2001-2002 John Cornforth
Birth Date
7th October 1967
Birthplace
Whitley Bay, Northumberland
Occupation
Manager
Biographical Text
John Cornforth, best known as a player for Sunderland, Swansea and Wales, had a brief spell as Exeter City manager following an equally short playing career with the club. At the helm between September 2001 and October 2002, he was appointed by Ivor Doble and dismissed by John Russell.
Signing as a professional with Sunderland in 1985, he made around thirty league appearances before moving to Swansea City in 1991 where he tallied around 150 appearances over the next five years. In addition to playing for several clubs on loan, he had also been with Birmingham, Wycombe, Cardiff and Scunthorpe by the time he arrived at Exeter City as a player in 2000/01. Coming up to his 33rd birthday, he assisted manager Noel Blake with coaching during a season in which City finished 19th in the fourth tier.
Subsequently, after an indifferent start to the following campaign, Noel Blake was sacked in September 2001 and John Cornforth invited to take his place. Working under severe financial restrictions, and given the remit to keep the club in the league, John achieved the objective comfortably as 16th position was achieved some nineteen points clear of the relegated club.
But, with Ivor Doble having sold the club to John Russell and Mike Lewis the pressure was on John from the start and, after a poor start to the new term, he was to leave the club after twelve games with City 21st in the table. If the new owners had a clear plan for the future it wasn't immediately apparent when - once Eamonn Dolan had acted as caretaker - the short reign of Neil McNab gave way to Gary Peters, relegation and further changes of management and ownership.
John Cornforth departed the scene on the eve of his 35th birthday and, remaining in Devon for several years before ultimately returning to the North East, somewhat briefly took charge of Torquay United at a similarly-troubled stage in that club's existence.
Signing as a professional with Sunderland in 1985, he made around thirty league appearances before moving to Swansea City in 1991 where he tallied around 150 appearances over the next five years. In addition to playing for several clubs on loan, he had also been with Birmingham, Wycombe, Cardiff and Scunthorpe by the time he arrived at Exeter City as a player in 2000/01. Coming up to his 33rd birthday, he assisted manager Noel Blake with coaching during a season in which City finished 19th in the fourth tier.
Subsequently, after an indifferent start to the following campaign, Noel Blake was sacked in September 2001 and John Cornforth invited to take his place. Working under severe financial restrictions, and given the remit to keep the club in the league, John achieved the objective comfortably as 16th position was achieved some nineteen points clear of the relegated club.
But, with Ivor Doble having sold the club to John Russell and Mike Lewis the pressure was on John from the start and, after a poor start to the new term, he was to leave the club after twelve games with City 21st in the table. If the new owners had a clear plan for the future it wasn't immediately apparent when - once Eamonn Dolan had acted as caretaker - the short reign of Neil McNab gave way to Gary Peters, relegation and further changes of management and ownership.
John Cornforth departed the scene on the eve of his 35th birthday and, remaining in Devon for several years before ultimately returning to the North East, somewhat briefly took charge of Torquay United at a similarly-troubled stage in that club's existence.
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