Mike Pejic

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Mike (Mick) Pejic (born on January 25, 1950 in Chesterton, Staffordshire, England) was a British footballer of Serbian descent.

His father was Serbian and his mother was English.

His playing career in what was then the Football League First Division (same level now as the FA Premier League) commenced in the 1968-69 season and lasted until the 1979 campaign. He also held coaching and managing positions upon retiring.

As a defender, Pejic played for Stoke City, Everton and Aston Villa. He had eight caps playing for England's U-23 squad and four more caps with the full England side. He was allegedly dropped by new caretaker England manager Joe Mercer in favour of Alec Lindsay because he "didn't smile enough".

Pejic was named Chester City F.C. manager in June 1994 after the shock resignation of Graham Barrow. Unfortunately he inherited a very bare side after the loss of several key players, and an immediate relegation back to Division 3 was inevitable after the side began the season without a point from their first seven games. Pejic was sacked in January 1995 after a 4-0 home thrashing by York City. He later had a spell managing non-league side Leek Town.

He went on to be the regional director for the North East FA and has coached such stars as Jermaine Defoe, Aaron Lennon and Stewart Downing. He then taught FA coaching courses at NWHC in Nuneaton. In 1999 he managed Malaysian side Selangor FA.

In February 2007, he became Head of Youth Coaching at Championship side Plymouth Argyle.

Mike's younger brother, Mel, played for Stoke City, Hereford United and Wrexham. Shaun Pejic, the son of Mel and nephew of Mike, currently plays for Wrexham and was on the U-21 team of Wales.


[edit] Honours


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Chester City F.C. – Managers

Hewitt (1930–36) • Mansley (1936) • Raisbeck (1936–38) • Brown (1938–53) • Page (1953–56) • Harris (1956–59) • Pearson (1959–61) • Lambton (1962–63) • Hauser (1963–68) • Roberts (1968–76) • Oakes (1976–82) • Sear (1982) • Sainty (1982–83) • Storton (1983–84) • Sear (1984) • McGrath (1984) • Speight (1984–85) • McNally (1985–92) • Barrow (1992–94) • Pejic (1994–95) • Mann (1995) • Ratcliffe (1995–99) • Smith (1999–2000) • Atkins (2000) • Barrow (2000–01) • Hill (2001) • Mungall (2001) • Spink (2001–02) • Porter (2001–02) • Wright (2002–04) • Mathias (2004) • Rush (2004–05) • Bell (2005) • Curle (2005–06) • Wright (2006–07) • Davies (2007) • Williamson (2007–2008) • Davies (2008–)