Biography
Midfield battler John Welsh joined the Tigers in August 2005 from Liverpool on a season long loan. After impressing in the first team City signed him permanently in January 2006 with promising youth City teamer Paul Anderson heading to Anfield as a makeweight. Welsh made his debut in an August 2005 League Cup tie against Blackpool and scored his first City goals a month later when he netted twice in a 2-0 victory at Coventry City’s new stadium. John was used more sparingly in the 2006/07 season and broke his leg in a March 2007 match against Preston North End, an injury that sidelined him for nine months. Welsh never played for City again and sought first team rehabilitation during loan spells at League Two side Chester City (six appearances during January 2008), League One side Carlisle United (six appearances during November 2008) and League Two side Bury (six appearances between March and May 2009, including a substitute appearance in a play-off semi-final against Shrewsbury Town). John left the Tigers in July 2009.
John Joseph Welsh was born in Wavertree, a South Liverpool suburb, and joined his local side Liverpool at the age of 10, coming through the ranks to earn his first professional contract in December 2001. His senior debut came a year later in December 2002, in a League Cup tie against Ipswich Town, he then made his Premier League debut in October 2003 against Arsenal. By the end of the 2004/05 season, ahead of his move to Hull City, Welsh had made 10 senior appearances for Liverpool.
On leaving Hull City in July 2009 Welsh sought to rebuild his career, immediately signing for League One side Tranmere Rovers. In three seasons at Prenton Park he played practically every game and became a dominant force in the Merseysiders’ first eleven, scoring eleven goals in 149 appearances. In July 2012 he switched to League One rivals Preston North End, the club against which he broke his leg five years earlier, and continued to thrive. At the end of the 2013/14 season Welsh played in both legs of the play-off semi-final that was lost to Rotherham United, a year later the Lilywhites avenged that defeat by beating Swindon Town at Wembley and gaining promotion to the Championship. Welsh remained at Preston for another three seasons but was used sparingly in the second tier thanks to a succession of injuries. When he left Preston North End in July 2018 he had scored three goals in 176 senior appearances for the club.
In July 2018 Welsh joined League Two side Grimsby Town and was immediately handed the captain’s armband, but he managed only 16 appearances for the Mariners – the last of which came in January 2019 against Milton Keynes Dons. He left Grimsby in March 2019 when it became known that Welsh had pleaded guilty to a charge of actual bodily harm after breaking a woman’s leg at a bus stop during a boozy night out in Liverpool. He spent the 2019/20 season at Northern Premier League side Atherton Colleries while simultaneously beginning his coaching career. He moved to Northern Premier League rivals Stafford Rangers for the 2020/21 season and played regularly for the Boro, but left the club in October 2021.
In October 2021 he was appointed to the coaching staff at his former club Preston North End and July 2022 he rose to coaching the professional development phase squad of under-16s and under-18s.
Welsh was one of England’s hottest prospects as a youngster and played for England at all youth levels. He made his England Under-16 debut in October 1999 against Northern Ireland, won a second cap a month later then added another eight appearances during the 2000/01 season. He rose to the England Under-19 squad in July 2002 when he debuted against Germany and won eight caps at that level during the 2002/03 season. In February 2003 he won his first cap for England Under-20s against Germany and took his Under-20s tally to five appearances by the end of the 2003 calendar year. In February 2004 he made his debut for England Under-21 against Netherlands in a match played at the KC Stadium in Hull, then added three further appearances during the February and March 2005 against Netherlands, Germany (once again played at the KC Stadium) and Azerbaijan. His three Under-21 appearances during the 2005/06 season against Wales, Germany and Norway were all earned while at Hull City, the first two when on loan and the latter in February 2006 once signed permanently. His eighth and final Under-21 appearance came in November 2006 against Netherlands, again whilst a contracted Hull City player.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 10 January 1984, Liverpool
Hull City First Game: 23 August 2005, Blackpool A (League Cup First Round), 21 years, 225 days old
Hull City Final Game: 10 March 2007, Preston North End H (Championship), 23 years, 59 days old
Clubs
Liverpool (2001-2006), Hull City (2005-2006, loan), Hull City (2006-2009), Chester City (2008, loan), Carlisle United (2008, loan), Bury (2009, loan), Tranmere Rovers (2009-2012), Preston North End (2012-2018), Grimsby Town (2018-2019), Atherton Colleries (2019-2020), Stafford Rangers (2020-2021)
Hull City Record
Career: 54 apps, 3 goals
John Welsh| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005/06 | 29 (3) | 2 | – | – | 1 (0) | 0 | – | – | – | – |
| 2006/07 | 9 (9) | 1 | – | – | 2 (1) | 0 | – | – | – | – |
| 2007/08 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2008/09 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |