.jpg) Alan Fettis in 2025. | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alan William Fettis[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1971-02-01)1 February 1971 (age 54)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Middlesbrough (Goalkeeping Coach) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| ?–1988 | Glentoran | 0 | (0) |
| 1988–1991 | Ards | 42 | (0) |
| 1991–1996 | Hull City | 135 | (2) |
| 1995 | →West Bromwich Albion (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 1996–1997 | Nottingham Forest | 4 | (0) |
| 1997–2000 | Blackburn Rovers | 11 | (0) |
| 1999 | →Leicester City (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2000–2003 | York City | 125 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | Hull City | 20 | (0) |
| 2003–2004 | →Sheffield United (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2004 | →Grimsby Town (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | Macclesfield Town | 61 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | Bury | 9 | (0) |
| Total | 424 | (2) | |
| International career | |||
| Northern Ireland U16 | 1 | (0) | |
| Northern Ireland U17 | 1 | (0) | |
| Northern Ireland U18 | 1 | (0) | |
| 1994–1998 | Northern Ireland B | 3 | (0) |
| 1991–1998 | Northern Ireland | 25 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Alan William Fettis (born 1 February 1971) is aNorthern Ireland former professionalfootballer and goalkeeping coach atChampionship sideMiddlesbrough
As a player, he was as agoalkeeper from 1988 to 2007. He notably played forHull City andYork City having also had spells withGlentoran,Ards,West Bromwich Albion,Nottingham Forest,Blackburn Rovers,Leicester City,Sheffield United,Grimsby Town,Macclesfield Town andBury.
Born inNewtownards,County Down,[1] Fettis started his career withGlentoran before playing forArds from 1988 to 1991, making 65 appearances in all competitions for the club.[2] He was a firm fans' favourite whilst atHull City, and on occasion found himself playing as a striker due to injuries at the club, and bagged himself a couple of goals in the process. He later rejoined his manager at Hull,Terry Dolan atYork City, where his saves were credited by many fans with keeping York in the league during a period in which they struggled financially. He was sold back to Hull by new managerChris Brass in 2003; York dropped out of the league a year later, returning for the 2012–13 season.
Fettis was signed byBury on a 12-month deal in June 2006,[3] but broke his right arm in aLeague Cup defeat against former sideSheffield United on 19 September. He was released by Bury at the end of the 2006–07 season.[4]
Fettis was appointed as assistant goalkeeping coach atDerby County in July 2007.[5]
In November 2008, Fettis became the new goalkeeping coach and chief scout atCheltenham Town.[6] In July 2009, Fettis became the new goalkeeping coach atSunderland.[7] He joinedManchester United in January 2011 as a goalkeeping coach for the club'sAcademy teams.[8] In July 2011, Fettis made an appearance forManchester United Reserves after both reserve keepers fell ill before a match againstShrewsbury Town.[9]
In August 2016, formerBarcelona goalkeeperVíctor Valdés stated that without Fettis' help he would have given up on football in 2015. "It's difficult to explain, but it was hard being alone. The easy way out would have been to end my career." "I want to say in a public way thank you to the U21 coach Alan Fettis – without him I may have given up football. He made me keep going and stopped me when I was thinking about bringing my career to an end." "I feel like a professional goalkeeper again after all those hard days in Manchester," he added. "But I don't have any bad words for Van Gaal or Manchester United".[10]
In 2019, after the sudden departure ofEmilio Alvarez from the club, Fettis temporarily stepped up to first team duties to support senior goalkeeping coachRichard Hartis. Fettis returned to his role in the academy after the appointment ofCraig Mawson fromBurnley.
In July 2022, he joinedMiddlesbrough as goalkeeping coach underChris Wilder. He has left Middlesbrough as of September 2025.
Fettis was capped by Northern Ireland at schoolboy, under-16, under-17, under-18,B andsenior levels.[2]
Individual
