When Bobby Gould needed a solid dependable centre-half in 1983 the former Bolton, Sunderland and Millwall centre-half fitted the bill perfectly. He lacked pace but formed an impressive partnership for one season with Trevor Peake and helped play a big part in the relegation battle. He was centre-half on the day the mighty Liverpool were humbled 4-0. Gould released him at the end of the season and he went on to play for various Northern clubs before becoming a manager. He achieved mixed results at Blackpool and Notts County, leading the latter to the Division 3 title in 1998 before re-joining Bolton as manager. He led them into the Premiership in 2001 and has kept them there ever since. Now recognised as one of England’s top managers he narrowly lost out to being appointed England manager in 2006. In May 2007 he resigned from the Bolton job and soon after was appointed manager at Newcastle.
