John Dreyer (footballer)

Infobox Football biography
playername = John Dreyer
fullname = John Brian Dreyer
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1963|6|11|df=y
cityofbirth = Alnwick
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=6|in=1
position = Defender or Midfielder
currentclub =
clubnumber =
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1984–1985
1985–1988
1985
1988
1988–1994
1994–1996
1995
1996–2000
2000–2001
2001–2003
2005
clubs = Wallingford
Oxford United
→ Torquay United (loan)
→ Fulham (loan)
Luton Town
Stoke City
→ Bolton Wanderers (loan)
Bradford City
Cambridge United
Stevenage Borough
Long Melford
caps(goals) = 00? 0(?)
060 0(2)
005 0(0)
012 0(2)
214 (13)
049 0(3)
002 0(0)
080 0(2)
040 0(0)
026 0(0)
manageryears = 2002–2003
2003–2004
managerclubs = Stevenage Borough
Maidenhead United

John Brian Dreyer (born 11 June 1963 in Alnwick, England) is a former English professional footballer who played in defence and midfield.

Playing career

Dreyer started his career with Wallingford, leaving to join Oxford United in January 1985. He joined Torquay United on loan in December 1985 and made his league debut, for Torquay, on 14 December in a 1–1 draw at home to Cambridge United. He returned to Oxford on 13 January 1986, but moved on loan again on 27 March 1986, joining Fulham until the end of the season. He broke into the Oxford first team the following season, playing 60 times before a £140,000 move to Luton Town on 27 June 1988.

In six years at Kenilworth Road he played 214 games, scoring 13 times, but was released at the end of the 1993–94 season. In July 1994 he joined Stoke City, but started only two games for the Potters. He joined Bolton Wanderers in March 1995, and was part of the Trotters squad which secured promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.

On 6 November 1996 he signed for Bradford City for £25,000. He scored on his debut in a 3–3 draw at Huddersfield Town. Dreyer scored a further three goals that season all in the FA Cup. They included two goals at Wycombe Wanderers and one in City's 3–2 upset of Everton.

Dreyer struggled to hold down a regular place in the side the following season but in 1998–99 he helped the Bantams to gain promotion to the Premier League including making a vital clearance in the final win of the season, 3–2 at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Although Dreyer made just 14 starts in City's season in the top flight, he made an equally vital contribution with the only goal in a 1–0 victory over Sunderland as Bradford stayed up by just two points. [Telegraph & Argus, [http://archive.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/2004/2/17/102941.html City doomed fears Dreyer] ]

He left the Bantams after turning down a new one year contract as he felt he deserved a two year deal. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bradford_city/815063.stm Dreyer quits Bantams] ] He joined Cambridge United in July 2000, [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cambridge_utd/833590.stm Cambridge snap up Dreyer] ] playing a major role in keeping Cambridge in Division Two the following season. He left after one season and was linked with a return to Oxford United as player-coach in July 2001. Later that month he did join Oxford, but only on trial as a player, [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/o/oxford_utd/1432033.stm Dreyer returns to Oxford] ] joining in with pre-season training and playing in a pre-season friendly. However, the Oxford board would not provide the money needed, claiming that they had no need for an extra defender, and on 4 August 2001 he signed for Conference side Stevenage Borough. In January 2002 he was linked with a move back to the Football League with Torquay United, [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/t/torquay_united/1777246.stm Torquay chase Dreyer] ] but remained with Stevenage. He was caretaker manager of Stevenage for a spell in January 2003 alongside David Preece, but left in May 2003 to seek a managerial position. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stevenage/3027627.stm Dreyer leaves Boro] ]

Managerial career

In May 2003, Dreyer became manager of Maidenhead United, [ [http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=10252 Dreyer appointed boss at Maidenhead] ] guiding the team to the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy and securing a place in the new Conference South. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2007/08/14/nl_maidenhead_feature.shtml Maidenhead United F.C.] ] However, Maidenhead struggled at the higher level and Dreyer left in November 2004. [ [http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=22328 Dreyer quits Maidenhead] ]

In August 2005 Dreyer joined Long Melford as a player, whilst he was also working as assistant manager of Hemel Hempstead Town. [ [http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=29245 No Banya - but Dreyer joins] ]

In December 2006, Dreyer was named as assistant manager of Rushden & Diamonds. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rushden_and_diamonds/6192989.stm Rushden name new assistant boss] ] On 2 May 2008, Dreyer was name assistant manager to Graham Westley at Stevenage Borough. [ [http://www.stevenageborofc.com/index_news_det.php?news_id=649& Stevenage Borough Football Club ] ]

References

External links

*soccerbase|2164|John Dreyer