John Paul Kissock

Having finished 21st out of the 24 teams, in the highest of the four relegation spots, they were retained in Rushden's place.

John Paul Kissock (born 2 December 1989) is an English association footballer who last appeared as player-assistant manager at Whitehawk.

He plays as a midfielder.

At Key Ways he had played alongside Lee Molyneux, who joined Kissock in Everton's youth system in 2000, and Charlie Barnett, later an apprentice with Liverpool.

Born in the north Liverpool suburb of Fazakerley, Kissock joined Premier League club Everton's youth system aged seven; progressing quickly, he began playing for England's under-16 team in November 2004, aged only 14.

While studying at Archbishop Beck High School, Kissock was first picked for the England under-16 team in November 2004, when he was aged 14, for a match against the under-16s' Scottish counterparts.

He played for England under-16s three more times during 2005 and in April that year was voted Liverpool Young Sports Personality of the Year.

Over the following year Kissock became a regular player for Everton's under-18 and reserve sides.

He appeared for England's under-18 side in September 2006, aged 16, and signed professionally for Everton on 12 December 2006.

He became a regular player for the club's under-18 and reserve teams and was an unused substitute for the first team on numerous occasions.

In the process he broke Wayne Rooney's record as the youngest ever player to play for Everton's reserve team and played for the England under-18 team against France in September 2006.

He was called up to the first team for a UEFA Cup game against AZ in December 2007 but failed to make the final match day squad.

During the 2007–08 season he joined the first-team squad for twelve Premier League games, but did not play.

Following loan spells at Scottish Premier League club Gretna – for whom he made his professional debut on 9 February 2008 – and English fourth-tier side Accrington Stanley the following year, he was released by Everton at the end of the 2008–09 season.

In January 2008 he joined Scottish Premier League club Gretna on loan until the end of the season, and it was for them that he made his professional debut in Gretna's 2–0 away defeat against Heart of Midlothian on 9 February 2008.

He finished the season with 11 league appearances.

After returning to Everton, he appeared on the substitutes' bench regularly during the first half of the 2008–09 season, and was once again sent on loan in January 2009, this time for a month-long spell at English League Two club Accrington Stanley, where he made five appearances.

Kissock briefly returned to Scotland at the start of the next season, joining Hamilton Academical in August 2009 but was let go by the club after three appearances in four months.

After his release from Everton at the end of the season, Kissock returned to Scotland on 14 August 2009, when he signed for Scottish Premier League club Hamilton Academical.

After joining Hamilton, Kissock says his departure from Everton left him in tears, having support Everton and spending twelve at the club and that Hamilton saved his football career However, only four months and three matches for Hamilton, he was released on 3 December 2009.

He trialled at various English Football League clubs during the 2010–11 pre-season but failed to win a contract, leading him to begin the season playing for amateur side Newton in the eleventh-tier West Cheshire League.

He transferred to ninth-level Formby in October 2010 and only two months after that moved up another four levels when he signed for Southport of the Conference Premier, having impressed the club's manager, Liam Watson.

During the 2010–11 pre-season, Kissock had trials with League One clubs Brighton & Hove Albion and Milton Keynes Dons but failed to win a contract with either.

He started the season playing for his brother's team Newton F.C. in the eleventh-tier West Cheshire League, before swiftly moving up two divisions with a transfer to North West Counties League club Formby in October 2010.

He immediately showed prowess, scoring in each of his first two games, one with a shot from inside his own half; these goals drew the attention of Liam Watson, manager of Conference Premier club Southport, who brought Kissock to his club in December 2010.

Kissock performed well for Southport during the second half of 2010–11, and after playing four matches in the 2011–12 season signed for Luton Town on 26 August 2011.

Born in Fazakerley, Liverpool, Kissock played for youth side Key Ways from the age of six and joined the academy of Premier League club Everton, his favourite team, a year later.

The new signing made his first appearance for Southport on 28 December in a match against Fleetwood Town, and scored his first goal for the club in their 5–1 victory over Gateshead on 3 January 2011, also winning the man-of-the-match award.

In the words of Liverpool Echo journalist Philip Kirkbride, Kissock was an "instant hit", performing well throughout the rest of the season while the team struggled while battling relegation.

Despite their improvement since the addition of Kissock, Southport ended the season in the relegation zone; however, they remained in the division as a result of Rushden & Diamonds' expulsion in June 2011 for financial reasons.

Kissock started the 2011–12 season with four appearances for Southport and scored the team's first goal of the season in their first match of the season, against Lincoln City on 13 August 2011.

A week later he set up Jonathan Brown for the opening goal in the team's 5–1 away loss against Luton Town, and on 24 August he was called up to the England C team, a national squad made up of non-League players.

Two days later he joined Luton, signing a two-year contract.

As well as paying an undisclosed transfer fee, his new team loaned two players to Southport as part of the deal, lending them midfielder Godfrey Poku and forward Dan Walker until January 2012.

Kissock first appeared for his new club on 27 August as a substitute in a 3–1 win over Braintree Town, and made his first start on 2 September in a 1–1 draw away against Stockport County.

He played well, especially in the latter, and received a strongly positive reception from Luton fans.

Having already scored against Lincoln for Southport on the opening day of the season, Kissock appeared against them for the second time in two months on 17 September when Luton were pitted against them at Kenilworth Road.

Kissock came off the bench after 67 minutes with the game goalless and was instrumental in Luton's eventual victory.

With six minutes left to play, standing near the left-hand corner of the penalty area and the goal line, he received a short corner from Adam Watkins.

Kissock twisted past a Lincoln defender, and turning quickly, ran towards the net along the byline; from a tight angle he crossed the ball low for forward Stuart Fleetwood, who was waiting in the middle of the six-yard box.