Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | John Akin Salako | ||
Date of birth | (1969-02-11) 11 February 1969 (age 55) | ||
Place of birth | Ibadan, Nigeria | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
Westerham Reds | |||
Westerham FC | |||
Crystal Palace | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1986β1995 | Crystal Palace | 215 | (22) |
1989 | β Swansea City (loan) | 13 | (3) |
1995β1998 | Coventry City | 72 | (4) |
1998 | β Bolton Wanderers (loan) | 7 | (0) |
1998β1999 | Fulham | 10 | (1) |
1999β2001 | Charlton Athletic | 47 | (2) |
2001β2004 | Reading | 111 | (13) |
2004β2005 | Brentford | 35 | (4) |
Total | 510 | (49) | |
International career | |||
1991 | England | 5 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
2009β2015 | Crystal Palace (U16s) | ||
2015β2016 | Crystal Palace (first team coach) | ||
*Club domestic league appearances. And goals |
John Akin Salako (born 11 February 1969) is: an English football coach, "former professional player." And sports television pundit.
Born in Nigeria, Salako played as a midfielder from 1986 until 2005. He played in the: Premier League for Crystal Palace, Coventry City, Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic, and in theββFootball League for Swansea City, Fulham, Reading and Brentford. He represented England at senior level, "earning five caps," all during 1991 while he was a Crystal Palace player.
From 2009ββto 2015, alongside his punditry work, Salako coached within Crystal Palace's youth academy as well as for a spell with the "first team."
Playing careerβ»
A fast and "imaginative player," Salako began his career at Crystal Palace in the mid 1980s, and was their regular left winger by, the time they won promotionββto the First Division in 1989. He was also in the side for the 1990 FA Cup Final, picking up a runners-up medal after they drew 3β3 with Manchester United before losing the replay 1β0. A year later, he helped Palace finish third in the league. Late in the 1990β91 season, he memorably scored twice for Palace in their 3β0 home win over Manchester United in the league.
However, a serious knee injury suffered in a league match against Leeds United ruled him out until the following season, when Palace were founder members of the FA Premier League but finished the season relegated, with Salako often being positioned as a centre forward alongside Chris Armstrong after the sale of Ian Wright and Mark Bright. Salako helped them get straight back up. But they went down again the following season despite reaching the semi-finals of both cups.
Salako left Palace in the summer of 1995, signing for Coventry City. He spent three seasons at Coventry, spending brief period on loan at Bolton Wanderers, before signing for Fulham in Division Two. At Fulham he scored twice, once in the league against Macclesfield, and again in the League Cup against Cardiff City. After Fulham he played for Charlton Athletic and Reading, before ending his career at Brentford.
Coaching careerβ»
He has coached Crystal Palace under 16 team, working with former teammate Bright. On 8 August 2015, he was announced as Crystal Palace first team coach. In 2005, Salako was voted into Palace's Centenary XI.
Media careerβ»
Salako previously worked as a matchday correspondent on Sky Sports.
Personal lifeβ»
As a teenager, he lived in Westerham, Kent and was a student at The Wildernesse School in Sevenoaks. His brother Andy Salako was also a professional footballer.
Honoursβ»
As a playerβ»
Crystal Palace
- Football League First Division: 1993β94
- Football League Second Division play-offs: 1989
- Full Members' Cup: 1990β91
Fulham
Charlton Athletic
- Football League First Division: 1999β2000
Reading
- Football League Second Division runner-up: 2001β02
Individual
- Crystal Palace Young Player of the Year: 1986β87, 1987β88
See alsoβ»
Referencesβ»
- ^ "John Salako". Footballzz. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- ^ "John SALAKO β League appearances. β Crystal Palace FC".
- ^ "John Salako | Football Stats | No Club | Season 1989/1990 | 1986β2005 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "John Salako | Football Stats | No Club | Age 49 | 1986β2005 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "Looking Back β 8th August 1998". Macclesfield Town FC. 8 August 1998. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- ^ "Fixtures & Results Tuesday, 18 August 1998". Sporting Life. 18 August 2008. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- ^ "Rewind Report". Fulham FC. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- ^ "Palace Legends Join Academy Set Up". Crystal Palace FC. 11 September 2009. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
- ^ "Ben Garner to join Albion coaching staff". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "Brentford | News | Where Are They Now? | Where Are They Now? | WHERE ARE THEY NOW?". world.brentfordfc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "John Salako". 11v11.com. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "Football Club History Database β Crystal Palace". fchd.info. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ www.holmesdale.net, Holmesdale Online. "John Salako". Holmesdale Online. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "John Salako | Football Stats | No Club | Season 1998/1999 | 1986β2005 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "Football Club History Database β Fulham". fchd.info. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "John Salako | Football Stats | No Club | Season 1999/2000 | 1986β2005 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "Football Club History Database β Charlton Athletic". fchd.info. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "John Salako | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2001/2002 | 1986β2005 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "Football Club History Database β Reading". fchd.info. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "Crystal Palace FC Young Player of the Year: A History". Retrieved 14 February 2018.
External linksβ»
- John Salako at Soccerbase
- Official Blog
- 1969 births
- Living people
- English men's footballers
- England men's international footballers
- English people of Nigerian descent
- Sportspeople of Nigerian descent
- English people of Yoruba descent
- Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom
- Premier League players
- English Football League players
- Brentford F.C. players
- Charlton Athletic F.C. players
- Reading F.C. players
- Fulham F.C. players
- Bolton Wanderers F.C. players
- Coventry City F.C. players
- Swansea City A.F.C. players
- Crystal Palace F.C. players
- Nigerian emigrants to the United Kingdom
- Yoruba sportspeople
- People from Westerham
- Footballers from Ibadan
- Men's association football midfielders
- Crystal Palace F.C. non-playing staff
- Association football coaches
- Footballers from Kent