Alan Irvine
Encyclopedia
James Alan Irvine more commonly known as Alan Irvine, is a Scottish former football player and manager
, currently in charge of the Everton
academy. Irvine played for five different clubs in Scotland and England during a 15 year playing career. He then became a coach, assisting Davie Moyes at Preston North End
and then Everton. Irvine subsequently became a manager in his own right, working for Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday
.
, Scotland, Irvine studied for qualifications as an insurance broker
whilst playing for Queen's Park
. He went on to play for Everton
, Crystal Palace
, Dundee United
and Blackburn Rovers
. In 1992, he was part of the Blackburn team that won promotion to the new FA Premier League, only to announce his retirement from playing just before the 1992–93 season begin.
18 years after leaving as a player to join the coaching staff. He was also formerly academy director at Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United
, where he was credited with bringing through players such as Steven Taylor
and Peter Ramage
.
Irvine took over as manager of Preston North End
on 20 November 2007 with Preston in a relegation battle. He guided Preston to a respectable 15th place in the 2007–08 season. In his first full season in charge, Irvine led Preston to the play-offs when on a dramatic final day of the season, after Preston clinched the final play-off spot thanks to goals from Jon Parkin
and Sean St. Ledger. After that he was named the Championship Manager of the Month for April. Preston lost their play-off semi-final to Sheffield United
2–1 on aggregate. He was sacked on 29 December 2009 after Preston suffered a poor run of results where the team only won once in 10 games. His departure from Preston caused outrage from fans.
Irvine was appointed manager of Sheffield Wednesday
on 8 January 2010. Wednesday got off to a good start under Irvine, winning games against Barnsley
, Blackpool
and Peterborough United. Irvine was named Championship Manager of the month for January 2010. This form was not sustained, however, as on the last day of the season Wednesday needed a home win against Crystal Palace
to avoid relegation. The match ended in a 2–2 draw, relegating Wednesday to Football League One
.
Wednesday then had severe financial issues, with the club appearing in court twice over winding up orders. Following the successful takeover by Milan Mandaric
at the end of 2010, Irvine was allowed transfer funds to revamp his squad. Despite making several new signings, the team continued to have consistently poor results. On 3 February 2011, Wednesday sacked Irvine with the side lying 12th in League One.
It was announced on June 12, 2011 that Irvine had returned to Everton to replace Ray Hall as the manager of the club's academy.
Manager (association football)
In association football, a manager is responsible for running a football club or a national team. The manager of a professional club is responsible directly to the club president. The position of manager is almost exclusively used in British football...
, currently in charge of the Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
academy. Irvine played for five different clubs in Scotland and England during a 15 year playing career. He then became a coach, assisting Davie Moyes at Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
and then Everton. Irvine subsequently became a manager in his own right, working for Preston North End and Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
.
Career
Born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland, Irvine studied for qualifications as an insurance broker
Insurance broker
An insurance broker finds sources for contracts of insurance on behalf of their customers. The three largest insurance brokers in the world, by revenue, are Aon, Marsh & McLennan, and Willis Group Holdings.-Purpose of insurance brokers:...
whilst playing for Queen's Park
Queen's Park F.C.
Queen's Park Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland. The club are currently the only amateur club in the Scottish League; their amateur status is reflected by their motto, Ludere Causa Ludendi – to play for the sake of playing.Queen's Park are the oldest...
. He went on to play for Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
and Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
. In 1992, he was part of the Blackburn team that won promotion to the new FA Premier League, only to announce his retirement from playing just before the 1992–93 season begin.
Coaching career
Irvine returned to Goodison ParkGoodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
18 years after leaving as a player to join the coaching staff. He was also formerly academy director at Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, where he was credited with bringing through players such as Steven Taylor
Steven Taylor (footballer)
Steven Vincent Taylor is an English footballer, currently playing for Premier League club Newcastle United. He is a versatile central defender who can play at right back or, on rare occasions, at left back...
and Peter Ramage
Peter Ramage
Peter Iain Ramage is an English footballer who plays for Crystal Palace on loan from Queens Park Rangers as a defender. He broke into the first team playing at centre back but is versatile enough to play at full back as well. Ramage began his career with Newcastle United as an academy player...
.
Irvine took over as manager of Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
on 20 November 2007 with Preston in a relegation battle. He guided Preston to a respectable 15th place in the 2007–08 season. In his first full season in charge, Irvine led Preston to the play-offs when on a dramatic final day of the season, after Preston clinched the final play-off spot thanks to goals from Jon Parkin
Jon Parkin
Jon "The Beast" Parkin is a journeyman English footballer who plays for Huddersfield Town on loan from Cardiff City as a striker.-Early career:...
and Sean St. Ledger. After that he was named the Championship Manager of the Month for April. Preston lost their play-off semi-final to Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
2–1 on aggregate. He was sacked on 29 December 2009 after Preston suffered a poor run of results where the team only won once in 10 games. His departure from Preston caused outrage from fans.
Irvine was appointed manager of Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
on 8 January 2010. Wednesday got off to a good start under Irvine, winning games against Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
, Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
and Peterborough United. Irvine was named Championship Manager of the month for January 2010. This form was not sustained, however, as on the last day of the season Wednesday needed a home win against Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
to avoid relegation. The match ended in a 2–2 draw, relegating Wednesday to Football League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
.
Wednesday then had severe financial issues, with the club appearing in court twice over winding up orders. Following the successful takeover by Milan Mandaric
Milan Mandaric
Milan Mandarić is a Serbian-American business tycoon who has owned a string of successful businesses and football clubs including Portsmouth, Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday. He currently is the chairman of Sheffield Wednesday...
at the end of 2010, Irvine was allowed transfer funds to revamp his squad. Despite making several new signings, the team continued to have consistently poor results. On 3 February 2011, Wednesday sacked Irvine with the side lying 12th in League One.
It was announced on June 12, 2011 that Irvine had returned to Everton to replace Ray Hall as the manager of the club's academy.
Managerial statistics
- As of 3 February 2011.
| Team | Nation | From | Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... | 20 November 2007 | 29 December 2009 | 111 | 45 | 26 | 40 | 40.54 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheffield Wednesday Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the... |
8 January 2010 | 3 February 2011 | 59 | 24 | 13 | 22 | 40.68 |