Wednesday 25 January 2012

DEEHAN CONFIRMED AS FLETCHER'S MENTOR

Former Norwich City and Aston Villa striker John Deehan has been confirmed as Plymouth Argyle's new Director of Football.

Deehan, 54, will be assisting manager Carl Fletcher and his coaching staff until the end of the season.

A former England Under-21 international, Deehan won League Cup winners' medals with Aston Villa and Norwich, in 1977 and 1985 respectively, and also played for West Brom, Ipswich and Barnsley.

As a manager, he began his career as a player-coach with the Canaries before becoming assistant manager to Mike Walker in 1992. Deehan helped guide them to third place in the inaugural Premier League season, the 1992-93 season.

The following season saw them reach the third round of the UEFA Cup after they famously defeated German giants Bayern Munich in round two.

He briefly managed the Canaries during the 1993-94 season after Walker left to take charge of Everton, but left the post in April 1995, shortly before Norwich were relegated from the Premiership.

His next port of call was Wigan Athletic, where he helped to start their rise through the leagues and led them to the Division Three title in the 1996-97 campaign with a team that included current Latic's boss Roberto Martinez.

Deehan then assisted Steve Bruce at Sheffield United and Huddersfield Town before returning to Villa Park to work under John Gregory in July 2001. He briefly held the post of Caretaker Manager during the 2001-02 season before Graham Taylor was appointed as manager for a second time.

In the 2003-04 season, he was appointed as Director of Football at Northampton Town where he provided assistance to Cobblers manager Colin Calderwood. He held the position at the Sixfields' Stadium until the end of the 2005-06 campaign, during which time Northampton won automatic promotion from League Two.

Since then he also worked as Director of Football at Lincoln City, been employed as assistant manager at non-league Kettering Town with his most recent position being that of Head of Recruitment at Grimsby Town.

His vast coaching experience and contacts will no doubt prove to been invaluable to Carl Ftetcher and Plymouth Argyle.