Russ Wilcox
Wilcox as Scunthorpe United manager in 2014
Personal information
Full name Russell Wilcox[1]
Date of birth (1964-03-25) 25 March 1964 (age 59)[1]
Place of birth Hemsworth, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Gainsborough Trinity (manager)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1980–1981 Doncaster Rovers 1 (0)
1981–1982 Cambridge United 0 (0)
1982–1986 Frickley Athletic 129 (19)
1986–1990 Northampton Town 138 (9)
1990–1993 Hull City 100 (7)
1993–1995 Doncaster Rovers 81 (6)
1995–1997 Preston North End 62 (1)
1997–2003 Scunthorpe United 118 (4)
Total 629 (46)
International career
1986 England semi-pro 2 (1)
Managerial career
2004 Scunthorpe United (caretaker)
2013–2014 Scunthorpe United
2014–2015 York City
2020 Scunthorpe United
2022–2023 Farsley Celtic
2023– Gainsborough Trinity
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Russell Wilcox (born 25 March 1964) is an English former professional footballer and manager. He is currently manager of Gainsborough Trinity.

Wilcox played as a defender between 1980 and 2003 and spent the final six years of his career with Scunthorpe United which is where he began working under Brian Laws. Wilcox would act as Laws' assistant at Glanford Park from 2003 to 2006 before following him on to further jobs at Sheffield Wednesday and Burnley. The pair returned to Scunthorpe in 2012 and in November 2013 Wilcox succeeded Laws as manager of the club, taking Scunthorpe to promotion. A poor start to the following year's campaign saw Wilcox sacked from Scunthorpe and he was then recruited by York City. Another poor start to a season saw Wilcox sacked by York City in October 2015. Wilcox came back to Scunthorpe again as the caretaker manager until the end of the 2019–20 season following the dismissal of Paul Hurst.

Club career

Wilcox was born in Hemsworth, West Riding of Yorkshire.[1] He started his career with Doncaster Rovers as an apprentice, and made his first team debut aged 17 when starting the last match of their 1980–81 Fourth Division promotion winning season, a 1–1 away draw with Mansfield Town on 6 May 1981.[2][3] His progress the following season was disrupted through injury, and he left for a brief spell with Cambridge United of the Second Division.[2] Wilcox dropped into non-League football to play for Alliance Premier League club Frickley Athletic during 1982–83.[4]

He returned to the professional game when he joined Fourth Division club Northampton Town for a £15,000 fee on 30 June 1986.[1] He later played for Hull City, Preston North End and Scunthorpe United.[5] He played the majority of his career at Scunthorpe, where he was signed by Brian Laws in 1997.[5] He eventually became player-assistant manager to Laws in 1999 after the win at Wembley Stadium in the play-off final against Leyton Orient.[5]

International career

Wilcox earned two caps and scored one goal for the England national semi-pro team, in matches against the Republic of Ireland and Wales in 1986.[6]

Coaching and managerial career

Wilcox as York City manager in 2015

When Brian Laws was sacked in 2004, Wilcox took temporary control of the Glanford Park club for four games, until Laws was reinstated.[5] When Laws returned to the club, Wilcox reverted to his original role of assistant manager.[5] In 2006, Laws left Scunthorpe when he was appointed manager of Sheffield Wednesday, Wilcox shortly followed him to take up the assistant manager's role at Hillsborough Stadium.[7]

On 13 January 2010, he joined Premier League club Burnley as assistant manager, yet again moving to work under Brian Laws.[8] He left Burnley in December 2010.[9]

On 30 November 2011 at a fans forum, Wilcox was named as the new assistant manager of League One club AFC Bournemouth, working alongside manager Lee Bradbury.[10] On 30 October 2012 he and Laws returned to manage League One side Scunthorpe United replacing former manager Alan Knill who was sacked following a string of poor results and poor performances.[11][12] This will be the third time he and Brian Laws have worked together at Scunthorpe.[citation needed] Laws was dismissed on 20 November 2013 with Wilcox taking over on a caretaker basis.[13] On 24 December 2013 Wilcox was confirmed as permanent manager of the club on a 12-month rolling contract.[14]

On 12 April 2014, Wilcox broke the record for the longest unbeaten run at the beginning of a managerial reign, with a draw against Bury being his 26th game in charge without defeat.[15] In total, Wilcox managed 28 consecutive games without defeat, with his first loss coming in the penultimate game of the season on 26 April 2014 away to Exeter City. Results elsewhere meant that Scunthorpe secured promotion on that day regardless.[16] Scunthorpe won just two of their first eleven matches back in League One, which resulted in Wilcox being sacked on 8 October 2014.[17]

A week after leaving Scunthorpe Wilcox was appointed as the new manager of League Two club York City on 15 October 2014, following the resignation of Nigel Worthington.[18] He was sacked on 26 October 2015, with York fourth-bottom of the table after a run of nine league matches without a win.[19]

After the departure of Paul Hurst in January 2020, Wilcox was appointed caretaker manager, and remained until the end of the season.[20] He was appointed manager of Farsley Celtic in February 2022.[21]

On 17 May 2023 Farsley Celtic reported that Wilcox had left his position as Manager with immediate effect.[22]

On 19 September 2023, Wilcox was appointed manager of Northern Premier League Premier Division club Gainsborough Trinity.[23]

Personal life

His son Joe Wilcox, born 1989, is a former professional footballer,[24] who was a trainee at Scunthorpe United before playing in non-League football.[25]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Doncaster Rovers 1980–81[3] Fourth Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 0
Frickley Athletic 1982–83[4] Alliance Premier League 17 0 — 17 0
1983–84[4] Alliance Premier League 36 6 — 36 6
1984–85[4] Alliance Premier League 36 1 — 36 1
1985–86[4] Alliance Premier League 40 12 — 40 12
Total 129 19 — 129 19
Northampton Town 1986–87[26] Fourth Division 35 1 3 0 0 0 3[a] 0 41 1
1987–88[27] Third Division 46 4 2 0 4 0 2[a] 0 54 4
1988–89[28] Third Division 11 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 1
1989–90[29] Third Division 46 3 5 0 2 0 3[a] 1 56 4
Total 138 9 10 0 6 0 8 1 162 10
Hull City 1990–91[30] Second Division 31 1 0 0 2 0 1[b] 0 34 1
1991–92[31] Third Division 40 4 3 1 3 0 2[a] 0 48 5
1992–93[32] Second Division 29 2 2 0 0 0 3[c] 0 34 2
Total 100 7 5 1 5 0 6 0 116 8
Doncaster Rovers 1993–94[33] Third Division 40 2 2 0 2 1 0 0 44 3
1994–95[34] Third Division 37 4 1 0 1 0 3[c] 0 42 4
1995–96[35] Third Division 4 0 — 2 1 — 6 1
Total 81 6 3 0 5 2 3 0 92 8
Preston North End 1995–96[36] Third Division 27 1 1 1 — 1[c] 0 29 2
1996–97[37] Second Division 35 0 2 0 4 0 1[c] 0 42 0
Total 62 1 3 1 4 0 2 0 71 2
Scunthorpe United 1997–98[38] Third Division 31 2 4 2 3 0 3[c] 0 41 4
1998–99[39] Third Division 28 1 2 0 2 0 3[d] 0 35 1
1999–2000[40] Second Division 14 0 0 0 1 0 2[c] 0 17 0
2000–01[41] Third Division 36 1 5 0 2 0 0 0 43 1
2001–02[42] Third Division 9 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 10 0
2002–03[43] Third Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 118 4 11 2 9 0 8 0 146 6
Career total 629 46 32 4 29 2 27 1 717 53
  1. ^ a b c d Appearances in Associate Members' Cup
  2. ^ Appearance in Full Members' Cup
  3. ^ a b c d e f Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  4. ^ Appearances in Third Division play-offs

Managerial statistics

As of 13 January 2024
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record Ref.
P W D L Win %
Scunthorpe United (caretaker) 25 March 2004 15 April 2004 4 0 2 2 000.0 [44][45]
Scunthorpe United 20 November 2013 8 October 2014 45 18 16 11 040.0 [44]
York City 15 October 2014 26 October 2015 54 13 20 21 024.1 [44]
Scunthorpe United (interim) 29 January 2020 30 June 2020 7 2 1 4 028.6
Farsley Celtic 2 February 2022 17 May 2023 72 20 22 30 027.8
Gainsborough Trinity 17 September 2023 Present 19 7 3 9 036.8
Total 201 60 64 77 029.9

Honours

As a player

Northampton Town

Preston North End

Scunthorpe United

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2002). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2002/2003. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. p. 438. ISBN 978-1-85291-648-0.
  2. ^ a b "Russ Wilcox". doncasterrovers.co.uk. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  3. ^ a b Rollin, Jack, ed. (1981). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1981–82. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 146–147, 430–432, 466–470. ISBN 0-362-02046-9.
  4. ^ a b c d e Harman, John (2005). Alliance to Conference 1979–2004: The First 25 Years. Helland: Tony Williams Publications. pp. 278–279. ISBN 978-1-869833-52-7.
  5. ^ a b c d e "League Managers Association - RUSS WILCOX". LMA. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  6. ^ Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2012). Non-League Club Directory 2013. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 1003, 1005, 1010. ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0.
  7. ^ Tom Lutz (6 November 2006). "Owls swoop for Laws". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Burnley confirm appointment of Brian Laws on two and a half-years". The Guardian. 13 January 2010. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Gray placed in temporary charge". Burnley F.C. 30 December 2010. Archived from the original on 2 January 2011.
  10. ^ "Russell Wilcox named Bournemouth assistant manager". BBC Sport. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Scunthorpe United: Brian Laws replaces Alan Knill as manager". BBC Sport. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  12. ^ Kristian Reed (1 April 2014). "Russ Wilcox: Scunthorpe United's 'Mr Invincible'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Brian Laws: Scunthorpe United sacking was 'unwarranted'". BBC Sport. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Russ Wilcox appointed Scunthorpe manager". BBC Sport. 24 December 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  15. ^ Sumpter, Chris (26 March 2014). "Russ Wilcox pours praise on Scunthorpe United players as 'crazy' run continues at Cheltenham Town – and equals Football League record". Scunthorpe Telegraph. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  16. ^ Pilnick, Brent (26 April 2014). "Exeter 2–0 Scunthorpe". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  17. ^ "Scunthorpe United sack manager Russ Wilcox". BBC Sport. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  18. ^ Flett, Dave (15 October 2014). "York City appoint former Scunthorpe boss Russ Wilcox as their new manager". The Press. York. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  19. ^ Flett, Dave (26 October 2015). "York City sack manager Russ Wilcox". The Press. York. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Scunthorpe United caretaker boss to stay in charge until end of season". BBC Sport. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  21. ^ "Farsley Celtic appoint former York City manager Russ Wilcox". The Press. 2 February 2022.
  22. ^ "Club Statement: Russ Wilcox". farsleyceltic.com. 17 May 2023.
  23. ^ "WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY". www.gainsboroughtrinity.com. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  24. ^ "Joe Wilcox". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  25. ^ "Wilcox signs new deal". Corby Town F.C. 27 June 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  26. ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 256–257, 447–450, 462–464, 481–486. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  27. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1988). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1988–89. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 254–255, 445–452, 459–460, 478–480. ISBN 978-0-356-15880-8.
  28. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1989). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1989–90. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 360–361, 619–625, 633–636, 645, 938–939. ISBN 978-0-356-17910-0.
  29. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1990). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1990–91. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 380–381, 639–643, 655–659, 668–676. ISBN 0-356-17912-5.
  30. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1991). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1991–92. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 264–265, 619–623, 628, 649. ISBN 978-0-356-19198-0.
  31. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1992). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1992–93. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 270–271, 624–631, 641–644, 660–664. ISBN 978-0-356-19198-0.
  32. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1993). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1993–94. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 268–269, 616–619, 637–639, 655–658. ISBN 978-0-7472-7895-5.
  33. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1994). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1994–95. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 208–209, 616–618, 636–637, 656–658. ISBN 978-0-7472-7857-3.
  34. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1995). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1995–96. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 152–153, 578–581, 596–598, 609. ISBN 978-0-7472-7823-8.
  35. ^ Rollin, Glenda, ed. (1996). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1996–97. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 152–153, 573–575. ISBN 978-0-7472-7781-1.
  36. ^ Rollin (ed.). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1996–97. pp. 284–285, 588–590, 597–600.
  37. ^ Rollin, Glenda, ed. (1997). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1997–98. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 292–293, 578–583, 588–589, 598–601. ISBN 978-0-7472-7738-5.
  38. ^ "Games played by Russ Wilcox in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  39. ^ a b "Games played by Russ Wilcox in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  40. ^ "Games played by Russ Wilcox in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  41. ^ Rollin, Glenda; Rollin, Jack, eds. (2001). Rothmans Football Yearbook 2001–2002. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 330–331, 586–588, 605–611. ISBN 978-0-7472-7260-1.
  42. ^ "Games played by Russ Wilcox in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  43. ^ "Games played by Russ Wilcox in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  44. ^ a b c "Managers: Russ Wilcox". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  45. ^ "Wilcox tribute to Laws". BBC Sport. 26 March 2004. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  46. ^ Lynch. The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes. p. 150.
  47. ^ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1996). The 1996–97 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. p. 285. ISBN 978-1-85291-571-1.

External links

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