Hendrie: John Grattan (John)

1989-1990 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Outside Right

Born: Lennoxtown, Lanarkshire: 24-10-1963

Debut: v Newcastle United (a): 19-08-1989

5’7” 11st 4lb (1989)

Scottish Youth International Hendrie joined Coventry City as an apprentice in June 1980 and turned full-time on 18th May 1981. While scoring regularly for the Reserve team and being their top scorer with ten goals from twenty-five games, he was unable to break into the first-team. He was loaned to Hereford United on 10th January 1984, where he appearance in six scoreless games, before returning at the end of the season and joining Bradford City on 2nd July 1984 on a free transfer. He had scored twice in twenty-one League appearances, including six off the bench, and made two starts in the League Cup, for the Sky Blues. He became a key figure in the Bradford City team, settling quickly into his role on the right wing that alternated from a midfield to an electrifying burst of speed which took him into the heart of the forward scoring oppurtunities, using all his natural attributes to cause damage to the opposition just where it hurt the most. Attacking opposing defences at speed with body arched forward, pigeon chest over the ball until the inevitable tackle, which he either rode and progressed towards goal, or took a tumble with a penalty being the usual outcome. He became a key figure in City’s 1984-85 Division Three Championship winning side, then helping the Valley Paraders to the brink of the First Division before a paltry £500,000 move took him to Newcastle United on 17th June 1988, after he had scored forty-six goals in one hundred and seventy-three League starts, six goals in eleven F.A. Cup starts, three goals in seventeen League Cup starts and four goals in eleven other games and apart from numerous supporters and other awards he was picked in the PFA Division Two team in 1986-87 and 1987-88. He did not stay long with the Magpies, barely twelve months, in which time he scored four times in thirty-four League starts and once in two League Cup starts and failed to find the net in four F.A. Cup and three other games, before, on 20th June 1989, he made the move he had been destined for several years, when the lightning quick winger Hendrie was finally caught by Leeds boss Howard Wilkinson after weeks of trying to sign him from Newcastle United and he eventually arrived at Elland Road after a £600,000 deal was agreed. Injuries restricted his appearances for Leeds, something which had never happened at Bradford City, where he had missed only one game, when he was suspended for the final game of the 1987-88 season. After making his Leeds League debut at St James' Park on the opening day of the season he was first choice for the first seven games until that game brought a home clash with Swindon Town and an easy 4-0 victory which was only marred by an horrendous challenge from Swindon defender Jon Gittens on John Hendrie. Gittens sent Hendrie flying into the air with an awful two-footed lunge and the tearful Scot was stretchered from the after sixty-three minutes. It proved a damaging injury for new signing Hendrie, and although he played the next game four days later, after that game he didn't return until December, but he still played a major part in United kick-starting their season. His twenty-two League starts and five substitute appearances were sufficient to win him a Second Division championship medal in 1989-90. However he failed to see eye to eye with Howard Wilkinson and on 5th July 1990 he joined Middlesbrough for £550,000. He made his debut for Middlesbrough on 25th August 1990 in a 0-0 home draw with West Ham United and gained promotion to Division One with Boro in 1991-92, to match the same accomplishment achieved with Leeds in his only season there. He was Boro’s top scorer in 1994-95 and made the PFA Team, for the third time in his career, in the First Division team in the same season. He scored forty-four times, including the last goal ever scored at Ayresome Park, in one hundred and ninety-two League appearances, including eleven from the bench, at Middlesbrough. He also scored two goals in twelve F.A. Cup appearances, of which two were from the bench, six goals in twenty-two starts and two games from the bench in the League Cup and three goals in six starts in other games. He played his final League game for Boro on 30th March 1996 in a 1-0 win at Elland Road, in the game Hary Kewell made his Leeds debut and Lucas Radebe took over as goalkeeper after half-time. He played two further League Cup games the following season, the final one being on 24th September 1996 in a 3-0 away win at another of his former clubs, Hereford United. He had the chance to return to Bradford City but chose to move to Barnsley for £250,000 on 11th October 1996, after he lost his place in the team when Boro signed Juninho. Making his Barnsley debut on 12th October at home in a 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace, he played a further two and a half years at Oakwell, scoring seventeen times in the League in forty-nine starting appearances, and sixteen as substitute. He also scored three times in eight starts in the F.A. Cup and made three substitute appearances in the League Cup without scoring. He was a significant factor in Barnsley gaining promotion as they finished Division One runners up in 1996-97. They played in the EPL in 1997-98, as top-division members for the first time in their history but inevitably they were relegated. Manager Danny Wilson left and Hendrie became the Oakwell club’s Manager. His playing career ended with Barnsley, with his final League game being on 14th November 1998 in a 0-1 defeat by Ipswich Town and his final appearance being in a 3-1 Fourth Round F.A. Cup win over Bournemouth at Oakwell on 23rd January 1999. He managed Barnsley without much success until he was sacked on 19th April 1999 with Barnsley sixteenth in the table but having success in the FA Cup, where they reached the quarter-finals and also had a good run in the League Cup. After retirement he was heavily involved with Middlesbrough and presented programmes on Boro TV and regularly attended games at the Riverside. In later years he relished his role as a Football Aid Ambassador and featured in a number of Middlesbrough matches at The Riverside Stadium, where his passion and enthusiasm for the game helped to make the events all the more special for the Boro supporters. He sometimes worked as a TV summariser and pundit, and joined a sports law firm, Last Cawthra Feather, as a consultant. His Uncle, Paul Hendrie, was a Scottish professional footballer and his sons, John's cousins, were Lee Hendrie of Aston Villa and England and Stuart Hendrie of Morecambe. Two of his own sons are making their way in the game, with Luke playing for Manchester United and Jordan with Bradford City.