John Lewis (born 15 October 1955) is a former Welsh footballer. Career Lewis was born in Tredegar and was spotted by Cardiff City while playing for Pontllanfraith in a Welsh Football League match and was quickly offered a contract by then manager Jimmy Andrews. He made his Cardiff debut against Blackburn Rovers in September 1978. He went on to become a regular fixture in the Bluebirds line-up over the next few years before eventually leaving the club along with Linden Jones and Tarki Micallef to join Newport County in a swap deal that saw Nigel Vaughan and Karl Elsey go the other way and join Cardiff. After establishing himself in the County side he went on to become the club's player-manager when Jimmy Mullen left for Aberdeen in 1987 but could not prevent the club being relegated in the 1986–87 season and was subsequently sacked after Newport took only one point from their first six games in the following season. He moved on to spend one season at Swansea City making 25 appearances before moving to Hereford before retiring. Wales Under-21s He also made one appearance for the Wales under-21 team. Coaching career Lewis was manager at Newport County and Merthyr. In February 2006 returned to Merthyr as coach. Managerial statistics References 1955 births Living people Sportspeople from Tredegar Welsh footballers Wales under-21 international footballers English Football League players Cardiff City F.C. players Newport County A.F.C. players Swansea City A.F.C. players Abergavenny Thursdays F.C. players Welsh football managers Newport County A.F.C. managers Merthyr Tydfil F.C. managers Rhayader Town F.C. players Association football midfielders Bohemian F.C. players Llanelli Town A.F.C. players Ebbw Vale F.C. players Barry Town United F.C. players Pontllanfraith A.F.C. players Merthyr Tydfil F.C. players