown club Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
. A short stay with Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
followed, before he joined Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, He spent time on loan Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
in 1990 and ended his playing career Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
where he was player-coach
Player-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
.
Coaching career
Summerfield took charge of the Shrews' youth team before becoming a coach at Plymouth ArgylePlymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
under manager Kevin Hodges
Kevin Hodges
Kevin Hodges is a retired English footballer and manager who played as a midfielder, and now works as a coach. He spent the majority of his playing career with Plymouth Argyle of the Football League, where he is the club's all-time appearance record holder...
the following year. After Hodges was sacked in 2000, Summerfield took over as caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
for five matches until the appointment of Paul Sturrock
Paul Sturrock
Paul Whitehead Sturrock is a Scottish football manager who, since July 2010, is the manager of Southend United. Until this appointment, Sturrock had most recently been at English League 1 club Plymouth Argyle in a business support role, having been relieved of his managerial duties, until he quit...
as permanent manager. He again took over as Argyle's caretaker manager when Paul Sturrock left to become manager of Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
. This time he was in charge for nine matches before following Sturrock to Southampton as his assistant and later again to Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
, and Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
.
During his first spell as Sturrock's assistant at Home Park
Home Park
Home Park is an all-seater football stadium in the Central Park area of Plymouth, England, and is the home of Football League Two club Plymouth Argyle. The ground, given the nickname the Theatre of Greens by the club's supporters, has been Argyle's permanent residence since 1901...
, he won the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
title in the 2001–02 season and to the brink of winning the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
title in the 2003–04 season, before moving to Southampton. His and Sturrock's success continued at Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
when they achieved promotion to the Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
in their first season with Sheffield Wednesday, and also at Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, where the team was promoted to League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
in their year in charge. He returned to Plymouth Argyle once more as assistant manager when Sturrock was reappointed as the clubs manager in November 2007. Summerfield left the club in October 2009, along with fellow coach John Blackley
John Blackley
John Henderson Blackley is a Scottish football coach and former player.Blackley made 279 appearances at centre-half for Hibernian and also represented Newcastle United, Preston North End and Hamilton Academical...
, after being informed that their contracts would not be renewed at the end of the season. He was replaced by former player Paul Mariner
Paul Mariner
Paul Mariner is an English football coach, manager, and retired player, who is currently with Toronto FC.A striker during his playing days, Mariner began his career with Chorley. He became a professional player in 1973 with Plymouth Argyle, where he scored 61 goals in 155 appearances and is...
, who assumed the role of head coach.
He joined Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers F.C.
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are an English team based in Birkenhead, Wirral. The club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system...
in July 2010 as assistant manager to Les Parry
Les Parry
Dr. Les Parry is the current manager of Tranmere Rovers.Parry is a qualified physiotherapist and worked with Tranmere Rovers in that capacity since the early nineties before succeeding John Barnes in the managerial position at Tranmere.-Tranmere Rovers:Rovers sacked manager John Barnes and his...
.
Personal life
His son LukeLuke Summerfield
Luke John Summerfield is an English footballer who plays for Cheltenham Town as a midfielder.He began his career with Plymouth Argyle, following in the footsteps of his father, Kevin, who played for the club in the 1980s and later managed the team...
progressed through the ranks at Plymouth before joining Cheltenham in the summer of 2011.
External links
- Kevin Summerfield managerial stats at SoccerbaseRacing PostThe Racing Post is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting newspaper, appearing in print form and online.From 30 May 2011 - 3 July 2011 it had a circulation of 56,507.-History:...