John_Murphy_(footballer,_born_1976)
John Murphy (footballer, born 1976)
English footballer
John Murphy (born 18 October 1976) is an English former professional footballer who became a coach.
He had two spells with Chester City, having left first time round to join Blackpool in 1999. He came through the youth ranks with Chester and made his first-team debut in 1994–95. He remained with the club until the eve of the 1999–2000 season, when he moved up to Division Two by joining Blackpool, where he enjoyed a long and successful seven-year stint that included three victories at the Millennium Stadium. Two of these were winning Football League Trophy finals; he started and scored in both finals in 2002 and 2004.[2][3]
Murphy rejoined Chester from Cheshire neighbours Macclesfield Town, whom he joined from Blackpool in January 2007 after making a loan move permanent. On 6 January 2007, during his loan spell, Murphy scored Macclesfield's goal in their 6–1 FA Cup Third round defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to briefly bring the tie level.[4]
He rejoined Chester on 29 June 2007.[5] His first league game back at the club saw Murphy feature in the starting line-up in the goalless draw with Chesterfield on 11 August 2007, with his first two goals back at the club coming in a 4–0 demolition of Dagenham & Redbridge a fortnight later. Almost inevitably, he scored on his return to Macclesfield in a 2–1 win for Chester on 29 September 2007.
Murphy signed for St Patrick's Athletic on 31 July 2008 for an undisclosed fee. After an injury-plagued spell at the club, which restricted him to one substitute league appearance, he was released on 4 February 2009.[6]
In August 2011, Murphy became a coach at Blackpool.[7] He left the role, citing personal reasons, in June 2022.[8]