John King - Player Profile
| Full Name: | John Joseph King |
| Born: | 08/05/1947 |
| Died: | 07/02/2023 (age 75) |
| Place of Birth: | Liverpool |
| Nationality: | England |
| Position: | Midfield |
| Signed: | 01/03/1972 (Undisclosed (Kirkby Town)) |
| Left: | 01/05/1976 (Undisclosed (Northwich Victoria)) |
Obituary - John Joseph King ( 08/05/1947-07/02/2023)
All at Wigan Athletic are saddened to learn of the death of our former player John King at the age of 75.
John was born in Liverpool on Thursday 8 May 1947 and started his career in Sunday league football in his hometown city. He spent two and a half years as a junior with Everton, and six months with Shrewsbury Town and also had a spell at Welsh side Blaenau Ffestiniog amateurs before joining Kirkby Town.
He made his debut for Kirkby on New Years Day 1971 away at Altrincham in a 5-0 defeat.
He started out as a robust centre half before developing into a very skilful, but hard midfielder.
At aged 24, he was to join Wigan Athletic, then managed by ex-England international Gordon Milne in March 1972 and he made his debut at centre-half on Saturday, 4 March 1972 in a 3-1 away win at Altrincham in a Northern Premier League game. At that time, he was also employed as a diesel fitter and did admit for a liking for golf as a relaxing hobby.
His first goal for Latics came on Wednesday, 19 April 1972 in a 4-0 win at Gainsborough Trinity in the NPL Cup Final 1st leg – won 4-2 on agg. Latics were also Lancashire Challenge Trophy winners and finished Lancashire Floodlit Cup runners-up. Manager Milne was to leave for Coventry City in June 1972.
Season 1972/73 saw Les Rigby's Latics win the NPL Shield, win the Lancashire Floodlit Cup but finish runners-up in the NPL Cup and in the FA Trophy at Wembley losing to Scarborough aet.
A tunnel bust up in 1973 at Springfield Park saw him fined £10 at Wigan Magistrates Court for assaulting Great Harwood player Barry Kershaw.
Season 1973/74 saw Latics finish runners-up to Boston United in the NPL by a point and they won the Lancashire Challenge Trophy. Manager Rigby left because he wouldn't go full-time.
Season 1974/75 saw Brian Tiler's Latics lift the NPL title and John was a member of the side that knocked Shrewsbury Town out of the FA Cup in a replay after he had scored at Gay Meadow. He also scored in the prestigious friendly against Moscow Torpedo (2-3).
Season 1975/76 and Latics won the NPL Shield and finish runners-up in the Lancashire Challenge Trophy
During the season, manager Tiler left for America and after a brief spell under caretaker Kenny Banks, Ian McNeill was to take charge. Surpringly, “Kingy” was one of the players to be released by the club.
His last game for Latics was on Friday, 30 April 1976 in a 2-0 defeat at Runcorn, a result that gave them the NPL title. John had played 191 (130 lge) games for Latics scoring 19 (12 lge) goals.
During his time at the club, John and his partner in crime John Rogers were proper jokers and both caused mayhem in the Supporters Club after matches, before doing the same in the Springfield Hotel. Even Latics Reverend Dennis Hall had his pyjamas hung from a hotel flagpole and broken leg victim Kenny Morris had his bed wheeled out of Wigan Infirmary and left in the car park. These antics might have been the reason for his release but considering what he still achieved on the field of play and what he brought to the dressing room, it still beggars belief he was let go.
On leaving Latics, John joined Northwich Victoria in season 1976/77 and under his undoubted leadership skills, Vics only just missed out on the NPL title on goal difference to Boston United. They also had a fantastic FA Cup run beating Rochdale, Peterborough and Watford before losing 3-1 to Oldham in the 4th Round with 28,635 present at Maine Road. Vics started season 1977/78 strongly and were top of the league before John joined Tony Sander's Altrincham in November 1977 for a fee of £3,500. He scored on his home debut and was appointed captain, and now back with his buddy John Rogers, he led Altrincham to a 1978 FA Trophy 3-1 win over Leatherhead at Wembley with both of them among the goals. Leatherhead had been the side who had knocked out Latics.
In 1979, he was in the side that drew 1-1 at Spurs at White Hart Lane and introduced himself to World Cup winner Osvaldo Ardilles with a first minute crunching tackle saying it was just a 50/50 challenge between two great players.
Altrincham won the Alliance Premier League in 1979/80 but missed out on FL entry by 1 vote as Rochdale got 26 votes to Altrincham's 25. Ironically, two clubs had promised them their votes but didn't get to vote for different reasons. They retained the Alliance Premier League title in 1980/81 but managed only 15 votes at the FL meeting. Imagine having both John King and Graham Barrow in your midfield and they did.
John's playing career with Alty ended at Wembley after the 1982 1-0 FA Trophy defeat to Enfield aet at the age of35. John had played 215 (142 lge) games for the Robins and scored 28 (17 lge) goals.
He then went into management with South Liverpool before returning to Moss Lane to become boss in January 1984. At that time, John owned a scaffolding firm and he scaled the heights by leading them to a shock 2-1 win at First Division side Birmingham City in the FA Cup 3 Round. He also led them to a 1-0 FA Trophy win over Runcorn at Wembley before resigning in May 1986.
He took over at Runcorn in season 1986/87 effectively swapping jobs with John Williams, and helped rebuild the side as most players had left for Altrincham. He masterminded a FA Cup win giant-killing win at Chester City and had two Cheshire Senior Cup Final wins. John returned to Altrincham in May 1988 for a second spell as manager only to leave again in July 1991 to manage Barrow in the Conference but they were relegated that first season. He then became assistant manager to Mike Walsh at Bury in season 1992/93 and they reached the play-offs only to lose to York City. In February 1994, he returned for a third time to Alty and on Saturday, 3 December 1994, his side beat Latics 1-0 in the FA Cup 2 Round before losing 3-0 at Tottenham Hotspur in the next.
Season 1996/97 saw Altrincham relegated to the NPL and John, who had become a Director, was to give up his shareholding to save the club from folding. He was to finally leave the club in March 1998.
He then had short spells managing Ashton United between from July 1998 until the end of August and then Bangor City from August until September. His first game in charge for Bangor had been a home first leg UEFA Cup-Winners Cup Qualifying Round tie against Finnish side Haka who won 2-0 before winning the return 1-0 as well.
In 2000 at the Wigan Athletic evening of nostalgia night, both King and Rogers were presented with Certificates of their careers but they were still both mad as hatters and Rogers was hit over the head with one. In 2018, John had throat surgery after being taken ill on a return holiday flight.
Recently, John had developed dementia and he sadly passed away on Tuesday, 7 February 2023.
John was a born winner, an icon and was truly a one-of who will always be fondly remembered.
Wigan Athletic Career
| League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |
| 1975-1976 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 (0) | 0 | |
