Newsome: Jonathan (Jon)

1991-1994 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Central Defender

Born: Sheffield: 06-09-1970

Debut: v Wimbledon (a) (Substitute): 02-11-1991

6’2” 13st 11lb (1994)

Central defenders Jon Newsome and David Wetherall joined Leeds from Howard Wilkinson’s old club, Sheffield Wednesday, for a combined fee of £275,000. Many were surprised at the fee for two youngsters because Newsome had only made six League starts, one substitute appearance and three League Cup starts for the Owls and Wetherall had no senior experience. But it proved to be money well spent as Newsome, who had joined Wednesday in July 1989, broke into the senior side at Elland Road as the race for the 1991-92 League Championship reached its climax and won a League Championship medal. He scored one of the goals in United’s 3-2 triumph at Sheffield United on the day Leeds won the title, but the following season his form dipped and in June 1994 Leeds reaped a big profit when Newsome was sold to Norwich City for £1 million. It was a Norwich club record fee and remained so until 2005 when they bought Dean Ashton for £3 million. He was appointed skipper at Carrow Road and soon became a fans’ favourite, he was voted Norwich City ‘Player of the Year’ for the season, but could not prevent the Canaries being relegated in his first campaign with them. Newsome could have doubtless returned to the Premiership but he decided to remain at the club to help Norwich regain promotion back to the elite. He signalled his intent with two excellent headed goals in a 3-1 victory on the opening day of the season against Luton Town at Kenilworth Road. However the latter part of the 1995/6 season saw the Canaries in a perilous financial position and in March 1996 they were forced to sell Newsome and he returned to the EPL with his first club, Sheffield Wednesday for £1,600,000 in a move that enraged the fans. He made sixty-two League appearances, including one as substitute and scored seven goals while at Carrow Road. He also played five FA Cup matches and scored once while he also made nine League Cup appearances without scoring. Newsome's career at Hillsborough was frequently interrupted by injury. He suffered a serious injury in the FA Cup quarter finals against Wimbledon and was ruled out for the remainder of the 1996-97 season. On 18th November 1998, Newsome joined Bolton Wanderers on a month's loan. He made six League appearances without scoring before returning to Wednesday. Bradford City then made a £1.25 million bid for Newsome but were quoted £2 million by the Wednesday board. Rather a high price for a player who had not made any appearances for Wednesday in eighteen months due to injury and was nearly forced to quit the previous summer. It was reported on Monday 8th February 1998 that Ron Atkinson was to sign Newsome for his beleaguered Nottingham Forest defence. Birmingham City made a bid of £1.5 million for him in mid-February 1999 as a replacement for the injured Gary Ablett. The Blues wanted to pay this fee over three years but Wednesday refused, seeking the money in two. Bradford's promotion to the Premiership led to them again being linked with a move to Valley Parade. Along with nine other first teamers, Jon was placed on the transfer list at the end of May 1999 with Wednesday seeking £1.5 million for his services as they attempted to rebuild their side. He didn't move on during 1999 or the early part of 2000 but his future remained unsettled as his contract expired in the summer of 2000. On 19th May 2000, Newsome announced his retirement from the game, at the early age of twenty-nine, due to his knee injury. In his second spell at Hillsborough he made fifty-four League appearances, four being as a substitute, and scored four goals, he made six starts and one substitution appearance in the FA Cup and another three starts in the League Cup. He then worked for Wednesday's academy as a coach, and then spent time at Grimsby as a coach with their Centre of Excellence and as a scout. On 11th April 2002, Dr Martens' League side Gresley Rovers announced Newsome's appointment as Manager to replace John McGinley. Gresley finished sixth that first season under his stewardship. He then spent the 2002 summer boosting his squad and staff for the new campaign. He also registered himself as a player, in case of emergencies. Newsome remained popular with Norwich City supporters, and he returned to Carrow Road in September 2002 to play in the exhibition match against Harwich & Parkestone that marked the club's centenary. He did make appearances for Gresley, making his debut on 14th September 2002 at Bromsgrove Rovers in the FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round, and by the time he played his final game in the home game with Weston-Super-Mare on 3rd May 2003, he had made eight appearances, but he resigned as manager at the end of June 2003 due to family reasons. This experience combined with a UEFA ‘A’ coaching badge should stand him in good stead should he wish to return to football management. In August 2004, Jon was found helping out at Spalding United and it was hoped that he would turn out for Spalding in defence. He chose not to return to football and established Automarques Sports and Prestige Ltd, a prestige car company located close to Bramall Lane in his native Sheffield. As a footballer he was a well-known dressing-room mimic and practical joker.