Turner: Christopher Robert (Chris)

1989-1989 (Player Details)

Goalkeeper

Born: Sheffield: 15-09-1958

Debut: Watford (h): 18-11-1989

6’0” 12st 4lb (1984)

Former England Youth International Turner helped Leeds out on loan when regular ‘keeper Mervyn Day was injured in October 1989. He was educated at Myers Grove School Sheffield. He became an apprentice with Sheffield Wednesday, turning professional with the Owls in August 1976, and initially making ninety-one League appearances for them. After a loan period at Lincoln City in October 1978, where he played five League games, he joined Sunderland in July 1979 for £80,000, and helped them reach the 1985 Milk Cup Final, only for them to be beaten 1-0 by Norwich City. After one hundred and ninety-five League appearances, he moved to Manchester United in August 1985 in a £275,000 deal. He played sixty-four League games for the team from Old Trafford before he rejoined Sheffield Wednesday for £175,000 in September 1988. He won a League Cup winners’ medal with the Owls, beating Manchester United 1-0 in the final, and also helped them back into Division One. In his second spell with the Owls he made seventy-five League appearances until in October 1991, he then went to Leyton Orient for £75,000, where ultimately he became Assistant-Manager with John Sitton in August 1994. He played fifty-eight times in the League for Orient before retiring in 1995. His football management career took him to Leicester City and then Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he was appointed youth team coach. His first sole Manager’s job in February 1999 saw him take over Hartlepool United, who were at the very bottom of the League. He saved them from relegation and turned them into promotion contenders. They did gain promotion in 2002-03 but six months before that Turner had moved back to his old club Sheffield Wednesday in November 2002 and it was Mike Newell who was then at the helm. At Hillsbrough he faced the difficult job of saving Wednesday from relegation to the third tier. Things improved but not enough to stop relegation. His avowed intent was to get the Owls back in the EPL by 2008, but their 2003-04 form was dismal as they finished sixteenth. He was given £500,000 to spend in the transfer market and built a team which ultimately won promotion at the end of the following season. However, Turner was controversially sacked in September 2004 after a slow start to the League One campaign leaving Wednesday languishing in fourteenth place. He soon went on another ‘Mission Impossible’ this time with Division One’s bottom club, financially insecure, Stockport County in December 2004. They were duly relegated to Division Two well before the end of the 2004-05 season. Things did not improve and, with the club anchored at the bottom of the Football League, Turner left the club by mutual consent on 29th December 2005. His successor, Jim Gannon was able to avert further relegation. Turner became Director of Sport with Hartlepool United in 2006. He also took over as Caretaker Manager on 15th December 2008 after Danny Wilson had resigned.