Peter Kirkham


Peter Jonathan Kirkham is an English former footballer who played as a winger in the Football League for Darlington.

Life and career

Kirkham was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, and began his career as a youngster with Newcastle United. He never played first-team football for Newcastle, and moved on to Darlington in 1993. He made his senior debut on 2 November 1993, in the starting eleven for the Third Division match at home to Colchester United. Darlington won 7–3, and Kirkham made nine more appearances that season, mainly as a substitute. He played in six matches in 1994–95, and left the club at the end of that season.
Kirkham played in Sweden for Köping FF, and also played non-league football for teams including Gretna, Blyth Spartans, South Shields, Grantham Town, Chester-le-Street Town, Dunston Federation Brewery, Jarrowfor whom he scored the decisive penalty in the shoot-out that won the club's first ever Wearside League trophy, the Shipowners' Charity Cup, in 1995Hebburn Town, Consett, Whitley Bay, and Washington.
He returned to Jarrow in 2006, was assistant manager to Davy Bell by 2010, and took over as player-manager with Bell becoming his assistant. Kirkham played until at least 2013, and in January 2016, he again became Bell's assistant when the latter returned to Jarrow as manager.