
Most English football fans know the name, but Peter Reid’s story is less about flash and more about the determination that turned a boy from Merseyside into a Premier League mainstay, spanning from the muddy fields of Bolton to lifting league titles at Everton. This article offers a grounded look at what he earned, where his grit took him, and the pieces of his life that remain off the record.
Full name: Peter Reid ·
Date of birth: 20 June 1956 ·
Position: Defensive midfielder ·
Senior clubs: Bolton Wanderers, Everton, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Southampton, Notts County, Bury ·
Managerial roles: Manchester City, Sunderland, Leeds United, Coventry City, Plymouth Argyle, Thailand national team ·
International caps (England): 13
Quick snapshot
- Born 20 June 1956 in Huyton, England (IMDb Biography)
- Played for Everton 1982–1989, winning FA Cup and two league titles (IMDb Biography)
- Managed Sunderland 1995–2002, named Managers’ Manager of the Year 1996 (The Independent)
- 13 senior England caps, squads for 1986 World Cup and Euro 1988 (Media Grid UK)
- Exact net worth unverified by public financial records
- Specific transfer fee details for some moves (e.g., Everton to Man City) not consistently reported
- Current marital status and details about a brother not widely documented
- 1982: Joined Everton for ~£60,000 (The Independent)
- 1995–2002: Most stable managerial tenure at Sunderland (The Independent)
- 7 Oct 2002: Left Sunderland after poor start (Oz White LUFC)
- 2003–2015: Managed Leeds, Coventry, Plymouth, Thailand (The Independent)
- Currently works as a pundit and motivational speaker
- No confirmed active managerial role as of 2025
Eight key facts, one pattern: Reid’s career is defined by consistent improvement and a knack for being in the right place at the right time — often on a bargain transfer fee.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Peter Reid |
| Date of birth | 20 June 1956 |
| Place of birth | Huyton, Lancashire, England |
| Playing position | Defensive midfielder |
| Senior clubs | Bolton, Everton, Man City, Aston Villa, Southampton, Notts County, Bury |
| International caps (England) | 13 |
| Managerial roles | Man City, Sunderland, Leeds, Coventry, Plymouth, Thailand |
| Notable achievement | Won league title with Everton (1984–85, 1986–87) and FA Cup (1983–84) |
What is Peter Reid’s net worth?
- Estimates range from several hundred thousand to a few million pounds, with no verified public figure (Media Grid UK (entertainment site))
- Primary income sources: player salaries, managerial contracts, punditry, motivational speaking
Reid’s highest earning years likely came during his Everton playing days and his long Sunderland managerial stint. The absence of a verified figure from financial disclosures makes any specific claim speculative.
How is Peter Reid’s net worth estimated?
Without public tax filings or official disclosures from a Tier 1 source, net worth figures circulating online are educated guesses based on known football salaries. For a player of his era, top salaries at Everton and Manchester City, plus managerial contracts, would have placed him comfortably in the six-figure range annually.
What are Peter Reid’s main income sources?
Post-playing, Reid has earned through TV and radio punditry, corporate speaking engagements, and the residual from his managerial career. His role as a motivational speaker, often drawing on the story of his rise from Huyton to league titles, adds another revenue stream.
The curiosity about Reid’s net worth far outstrips the available data. Without a verified source, any discrete number is unreliable — a reality that applies to most footballers of his generation.
The implication: any figure you see online is an estimate, not a fact.
How much did Everton pay for Peter Reid?
- Everton signed Reid from Bolton Wanderers in 1982 for a fee reported around £60,000 (The Independent (UK newspaper))
- The transfer is widely regarded as one of the best value signings in Everton’s history
The modest £60,000 fee reflects a different football economy, but it also represented a calculated risk by manager Howard Kendall on a midfielder who had shown resilience at Bolton.
When did Everton sign Peter Reid?
The transfer was completed in 1982, during the summer window. Reid was 26 and had already made over 200 appearances for Bolton.
What was the transfer fee for Peter Reid to Everton?
The £60,000 figure is the most consistently cited amount, though formal records from that period are less transparent than modern transfers. The Independent reports this as the likely fee in a 2011 profile.
In today’s market, £60,000 barely covers a week’s wages for a Premier League squad player. For Everton in 1982, it bought a PFA Players’ Player of the Year just three years later — a return on investment that few modern transfers match.
The pattern: Reid’s transfer to Everton was a bargain that became a cornerstone of the club’s 1980s success.
When did Peter Reid leave Sunderland?
- Reid left Sunderland on 7 October 2002 after nearly eight years as manager (Oz White LUFC (Sunderland fan site))
- He managed Sunderland from 1995 to 2002, leading them to promotion and Premier League stability
His departure came after a poor start to the 2002–03 season, ending a period that saw the club rise from the second division to consistent top-flight finishes.
Why did Peter Reid leave Sunderland?
A run of poor results in the opening weeks of the 2002–03 season, combined with growing boardroom pressure, led to his dismissal. The club had finished 7th and 17th in the previous two Premier League seasons, showing signs of decline.
What did Peter Reid achieve as Sunderland manager?
He took Sunderland from the bottom of the First Division to champions in 1996, earning the Managers’ Manager of the Year award (The Independent). The club then spent five consecutive seasons in the Premier League under his stewardship.
Where is Peter Reid from?
- Peter Reid was born in Huyton, Lancashire (now Merseyside), England, on 20 June 1956 (IMDb Biography)
- He grew up in a working-class area near Liverpool
Huyton, a town on the eastern edge of Liverpool, shaped Reid’s identity as a tough, no-nonsense midfielder — a style that became his trademark.
What is Peter Reid’s birthplace?
Huyton, at the time in Lancashire, is part of the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in Merseyside. The area is historically associated with working-class communities and a strong football culture.
Did Peter Reid grow up in Liverpool?
Not Liverpool city centre, but the broader Merseyside area. Reid’s upbringing in Huyton placed him within the orbit of Liverpool’s footballing institutions, though his career began across the Pennines at Bolton.
Does Peter Reid have a brother?
Not widely documented by authoritative sources; no confirmed details available.
Is Peter Reid married?
His current marital status is not widely documented in reliable public sources.
What illness has Peter Reid had?
Media reports have mentioned health issues, but no verified medical records or official statements confirm a specific illness.
How old is Peter Reid?
Born 20 June 1956, making him 68 as of 2025.
Reid’s Merseyside roots explain his tenacious playing style but his career path — from Bolton to Everton, then managerial roles across England — proves that geography is only a starting point in professional football.
The pattern: Reid’s background is well-documented, but some personal details remain private.
Timeline
The following timeline outlines key events in Reid’s career.
| Date/Period | Event |
|---|---|
| 1956 | Born in Huyton, England (IMDb Biography) |
| 1974 | Started professional career at Bolton Wanderers (IMDb Biography) |
| 1978 | Won Division 2 championship with Bolton (IMDb Biography) |
| 1982 | Transferred to Everton for ~£60,000 (The Independent) |
| 1984–1987 | Won FA Cup (1984) and two First Division titles (1985, 1987) with Everton (The Independent) |
| 1985 | PFA Players’ Player of the Year (The Independent) |
| 1989 | Joined Manchester City as player (Media Grid UK) |
| 1990 | Became player-manager of Manchester City (Media Grid UK) |
| 1995–2002 | Managed Sunderland, winning promotion and establishing them in Premier League (The Independent) |
| 1996 | Named Managers’ Manager of the Year (The Independent) |
| 7 Oct 2002 | Left Sunderland after poor start to season (Oz White LUFC) |
| 2003–2015 | Managed Leeds, Coventry, Plymouth, and Thailand national team (Irish Examiner) |
| 2009 | Thailand under Reid suffered just two defeats in 13 competitive games (Irish Examiner) |
| Present | Works as a pundit and motivational speaker |
The pattern: Reid’s career shows consistent progression, with his longest managerial stint at Sunderland.
Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear
A honest look at what we know — and what remains unconfirmed — about Peter Reid’s life and career.
Confirmed facts
- Peter Reid was born on 20 June 1956 in Huyton, England (IMDb Biography)
- He played for Everton from 1982 to 1989 and won two league titles and an FA Cup
- He was named PFA Players’ Player of the Year in 1985 (The Independent)
- He managed Sunderland from 1995 to 2002, winning promotion and the Manager of the Year award
- He has 13 caps for England (Media Grid UK)
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth — no verified public financial documents exist
- Specific transfer fees for moves after Everton (e.g., from Everton to Man City) not consistently reported
- Current marital status and details about a brother are not widely documented by authoritative sources
- Details around any illness reported in media are not confirmed by medical records or official statements
- Thailand managerial points-per-match average (2.33) from Sofascore is a tier‑3 source, not independently verified
Quotes and perspectives
“It was a dream move. I’d grown up watching Everton and to pull on the blue shirt was special.”
— Peter Reid, reflecting on his transfer to Everton (The Independent)
“Reid’s impact at Sunderland was transformative — he took a club that was adrift in the second tier and turned them into a Premier League fixture.”
— Football historian, speaking about Reid’s managerial tenure (The Independent)
Reid’s grit made him a beloved player and a successful manager, but that same tenacity may have limited his ability to adapt to changing boardroom expectations in football management — a pattern visible in his later, shorter managerial stints.
Related reading
- Chris Wilder: Another English manager with a similar rise from lower leagues to Premier League management.
- Wayne Rooney: A modern comparison — English international turned manager, with parallels in career transition and net worth curiosity.
transfermarkt.co.uk, pl.abcdef.wiki, football.fandom.com, simple.wikipedia.org, sofascore.com, besoccer.com, evertonfc.com
Frequently asked questions
What is the estimated net worth of Peter Reid?
Not publicly verified by financial disclosures. Estimates suggest several hundred thousand to a few million pounds, based on his playing and managerial career.
How much did Everton pay for Peter Reid?
Around £60,000 in 1982, widely regarded as one of the best value signings in the club’s history.
When did Peter Reid leave Sunderland?
He was let go on 7 October 2002 after a poor start to the season.
Where is Peter Reid from?
He was born in Huyton, Lancashire (now Merseyside), England, on 20 June 1956.
Does Peter Reid have a brother?
Not widely documented by authoritative sources; no confirmed details available.
Is Peter Reid married?
His current marital status is not widely documented in reliable public sources.
What illness has Peter Reid had?
Media reports have mentioned health issues, but no verified medical records or official statements confirm a specific illness.
How old is Peter Reid?
Born 20 June 1956, making him 68 as of 2025.
For fans of English football, Peter Reid’s legacy is secure: a hard‑working midfielder who became a successful manager, even if his net worth remains unverified.