{{Short description|English footballer}} {{for|the priest|Roger Preece (priest)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Roger Preece | image = | fullname = Roger Preece | height = 5 ft 9 in<ref>{{cite book |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 |editor-first=Peter |editor-last=Dunk |publisher=Queen Anne Press |location=London |date=1987 |page=122 |isbn=978-0-356-14354-5}}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|6|9|df=y}} | birth_place = Much Wenlock, England | currentclub = Gap Queens Park (club coach) | position = Midfielder | youthyears1= 1985–1986 | youthclubs1= Coventry City | years1 = 1986–1990 | years2 = 1990–1996 | years3 = 1996–1997 | years4 = 1997 | years5 = 1997–1999 | years6 = 2000–2003 | years7 =2003–2004 | clubs1 = Wrexham | clubs2 = Chester City | clubs3 = Southport | clubs4 = Telford United | clubs5 = Shrewsbury Town | clubs6 = Telford United | clubs7 = Newtown | caps1 = 111 | goals1 = 12 | caps2 = 170 | goals2 = 4 | caps3 = 9 | goals3 = 0 | caps4 = 8 | goals4 = 1 | caps5 = 52 | goals5 = 3 | caps6 = 32 | goals6 = 1 | caps7 = 1 | goals7 = 0 | nationalyears1= | nationalteam1= | nationalcaps1= | nationalgoals1 = | managerclubs1= Newtown | manageryears1= 2003–2006 }} '''Roger Preece''' (born 9 June 1968) was an English professional footballer who mainly played as a midfielder but could also play as a full back. He played in The Football League for three clubs and has also played and managed in non–league football.

==Playing and coaching career== Preece began his playing career as an apprentice with Coventry City, but in August 1986 he moved to Wrexham. He made more than 100 Football League appearances over the next four years gaining a Welsh Cup runners-up medal against Cardiff City at Swansea's Vetch in 1988 and helping the Robins to the 1988/89 play off final against Leyton Orient. However, he had a poor disciplinary record, being sent off five times.<ref name="sumner1">Sumner (1997), p. 108</ref> In summer 1990, he was released by Wrexham and moved to local rivals Chester City, which was a division higher in the Football League Third Division. He began at Chester as a full back but went on to make his greatest mark as a midfielder.<ref name="sumner1"/>

He helped Chester win promotion from Division Three in 1993–94, scoring in the promotion decider against Hereford United on 23 April 1994.<ref>Sumner (1997), p. 117</ref> He was named player of the season the following year.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.chester-city.co.uk/records.asp|title= Club Records: Player of the Season |website=chester-city.co.uk | accessdate=22 January 2008}}</ref> Unfortunately, Preece played just one more game for the club as a tackle from Hartlepool United's Mick Tait<ref>Sumner (1997), p. 121</ref> on the opening day of the 1995–96 season ruled him out of action for the remainder of the season. He left the club in October 1996 after failing to recover,<ref>Sumner (1997), p. 122</ref> spending the remainder of the season with Conference sides Southport and Telford United.

In June 1997, Preece returned to The Football League as player–coach with Shrewsbury Town.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.chester-city.co.uk/june97news.asp |title= Jolly Roger |website=chester-city.co.uk (see 27 June) | accessdate=22 January 2008}}</ref> In 2000, he teamed up again with manager Jake King at Telford United, where they worked together until Preece became Newtown manager in June 2003.<ref>{{Cite news| title= Newtown appoint Preece| url= https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_of_wales/2963800.stm |work=BBC Sport | date= 4 June 2003| access-date= 22 January 2008}}</ref> He remained in charge until October 2006, leaving after a 6–0 loss to Rhyl.<ref>{{Cite news| title= Welsh Premier Roundup| url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/sites/sport/pages/mattwalters_21october06.shtml| work= BBC Wales| date= 23 October 2006| accessdate= 22 January 2008| url-status= dead| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20121111061302/http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/sites/sport/pages/mattwalters_21october06.shtml| archivedate= 11 November 2012}}</ref>

Preece then coached with the Wrexham-based side Gap Queens Park,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.gapqueensparkfc.com/GQP_1stTeam_CoachingStaff.php|title= First team coaching staff|website= gapqueensparkfc.com|accessdate= 22 January 2008}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> as well as with Wrexham's centre of excellence.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.wrexhamafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10311~1192538,00.html|archive-url= https://archive.today/20070616180251/http://www.wrexhamafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10311~1192538,00.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= 16 June 2007|title= Centre of excellence – the story to date|publisher= Wrexham AFC|accessdate= 22 January 2008}}</ref>

==Honours== '''Chester City''' *Football League Division Three runners-up: 1993–94. *Player of the Season: 1994–95

==Bibliography== *{{cite book | first=Chas | last=Sumner| title=On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City F.C. 1885–1997 | publisher=Yore Publications | year=1997 | isbn=1-874427-52-6}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{Soccerbase}} *[http://www.chester-city.co.uk/what_happened_to_3.asp Chester City 'What Happened To…?' article] (2002) *[http://www.welsh-premier.com/player_detail_solo.php?player_id=11947 Welsh Premier career statistics]

{{Newtown A.F.C. managers}} {{Navboxes | title = Awards | bg = gold | fg = navy | list1 = {{Wrexham A.F.C. Young Player of the Year}} {{Chester City F.C. Player of the Year}} }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Preece, Roger}} Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:People from Much Wenlock Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Men's association football full-backs Category:English Football League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:Cymru Premier players Category:Cymru Premier managers Category:English football managers Category:Coventry City F.C. players Category:Wrexham A.F.C. players Category:Chester City F.C. players Category:Shrewsbury Town F.C. players Category:Southport F.C. players Category:Telford United F.C. players Category:Newtown A.F.C. players Category:Newtown A.F.C. managers