An interview with Sean Teale

Shaun celebrates in the 1994 Coca Cola Cup Final victory over eventual Double winners Manchester United

Shaun’s career started in 1988 at hometown Southport before he moved to the south coast to join Weymouth.
After impressing at Weymouth he made the step up to the Football League when he joined Bournemouth in early 1989.

After a little over two years in which Shaun made over 100 appearances, Ron Atkinson came in for him and signed him for First Division Aston Villa.
In Shaun’s time at Villa Park, Aston Villa came close to winning the inaugural FA Premier League but in the end it was Manchester United who won the title.
Villa got their revenge on Manchester United the following season, beating them 3-1 at Wembley in the Coca Cola Cup Final and Shaun was a part of that team.

At the end of the following season, Tranmere Rovers came in for Teale and he joined them for £450,000.and he stayed at Prenton Park for three years.
In his time at Tranmere, Shaun also went on loan twice, first of all to Preston North End and also played in Hong Kong for Sing Tao.

Shaun left Tranmere and had a spell in Scotland for Motherwell between 1998 and 2000 before joining Carlisle United then moving into non-league to see play out the end of his career in non-league.

Shaun had a spell in management with Burscough, Northwich Victoria and Chorley, winning the FA Trophy with Burcough in 2003.


Thank you for taking time to do this interview Shaun.  You made over 100 appearances with Southport and Weymouth before reaching the Football League with Bournemouth.  How was your time at Bournemouth?

I really enjoyed my time at Bournemouth. I was lucky to play with a great bunch of lads who made it very easy to fit in.

Big Ron Atkinson signed you up for Aston Villa.  Did you feel any pressure to prove yourself when you moved up into the top flight?

I think that there is always pressure when you move to any club for a fee.  However, there is a different kind of pressure when you move to one of the biggest clubs in the country such as Aston Villa.

When you were at Villa you partnered Paul McGrath in central defence.  How good was he as a centre back?

Paul was the heart of the team and he had massive respect from all the players and everyone at the club.

Shaun challenges Coventry’s Micky Quinn with Paul McGrath watching on

The Aston Villa team came so close to winning the League in 1992/93 season.  What caused them to fall away at the end of the season?

I personally think that we probably should have gone on to become champions that season.
I think that it was the pressure that told in the end.

When you scored a penalty in the shootout against Tranmere in the semi final of the Coca Cola Cup, Alan Parry the commentator said that Ron Atkinson called you John Wayne.  How did that nickname come about?

He called me John Wayne and said that it was Ron called me.  Well, that wasn’t actually true,  Alan Parry had actually made that story up himself.

(Shaun’s penalty with Parry’s ITV commentary is from 1:52 in this video below – Chris)

The Villa squad celebrate winning the League Cup (Sean is third from the right)

You had a spell over in Hong Kong.  How did that move come about?

I needed to get away from Tranmere.  John Aldridge wanted to get rid of me.  I wasn’t playing any football either and so when a friend of mine put the idea of going to Hong Kong to me, I spoke to the club (Sing Tao) and went out there on a three month loan deal.

You then moved to Motherwell for a couple of years.  What did you think of Scottish football?  Could the Old Firm hold their own in the English Premier League?

I enjoyed my time at Motherwell.  The football was of a good standard then with some good foreign players.  No, I don’t think that either Celtic or Rangers could cut it in the Premier League.

After Motherwell you wound your career down in Non League.  How did it feel when you finally retired from playing?

I played on for another six years down in Non-League.  I also lead Burscough to that historic FA Trophy win in 2003.  We were the smallest team to ever win it in it’s history.

Sean lifts the FA Trophy for Burscough at Villa Park in 2003, his home ground in his Aston Villa days!

You did well in management, winning the FA Trophy with Burscough and also managed Northwich Victoria and Chorley.  Did you ever want to manage in the Football League?

No, I didn’t want to manage in the Football League.  I enjoyed my short spell in management but quickly realised that trying to work with chairmen wasn’t for me!

What are you doing now that you’ve retired from the game?

I still work for Aston Villa as an Ambassador.  I also go out coaching to different parts of the world.

Shaun is on Twitter on @ShaunTeale

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Chris Amy

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