Memorial match to remember former Wolves coach John Perkins
Former Wolves academy coach John Perkins, who died last year aged 69 following a short illness, is to be honoured with a special memorial game.
Perkins, known to many as JP, worked at Molineux from 2000-2009 as assistant academy manager and under-18s coach and was in charge when Wolves’ talented youngsters reached the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup in 2005. A Stoke City XI, where he was a senior academy coach until his death, will play at Hinckley’s Leicester Road FC on Tuesday for The John Perkins Memorial Trophy.
The match has been organised by Leicester Road FC manager Neil Lyne, who as a young semi pro player with Leicester United also signed for Nottingham Forest with John Perkins in 1989 (when Brian Clough first recognised JP’s unique coaching talents) and remained a very close friend.
At the time of his passing, Wolves sporting director Kevin Thelwell led the tributes and described how Perkins “cared deeply for young players, had a passion for youth football and would do everything to help them improve and develop both as footballers and as people.”
Thelwell also described Perkins as an “excellent coach”.
Wolves captain Danny Batth was just one of a number of academy players to graduate into the first team under Perkins’ stewardship.
He said at the time: “John was a major influence and a massive help to me during my time in the Academy, both on and off the pitch. I stayed in touch with him all the way through since he left the club. He was one of football’s good guys and is sadly missed.”
In total, Perkins spent 26 years working in professional youth football, in various different roles.
