Mick Wadsworth

Mick Wadsworth's achievements in football are an inspiration to all those who believe that a vast or successful league playing career is not necessarily essential as preparation for a career in management and coaching. Although Mick's career as a player was a long and happy one, the man named Oldham Athletic manager on 7 November 2001 completed just 19 games for Scunthorpe United in the mid-1970s before returning to non-league football. After a career as player and, later, player-coach with Frickley Athletic, Mick distinguished himself to the extent that he spent a further six years from 1985 to 1991 as an FA Regional coach in the North-West region. After this, he was a technical co-ordinator on the FA's Excellence Programme. He held these positions while also taking on a role as the coach of the England non-league team for two years before a five-year stint as the England Youth team coach. This led to further honour as he progressed to a coaching role with the England under-21 team between 1991 and 1993. Also, from 1988 to 1992, he was an official match observer for England set up under Bobby Robson and Graham Taylor. It was Bobby Robson who gave Mick the chance to work at Italia 90 as a member of the England coaching staff. From August 1993 to July 1996, Mick managed Carlisle United, where his achievements with the team included the 1995 Football League Division Three championship and the development of several talented young players. The same season also saw Carlisle in the final of the Auto Windscreens Shield final at Wembley. All that stood between Mick's Carlisle team and glory was a Golden Goal from Birmingham's Paul Tait. Despite the defeat, the achievements of that season won the Yorkshireman the 1995 Football League Divisional Manager of the Year. He was also the runner-up in the LMA Manager of the Year awards for the entire league. Among the players Mick guided through to the first team at Brunton Park were Rory Delap and Matt Jansen, both of whom went on to become established Premier League players. These two players alone were sold for a total of £1.8m. Wadsworth later managed Oldham, Huddersfield, Chester and Hartlepool in England, and, overseas, the Congolese national team and Portuguese club Beira Mar. He is now a youth development coach at Sheffield United.