Bill Dearden
Encyclopedia
William Dearden (born 11 February 1944 in Oldham
, Lancashire
, England
) is an English football
manager, most recently at Mansfield Town
prior to his departure in March 2008. Dearden also managed the Stags between 1999 and 2002, as well as managing Notts County
, and having a four-day spell as joint caretaker manager
of Port Vale
in 1999. He is currently chief scout at Sheffield United
.
with hometown club Oldham Athletic
, as well as Crewe Alexandra
, two spells with Chester City
, Sheffield United
and Chesterfield
. His most successful spell as a player was arguably his six years at Sheffield United, where he scored 61 goals in 175 league
appearances.
Dearden began in the junior teams at Oldham Athletic and made his league debut for the Latics
in the 1964-65 season
. In 1966, he moved to Crewe Alexandra and two years later he was on the move again to Chester City. His performances in the lower divisions prompted Sheffield United to invest £
10,000 in his transfer in 1970. In season 1971-72
, he was the Blades
leading scorer with 18 goals, and topped the scoring list again a year later with 23. He then moved to a midfield
role in the team and, after losing his place in 1975, he returned to Chester City. In 1977, he was transferred to Chesterfield where he completed his playing days.
at Chesterfield. He joined Mansfield's coaching staff in 1983.
Dearden spent eleven years at Mansfield, first as youth-team coach, and later first-team coach. In 1994, he took up a similar position at Port Vale, and was briefly the club's caretaker manager following John Rudge
's 1999 dismissal. He subsequently left Port Vale when Brian Horton
was named manager. He returned to Mansfield later the same year when he was named caretaker manager and later full-time manager, following Steve Parkin
's departure.
During his three-year stay as Mansfield manager, he brought up several talented youngsters from the youth team, including Liam Lawrence
, Bobby Hassell
and Lee Williamson
, and signed key players such as Chris Greenacre
and Wayne Corden
, guiding the Stags to the verge of promotion. However, he left the club midway through the 2001/02 promotion season to take control of local rivals Notts County
. It is rumoured that his departure came as a result of a dispute with Mansfield chairman Keith Haslam
.
Dearden joined Notts County in January 2002 with the club on the brink of relegation and suffering serious financial problems. Dearden successfully guided the Magpies to Division Two safety thanks to winning streak of eight wins in the club's final eleven games. This dramatic turnaround in form was nicknamed the "Great Escape" by the Magpies faithful and help earn Dearden Nottinghamshire
's Sports Personality of the Year in 2003.
The remainder of his tenure at Meadow Lane
was dominated by the club's financial problems. He was unable to make a single permanent signing but comfortably kept Notts County in Division Two during his first full season. He left the club by mutual consent on January 7, 2004 with the Magpies under new ownership. He later held coaching jobs at Blackpool
and Milton Keynes Dons
, but was out of work when he was named Mansfield manager for a second time in December 2006 lasting until March 2008 when he left Mansfield by mutual consent, following 8 home games without a win.
In July 2008, Dearden returned to Blackpool as the club's chief scout and remained there for three years. As his contract expired he agreed to move in the same capacity to Sheffield United
.
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is an English football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
manager, most recently at Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
prior to his departure in March 2008. Dearden also managed the Stags between 1999 and 2002, as well as managing Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, and having a four-day spell as joint caretaker manager
Caretaker manager
In association football, a caretaker manager is someone who takes temporary charge of the management of a football club, usually when the regular manager is dismissed or leaves for a different club. However, a caretaker may also be appointed if the regular manager is ill or unable to attend to his...
of Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
in 1999. He is currently chief scout at 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...
.
Playing career
As a player, Dearden was a strikerStriker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
with hometown club Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
, as well as Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
, two spells with Chester City
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
, 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...
and Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
. His most successful spell as a player was arguably his six years at Sheffield United, where he scored 61 goals in 175 league
English football league system
The English football league system, also known as the football pyramid, is a series of interconnected leagues for association football clubs in England, with six teams from Wales also competing...
appearances.
Dearden began in the junior teams at Oldham Athletic and made his league debut for the Latics
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
in the 1964-65 season
1964-65 in English football
The 1964–65 season was the 85th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* After a three-way tussle for the League title between Manchester United, Leeds United and Chelsea, Manchester United came out on top and were crowned champions....
. In 1966, he moved to Crewe Alexandra and two years later he was on the move again to Chester City. His performances in the lower divisions prompted Sheffield United to invest £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
10,000 in his transfer in 1970. In season 1971-72
1971-72 in English football
The 1971–72 season was the 92nd season of competitive football in England.-FA Cup:Leeds United overcame holders Arsenal to win the 1972 FA Cup Final...
, he was the Blades
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...
leading scorer with 18 goals, and topped the scoring list again a year later with 23. He then moved to a midfield
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
role in the team and, after losing his place in 1975, he returned to Chester City. In 1977, he was transferred to Chesterfield where he completed his playing days.
Managerial & coaching career
His coaching career began in the late 1970s when he was player-coachPlayer-coach
A player-coach, in sports, is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. The term can be used to refer to both players who serve as head coaches, or as assistant coaches....
at Chesterfield. He joined Mansfield's coaching staff in 1983.
Dearden spent eleven years at Mansfield, first as youth-team coach, and later first-team coach. In 1994, he took up a similar position at Port Vale, and was briefly the club's caretaker manager following John Rudge
John Rudge
John Robert Rudge is an English former football player and football manager. He is currently working as the director of football at Stoke City....
's 1999 dismissal. He subsequently left Port Vale when Brian Horton
Brian Horton
Brian Horton is an English former footballer and manager, who is working as Phil Brown's assistant at Preston North End.Horton played for Hednesford Town, Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Luton Town and Hull City as a midfielder...
was named manager. He returned to Mansfield later the same year when he was named caretaker manager and later full-time manager, following Steve Parkin
Steve Parkin
Stephen John "Steve" Parkin is an English former footballer and manager, currently working as assistant manager at Bradford City.-Mansfield Town:...
's departure.
During his three-year stay as Mansfield manager, he brought up several talented youngsters from the youth team, including Liam Lawrence
Liam Lawrence
Liam Lawrence is a professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Football League Championship side Portsmouth and the Republic of Ireland....
, Bobby Hassell
Bobby Hassell
Robert John Francis "Bobby" Hassell is an English footballer who plays for Barnsley as a defender.-Career:Born in Derby, Derbyshire, Barnsley boss Paul Hart continued his rebuilding by signing full back Hassell in the summer of 2004. He failed to negotiate a new contract with Mansfield Town at the...
and Lee Williamson
Lee Williamson
Lee Trevor Williamson is an English-born Jamaican footballer who plays for Sheffield United as a Midfielder. Born in Alvaston, Derby he started his career at Mansfield Town before spending time at Northampton Town, Rotherham United and Watford before joining The Blades...
, and signed key players such as Chris Greenacre
Chris Greenacre
Chris Greenacre is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Wellington Phoenix in the A-League.-Club career:...
and Wayne Corden
Wayne Corden
Wayne Corden is a professional footballer who plays for Leek Town.-Playing career:Corden came through the ranks at local side Port Vale to sign professional forms in July 1994 and made his debut as a substitute against Notts County on 7 May 1995...
, guiding the Stags to the verge of promotion. However, he left the club midway through the 2001/02 promotion season to take control of local rivals Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
. It is rumoured that his departure came as a result of a dispute with Mansfield chairman Keith Haslam
Keith Haslam
Keith Haslam is the majority shareholder and CEO of Mansfield Town. Haslam amassed personal and inter-company loans of over £1,000,000 at their peak...
.
Dearden joined Notts County in January 2002 with the club on the brink of relegation and suffering serious financial problems. Dearden successfully guided the Magpies to Division Two safety thanks to winning streak of eight wins in the club's final eleven games. This dramatic turnaround in form was nicknamed the "Great Escape" by the Magpies faithful and help earn Dearden Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
's Sports Personality of the Year in 2003.
The remainder of his tenure at Meadow Lane
Meadow Lane
Not to be confused with The Meadow, home of Southern Football League Premier Division football team Chesham UnitedThe Meadow Lane Stadium is a football stadium in Nottingham, England...
was dominated by the club's financial problems. He was unable to make a single permanent signing but comfortably kept Notts County in Division Two during his first full season. He left the club by mutual consent on January 7, 2004 with the Magpies under new ownership. He later held coaching jobs at 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 Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
, but was out of work when he was named Mansfield manager for a second time in December 2006 lasting until March 2008 when he left Mansfield by mutual consent, following 8 home games without a win.
In July 2008, Dearden returned to Blackpool as the club's chief scout and remained there for three years. As his contract expired he agreed to move in the same capacity 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...
.
Managerial stats
- As of 10 June 2007.
Team Nat From To Record G W L D Win % Port Vale Port Vale F.C.Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
January 18, 1999 January 22, 1999 0 0 0 0 00.00 Mansfield Town Mansfield Town F.C.Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910... June 18, 1999 January 6, 2002 134 49 57 28 36.56 Notts County Notts County F.C.Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... January 7, 2002 January 7, 2004 103 30 46 27 29.12 Mansfield Town Mansfield Town F.C.Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910... December 28, 2006 March 8, 2008 63 18 32 13 28.57