Newcastle United ‘cult hero’ retires from football after terrifying injury and non-league spell

Former Newcastle United man James Perch has retired from football. Perch's only goal for the Magpies came against Manchester United at Old Trafford.Former Newcastle United man James Perch has retired from football. Perch's only goal for the Magpies came against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Former Newcastle United man James Perch has retired from football. Perch's only goal for the Magpies came against Manchester United at Old Trafford. | AFP via Getty Images
Former Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest player James Perch has announced his retirement from football.

Perch played 81 times for Newcastle United during his time on Tyneside, becoming a reliable utility man that played in almost every single position during his time at the club, earning himself the nickname ‘Perchinio’ in the process. After joining from Nottingham Forest in July 2010, Perch was used as someone to plug gaps in the Newcastle United team under both Chris Hughton and Alan Pardew.

His only goal for the Magpies came memorably at Old Trafford in a 4-3 defeat on Boxing Day 2012. Perch would move to Wigan Athletic ahead of the 2013/14 season before spells at QPR and Scunthorpe United.

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He joined Mansfield Town in August 2020 however, one year later, he suffered a fractured skull during training, an injury that was thought would keep him out of the entirety of the 2021/22 campaign. Remarkably, Perch returned to action in January 2022 and helped the Stags to the League Two play-offs - ones they would go onto lose against Port Vale at Wembley.

Perch would then drop-out of the EFL to join Ilkeston Town in January 2023, a club he would spend 18-months at before announcing his retirement. Speaking about the 39-year-old, Ilkeston boss Ian Deakin described Perch as an ‘exemplary professional’.

He said: “[Perch is] somebody that has been an absolute exemplary professional throughout his career and even with us at Ilkeston towards the end was no different.

“He is a true leader and a player that you can rely on and trust and I think it is a massive loss for us. He is moving onto the next chapter in his life now and we want to wish him all the best and thank him for all his efforts and his time in his 18 months with us. We wish him nothing but success and happiness for the future.”

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Perch has dabbled in punditry and commentary in recent times and was on duty with BBC Radio Nottingham for Newcastle United’s clash against Forest, two of his former clubs, at the City Ground in November. Eddie Howe’s side triumphed 3-1 on that occasion.

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