Justin Edinburgh facts for kids
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Edinburgh in 2016
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Justin Charles Edinburgh | ||
| Date of birth | 18 December 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Basildon, England | ||
| Date of death | 8 June 2019 (aged 49) | ||
| Place of death | Basildon, England | ||
| Height | 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) | ||
| Playing position | Left back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1988–1990 | Southend United | 37 | (0) |
| 1990 | → Tottenham Hotspur (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1990–2000 | Tottenham Hotspur | 213 | (1) |
| 2000 | → Portsmouth (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2000–2003 | Portsmouth | 34 | (1) |
| 2003–2006 | Billericay Town | ||
| Total | 287 | (2) | |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2003–2006 | Billericay Town (player-manager) | ||
| 2006 | Fisher Athletic | ||
| 2007–2008 | Grays Athletic | ||
| 2009–2011 | Rushden & Diamonds | ||
| 2011–2015 | Newport County | ||
| 2015–2017 | Gillingham | ||
| 2017 | Northampton Town | ||
| 2017–2019 | Leyton Orient | ||
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Justin Charles Edinburgh (born December 18, 1969 – died June 8, 2019) was a talented English football manager and player. He played as a left back, a defensive position on the field.
He spent ten years playing for Tottenham Hotspur, where he played in 213 league games. He also played for Southend United and Portsmouth. In 1991, he helped Spurs win the FA Cup. He also won the League Cup with the club in 1999.
After he stopped playing, Justin became a manager. He managed several non-league teams like Fisher Athletic and Rushden & Diamonds. He then led Newport County back into the Football League. Later, he managed Gillingham and Northampton Town. In 2019, he guided Leyton Orient to promotion back to the Football League. He was still the manager of Leyton Orient when he passed away in June 2019.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Justin Edinburgh started his football journey as a trainee with Southend United. He became a professional player in August 1988. He helped Southend United get promoted from the Football League Fourth Division in 1990. Overall, he played 47 games for the club and scored one goal.
Time at Tottenham Hotspur
In January 1990, Justin moved to Tottenham Hotspur for £150,000. He first joined on a loan, then permanently in July 1990. His first game for Spurs was on November 10, 1990, as a substitute in a 4–2 win against Wimbledon. He played for Spurs for most of the 1990s.
He won an FA Cup winner's medal in 1991. He also won a League Cup winner's medal with Spurs in 1999. In the League Cup final, he was sent off, but later analysis showed it was an unfair decision. He played 213 league games for Tottenham and scored one goal.
Later Playing Years
Justin left Tottenham for Portsmouth in March 2000. He played 35 league games for Portsmouth over two years, scoring once. He then joined Billericay Town in July 2003. At Billericay, he was a player-manager, meaning he played for the team and also managed it.
Managerial Journey
After his playing career, Justin Edinburgh became a successful football manager. He started with non-league clubs before moving up to the Football League.
Early Management Roles
In January 2006, Justin left Billericay to manage Fisher Athletic. He helped Fisher finish third in their league and win promotion to the Conference South. He left Fisher in November 2006.
He then joined Grays Athletic as an assistant manager. He became the main manager in January 2007. He left Grays Athletic in February 2008. In April 2008, he became an assistant manager at Woking.
Leading Rushden & Diamonds
In October 2008, Justin became assistant manager at Rushden & Diamonds. He took over as caretaker manager in February 2009 and then became the permanent manager in April 2009. He guided the team to a fourth-place finish in the 2009–10 season. This earned them a spot in the play-offs, but they lost to Oxford United.
In the summer of 2011, the club faced financial problems and was removed from the Football Conference. This ended Justin's time at the club.
Success with Newport County
On October 4, 2011, Justin was appointed manager of Newport County. The team was struggling, in 23rd place in their league. He helped Newport avoid relegation in the 2011–12 season. They also reached the FA Trophy final at Wembley Stadium in May 2012, but lost 2–0.
In August 2012, Justin was named Manager of the Month for the Conference League. This was because Newport County won all five of their first games that season. He led Newport to finish 3rd that season, reaching the play-offs again. Newport County won the 2013 Conference Premier play-off Final at Wembley Stadium, beating Wrexham 2–0. This meant they were promoted to League Two, returning to the Football League after 25 years! Justin was named the Conference Premier Manager of the Year.
In December 2013, Newport County turned down an offer from Portsmouth for Justin to be interviewed as their manager. He also turned down an offer from Northampton Town. In his first season as a Football League manager, Justin led Newport County to a 14th-place finish in League Two.
Managing Gillingham
On February 7, 2015, Justin was appointed manager of League One club Gillingham. Newport County was in sixth place at the time. Justin led Gillingham to a 12th-place finish in the league. The team had been struggling before he arrived.
The 2015–16 season was his first full season in charge. Justin led Gillingham to second place by Christmas. However, after many key players got injured, Gillingham dropped to ninth place. Justin was sacked on January 3, 2017, when the club was 17th in League One.
Time at Northampton Town
On January 13, 2017, Justin was appointed manager of League One club Northampton Town. He signed a two-and-a-half-year contract. However, he was dismissed on August 31, 2017, after a difficult start to the season.
Success with Leyton Orient
On November 29, 2017, Justin became manager of Leyton Orient, a team in the National League. He signed a two-and-a-half-year contract. Justin guided Orient to the top of the National League, winning the division and promotion back to the Football League in the 2018–19 season.
On January 24, 2020, Leyton Orient announced that a stand at their stadium would be renamed the Justin Edinburgh Stand. This was to honor his memory and achievements.
Personal Life and Legacy
Justin Edinburgh had two children with his wife, Kerri. He also owned two hair salons with his business partner.
On June 3, 2019, Justin suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. He passed away five days later, on June 8, 2019, at the age of 49. Leyton Orient announced a period of mourning. The stadium was opened for supporters to leave tributes to him.
Honours and Achievements
As a Player
Tottenham Hotspur
- FA Cup: 1990–91
- FA Charity Shield: 1991 (shared)
- Football League Cup: 1998–99
As a Manager
Newport County
- FA Trophy runner-up: 2011–12
- Conference Premier play-offs: 2013 (winners)
Leyton Orient
- National League: 2018–19 (champions)
- FA Trophy runner-up: 2018–19
Individual Awards
- Conference Premier/National League Manager of the Month: April/May 2013, November 2018, March 2019
