JON SHEFFIELD

Born: 01 February 1969

Came from: Peterborough United   Went to: Yeovil Town

First game: 09 August 1997   Last game: 16 April 2001

Appearances: 175 (175/0)   Goals: 0

Born in Bedworth, near Coventry, Sheffield was a product of the youth system at Norwich City, but made just one appearance for their first team when he deputised for the suspended Bryan Gunn in a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa at Carrow Road on 15 April 1989.

He had come to the attention of Norwich via the PGL soccer school scheme of their youth coach, Kit Carson and ended up signing on at Carrow Road after the Canaries beat off interest from Wolves, Ipswich Town, Cambridge United, Watford and Arsenal.

Whilst at the club, he had two loan spells with Aldershot, playing 11 games in 1989 and 15 in 1990, as well as loans to Ipswich Town and Cambridge United, both of whom he failed to make a single appearance for. In six years at Carrow Road (1985-1991), he made just that single appearance for the club.

His move to Cambridge, initially on loan, became permanent in 1991, on a free transfer. He had spells in the first team at the Abbey Stadium, fighting for the goalkeeper's shirt with John Vaughan and enjoyed success with the club as they reached the old Division Two, eventually making the number one shirt his own following the departure of Vaughan and then his replacement, John Filan.

He was with the U’s for four years and made 56 appearances in total, but whilst there, he also had loan spells with Sheffield United (no games 1992), Colchester United (six games in 1993), Swindon Town (two games in 1994) and Hereford United (eight games later in 1994). His loan to Swindon was notable as his two appearances were in the Premier League, no less, in their ill-fated single season at that level. He became the first player to wear the number 40 shirt in the Premier League and was one of four goalkeepers used by the club throughout that season, along with future Pilgrim Nicky Hammond.

Moving the short distance to local rivals, Peterborough United, in 1995 for £150,000, he was their first-choice 'keeper for 18 months before losing his place and being sold to Argyle for £100,000 in 1997. Earlier that year, he had brief loan spells with Watford and Oldham Athletic, without making a recorded appearance for either. In total, he had made 81 appearances for the Posh.

Despite relegation in his first season at Home Park, Sheffield was virtually ever-present in his first three seasons, only to be replaced by Romain Larrieu due to injury. He was unable to regain his place in the team and after more than 150 appearances for the club, during the most stable period of his career, he left Argyle at the end of the 2000-01 season. He finished his professional career with three years at non-league Yeovil Town. During his time there, he picked up an FA Trophy winners' medal as an unused substitute, as Yeovil triumphed 2-0 against Stevenage Borough (as they were then) at Villa Park. Yeovil went on to win the Conference Championship in the 2002-03 season to reach the Football League for the first time, with Sheffield making nine appearances before retiring due to a persistent groin injury.

Having made 22 appearances in total for the Glovers, he left Yeovil as a player in 2004 and wound down his career locally by playing for Saltash United.

He later then spent two seasons back with Yeovil as their goalkeeping coach and possesses UEFA B-level coach & UEFA B-level goalkeeper coach badges. He remained living in Saltash, where he has run his own goalkeeping academy. Sheffield has also been a frequent match-day guest at Home Park across the years.