Adrian Pennock

Adrian Pennock
Personal information
Full name Adrian Barry Pennock
Date of birth (1971-03-27) 27 March 1971
Place of birth Ipswich, England
Playing position Central defender
Youth career
1986–1989 Norwich City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1992 Norwich City 1 (0)
1991 → Molde FK (loan) 15 (1)
1992–1996 Bournemouth 131 (9)
1996–2003 Gillingham 168 (2)
2003–2005 Gravesend & Northfleet 14 (0)
Total 329 (12)
Teams managed
2005–2007 Welling United
2013–2016 Forest Green Rovers

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.


Adrian Barry Pennock (born 27 March 1971) is an English former footballer who played for Norwich City, Molde FK, Bournemouth, Gillingham and Gravesend & Northfleet. He spent two years of manager of Welling United before joining Stoke City to be first team coach. He left at the end of the 2012–13 season following the departure of Tony Pulis, and on 12 November 2013 was appointed manager of Forest Green Rovers where he twice led them to record highest league finishes.

Playing career

Although born in Ipswich and having grown up supporting Ipswich Town, Pennock began his career with their fiercest rivals, Norwich City, where he progressed through the ranks to turn professional in 1989. He was only to manage one appearance for the Canaries' first team, however, and in 1992 he was allowed to move to AFC Bournemouth for a fee of £30,000. He was a regular for the Cherries until he suffered a knee injury in December 1995 and was unable to regain his place in the team. In October 1996 his former Bournemouth manager, Tony Pulis signed him for Gillingham for £25,000.

Pennock spent over six years at Priestfield Stadium where he was a regular in the first team until a recurring knee injury took its toll. He developed a reputation as a practical joker whilst with Gillingham – during one pre-season friendly he switched on the pitch sprinkler system during the match. He also scored a memorable own goal against Wigan Athletic in 2000 which spawned a recurring terrace chant of "He only scores own goals". Such was his affinity with the fans that he even acquired his own fan club. On the pitch, he was named captain for the play-off final in 2000 which saw the Gills promoted to the Football League First Division for the first time in their history.

Injuries forced Pennock to retire from League football in 2003, after which he signed for Football Conference side Gravesend & Northfleet, where he was also assistant manager.

In January 2006 he was involved in a dispute with Gillingham chairman Paul Scally over a testimonial match which Pennock alleged he was promised as part of his final contract at Gillingham but which never materialised.[1]

Managerial career

Welling United

In January 2005 Pennock was appointed manager of Welling United of the Conference South and by the end of the season had guided them to their best league position for six years.

Stoke City (coach)

He left Welling at the end of the 2006–07 season to take up a coaching position at Stoke City, under his former Gillingham manager, Tony Pulis.[2] He was initially appointed youth team boss at Stoke.[3] In January 2010, Pennock expressed an interest in one day returning to management.[4] In the summer of 2011 he made the step up to become first team coach at Stoke.[5] He left the club at the end of the 2012–13 season.[6]

Forest Green Rovers

On 12 November 2013, Pennock was appointed as the new manager of Conference Premier side Forest Green Rovers.[7] He led the club to a 10th-place finish at the end of the 2013–14 season.

In January 2015, he was linked with the vacant managerial role at Gillingham, however he issued a statement declaring his aim to remain at Forest Green.[8]

At the end of the 2014-15 season he led Forest Green to a record highest league finish of 5th in the Conference Premier, meaning that the club secured a place in the play-offs for the first time. Forest Green were knocked out in the semi-finals, losing 3-0 on aggregate against Bristol Rovers.[9]

On 4 September 2015, after leading Forest Green to seven straight wins in the renamed National League at the start of the 2015-16 season, he was named August Manager of the Month.[10] On 5 September 2015, he led the club to an eighth straight league win at the start of the season with victory at Chester - a National League record.[11] On 5 February 2016, he was named National League January Manager of the Month having guided Forest Green to six straight wins.[12]

Despite taking Forest Green to 2nd in the National League, which was another record highest finish, he was relieved of his duties on 27 April 2016, just one week before the play-offs, after a poor run of results that had failed to see his side win in seven games.[13]

In November 2016, he returned to Welling United after being appointed as a consultant to new manager Jamie Day, who had been his assistant at Forest Green.[14]

Career statistics

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Norwich City 1989–90 First Division 1000000010
1990–91 First Division 0000000000
1991–92 First Division 0000000000
Total 1000000010
Molde FK (loan) 1991 Tippeligaen 151000000151
Total 151000000151
Bournemouth 1992–93 Second Division 431402020511
1993–94 Second Division 403314010484
1994–95 Second Division 315200020355
1995–96 Second Division 170303030260
Total 1319121908016010
Gillingham 1996–97 Second Division 262201010302
1997–98 Second Division 200000000200
1998–99 Second Division 400101060480
1999–2000 Second Division 340614040481
2000–01 First Division 350200000370
2001–02 First Division 100003000130
2002–03 First Division 3000000030
Total 1682111901101993
Gravesend & Northfleet 2002–03 Conference National 100000000100
2003–04 Conference National 4000000040
Total 140000000140
Career total 3291223218019038914
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Football League Trophy and Football League play-offs.

References

Specific
  1. ↑ Former star Pennock to sue Gills
  2. ↑ Pennock to quit Welling for Stoke
  3. ↑ "Pennock lands job with Stoke City". Ipswich Star. 28 April 2007.
  4. ↑ "Stoke youth coach Adrian Pennock eyes management". BBC Sport. 11 January 2010.
  5. ↑ "Kevan returns to Stoke as academy coach". tribalfootball.com.
  6. ↑ "Dave Kevan heads list of departures from the Britannia". The Sentinel. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  7. ↑ "Adrian Pennock: Forest Green Rovers appoint ex-Stoke coach". BBC Sport. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  8. ↑ "Conference Premier side Forest Green Rovers issue statement following Ady Pennock's link with Gillingham". Kent Online. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  9. ↑ "Bristol Rovers 2-0 Forest Green". BBC Sport. 3 May 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  10. ↑ "Ady Pennock and David Pipe land Vanarama National League awards for August". Stroud Life. 4 September 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  11. ↑ "Chester 1-2 Forest Green". BBC Sport. 5 September 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  12. ↑ "Forest Green manager Ady Pennock and Gloucester City boss Tim Harris win monthly awards". Stroud Life. 5 February 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  13. ↑ "Ady Pennock: Forest Green Rovers sack manager one week before play-offs". BBC Sport. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  14. ↑ "Jamie Day replaces Mark Goldberg as Welling United boss". The Non-League Football Paper. 24 November 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
General

External links

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