Ronnie Jepson
Encyclopedia
Ronald Francis "Ronnie" Jepson (born 12 May 1963 in Audley
, Staffordshire
) is an English
former footballer and manager
, now working as development coach at Queens Park Rangers
.
A striker, he scored 86 goals in 354 league games in an eleven years professional career. He moved from Nantwich Town
to Port Vale
in 1989, turning pro at the age of 25. Loaned out to Peterborough United
, the following year he signed with Preston North End
. In 1991 he transferred to Exeter City
, before he moved on to Huddersfield Town
in 1993. He stayed with the Terriers for three years, before he switched to Bury
. In 1997 he joined Oldham Athletic
, before arriving at his final club Burnley
in 1998. He retired in 2000.
Appointed manager of Gillingham
in 2005, he was in charge for two years before tendering his resgination. He later worked as assistant manager at Huddersfield Town.
, Jepson started his league career at Port Vale
in March 1989. Unable to nail down a first team place he was loaned to Peterborough United
in January 1990 for a three month spell. He was sold to Preston North End
for £80,000 in February 1991 and then two years later moved on to Exeter City
, where he established himself with 21 goals in 54 games.
In December 1993, Huddersfield Town
paid Exeter £70,000 for his services, and whilst there he formed a successful strike partnership with Andy Booth
, scoring 36 goals and helping the side to gain promotion
in 1995
. When he was at Huddersfield he earned the nickname Rocket Ronnie.
Leaving for Bury
on a £40,000 transfer in August 1996, he was purchased for ten times that amount in January 1998 by Oldham Athletic. Despite this fee and his record of four goals in nine games for the Boundary Park
club, he signed with Burnley
at the end of the season
. Making 68 appearances over all competitions for the Clarets, all but six were as a substitute. Eventually an achilles problem at the end of the 2000–01 season
ended his playing days.
, who had signed Jepson at both Bury and Burnley, then appointed him to his first coaching role as reserve coach at the Clarets. In June 2002 he was linked to the vacant management position at Huddersfield Town
, though Jepson opted to stay at Burnley.
In May 2004, Ternent's contract at Burnley was not renewed by the club and Jepson was let go along with him. In December of the same year, Ternent became manager at Gillingham
, and Jepson joined him, again as assistant manager. Although the Gills fortunes improved, they narrowly failed to escape relegation from the Championship
. Ternent left the club during the summer, but Jepson remained, as assistant to new manager Neale Cooper.
did not start well for Gillingham
, and following a run of bad results and an FA Cup
defeat to non-league Burscough
, Cooper resigned and Jepson was appointed manager on 15 November 2005, initially on a caretaker basis, but he signed a two year contract within the first two months, although this was not made public until several months later. Jepson turned the season around, and the Gills, having flirted with relegation danger, finally finished in 14th place with 60 points. During the close season Jepson's assistant Mick Docherty
, who had been on a short-term contract, signed a new two-year contract for the role, and Jepson was able to make long term adjustments to the playing squad.
At the end of the 2006–07 season
Jepson was once again linked with the newly vacant management position at Huddersfield, despite claiming to be happy at the Priestfield Stadium
. Jepson was relieved to keep Gillingham in League One
at the end of the season, however following a poor start to the 2007–08 campaign
, with five defeats from the first six matches, Jepson resigned as manager.
. Previously he had been approached to become the manager, though this appointment saw him reunited with Stan Ternent
, who was the newly appointed manager at the club, Jepson would once again become his assistant. The next month the pair were joined by Mick Docherty
, who joined as first team coach, having previously worked with Jepson and Ternent at Burnley.
After just six months at the club, all three men left the club in November 2008 after a difference of opinion with the board of directors.
at Crystal Palace
as reserve team coach in July 2009. He spent a year with the cash-strapped Eagles before moving to Queens Park Rangers
to link up with Warnock once again as reserve team coach in July 2010.
Audley, Staffordshire
Audley is a rural village approximately four miles north west of the town of Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. It is the centre of Audley Rural parish....
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former footballer and manager
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:...
, now working as development coach at Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
.
A striker, he scored 86 goals in 354 league games in an eleven years professional career. He moved from Nantwich Town
Nantwich Town F.C.
Nantwich Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Nantwich, Cheshire, England. The club was founded in 1884 and is nicknamed The Dabbers. The club is currently a member of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, with home matches played at the Weaver Stadium.Nantwich...
to Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
in 1989, turning pro at the age of 25. Loaned out to Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
, the following year he signed with Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
. In 1991 he transferred to 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...
, before he moved on to Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
in 1993. He stayed with the Terriers for three years, before he switched to Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
. In 1997 he joined Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
, before arriving at his final club Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
in 1998. He retired in 2000.
Appointed manager of Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
in 2005, he was in charge for two years before tendering his resgination. He later worked as assistant manager at Huddersfield Town.
Playing career
A relative latecomer to the professional game at 25, when he transferred from Nantwich TownNantwich Town F.C.
Nantwich Town Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Nantwich, Cheshire, England. The club was founded in 1884 and is nicknamed The Dabbers. The club is currently a member of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, with home matches played at the Weaver Stadium.Nantwich...
, Jepson started his league career at Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
in March 1989. Unable to nail down a first team place he was loaned to Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
in January 1990 for a three month spell. He was sold to Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
for £80,000 in February 1991 and then two years later moved on to 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...
, where he established himself with 21 goals in 54 games.
In December 1993, Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
paid Exeter £70,000 for his services, and whilst there he formed a successful strike partnership with Andy Booth
Andy Booth
Andrew David "Andy" Booth is a retired professional footballer. Whilst at Huddersfield he announced his retirement on 22 April 2009, but remains at the club as an ambassador.-Huddersfield Town:...
, scoring 36 goals and helping the side to gain promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
in 1995
1994-95 in English football
-Premiership:Blackburn Rovers ended their 81-year wait for the league title thanks to the strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton which scored a total of more than 50 league goals. Manchester United would have made it three league titles in a row if they had been able to turn a 1-1 draw...
. When he was at Huddersfield he earned the nickname Rocket Ronnie.
Leaving for Bury
Bury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
on a £40,000 transfer in August 1996, he was purchased for ten times that amount in January 1998 by Oldham Athletic. Despite this fee and his record of four goals in nine games for the Boundary Park
Boundary Park
Boundary Park is the main sports stadium of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies at the northwestern extremity of Oldham, with the towns of Royton and Chadderton lying immediately north and west respectively, giving rise to the name Boundary Park....
club, he signed with Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
at the end of the season
1997-98 in English football
The 1997-1998 season was the 118th season of competitive football in England.-Premier League:Arsenal overhauled Manchester United's lead during the final weeks of the season to win the Premiership title...
. Making 68 appearances over all competitions for the Clarets, all but six were as a substitute. Eventually an achilles problem at the end of the 2000–01 season
2000-01 in English football
The 2000–01 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Manchester United secured their 3rd Premiership title in succession and their 7th title in just nine seasons...
ended his playing days.
Coaching and management career
Upon retiring as a player, Stan TernentStan Ternent
Francis Stanley "Stan" Ternent is an English former footballer and manager. He managed Blackpool, Hull City, Bury, Burnley, Gillingham and Huddersfield Town. He is currently a scout for Sunderland.-Career:...
, who had signed Jepson at both Bury and Burnley, then appointed him to his first coaching role as reserve coach at the Clarets. In June 2002 he was linked to the vacant management position at Huddersfield Town
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
, though Jepson opted to stay at Burnley.
In May 2004, Ternent's contract at Burnley was not renewed by the club and Jepson was let go along with him. In December of the same year, Ternent became manager at Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
, and Jepson joined him, again as assistant manager. Although the Gills fortunes improved, they narrowly failed to escape relegation from 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...
. Ternent left the club during the summer, but Jepson remained, as assistant to new manager Neale Cooper.
Time as Gillingham manager
The 2005–06 season2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
did not start well for Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
, and following a run of bad results and an 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...
defeat to non-league Burscough
Burscough F.C.
Burscough F.C. is an English football club based in Burscough, Lancashire. The club are members of the Northern Premier League Premier Division and groundshare with Skelmersdale United...
, Cooper resigned and Jepson was appointed manager on 15 November 2005, initially on a caretaker basis, but he signed a two year contract within the first two months, although this was not made public until several months later. Jepson turned the season around, and the Gills, having flirted with relegation danger, finally finished in 14th place with 60 points. During the close season Jepson's assistant Mick Docherty
Mick Docherty
Michael "Mick" Docherty is a former footballer and coach. He is the elder son of famous manager Tommy Docherty....
, who had been on a short-term contract, signed a new two-year contract for the role, and Jepson was able to make long term adjustments to the playing squad.
At the end of the 2006–07 season
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
Jepson was once again linked with the newly vacant management position at Huddersfield, despite claiming to be happy at the Priestfield Stadium
Priestfield Stadium
Priestfield Stadium is a football stadium in Gillingham, Kent...
. Jepson was relieved to keep Gillingham in 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....
at the end of the season, however following a poor start to the 2007–08 campaign
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
, with five defeats from the first six matches, Jepson resigned as manager.
Huddersfield Town assistant manager
On 24 April 2008 it was confirmed that Jepson would return to Huddersfield TownHuddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
. Previously he had been approached to become the manager, though this appointment saw him reunited with Stan Ternent
Stan Ternent
Francis Stanley "Stan" Ternent is an English former footballer and manager. He managed Blackpool, Hull City, Bury, Burnley, Gillingham and Huddersfield Town. He is currently a scout for Sunderland.-Career:...
, who was the newly appointed manager at the club, Jepson would once again become his assistant. The next month the pair were joined by Mick Docherty
Mick Docherty
Michael "Mick" Docherty is a former footballer and coach. He is the elder son of famous manager Tommy Docherty....
, who joined as first team coach, having previously worked with Jepson and Ternent at Burnley.
After just six months at the club, all three men left the club in November 2008 after a difference of opinion with the board of directors.
Reserve team coaching
Jepson spent a year out of football before joining Neil WarnockNeil Warnock
Neil Warnock is an English former footballer who is currently manager of English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers....
at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
as reserve team coach in July 2009. He spent a year with the cash-strapped Eagles before moving to Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
to link up with Warnock once again as reserve team coach in July 2010.
as a Player
with Huddersfield Town- Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 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...
play-offFootball League One play-offsThe Football League One Playoffs are a series of playoff matches, contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the NPower Football League One table to determine the third spot for promotion to the second tier of English football, the Championship....
winner: 19951995 Football League Second Division play-off FinalThe 1995 Football League Second Division play-off final was a football match played at on 28 May 1995, to determine the third and final team to gain promotion from the Second Division to the First Division of The Football League in the 1994–95 season. Huddersfield Town faced Bristol Rovers...