 Mullins withBirmingham City during pre-season in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Hayden Ian Mullins[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1979-03-27)27 March 1979 (age 45)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Reading, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–1998 | Crystal Palace | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1998–2003 | Crystal Palace | 222 | (18) |
| 2003 | →West Ham United (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2003–2009 | West Ham United | 179 | (4) |
| 2009–2012 | Portsmouth | 114 | (3) |
| 2012 | →Reading (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2012–2014 | Birmingham City | 36 | (2) |
| 2014 | →Notts County (loan) | 16 | (1) |
| 2014–2015 | Notts County | 32 | (0) |
| Total | 607 | (28) | |
| International career | |||
| 1999 | England U21 | 3 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2016–2020 | Watford U23s | ||
| 2019 | Watford (caretaker) | ||
| 2020 | Watford (caretaker) | ||
| 2021–2022 | Colchester United | ||
| 2023 | Turks and Caicos Islands | ||
| 2023– | Fulham U21s | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Hayden Ian Mullins (born 27 March 1979) is an English former professionalfootballer and currentmanager. He played primarily as adefensive midfielder, but he also played as asweeper and atright-back. He is currently the U21 Head Coach atFulham.
Mullins began his career withFirst Division sideCrystal Palace in 1996, and signed his first professional contract with the club in 1998. He quickly established himself in the first team, and made 257 senior appearances for Palace in five seasons. In October 2003, he switched to First Division sideWest Ham United, initially on a short-term loan, which quickly turned into a permanent transfer. He remained at the club for five and a half years, making 213 appearances, before joiningPremier League sidePortsmouth in January 2009. He made 129 appearances for Portsmouth, but the club's financial difficulties meant that he joined Championship sideReading on loan in March 2012. At the end of the2011–12 season, Mullins left Portsmouth, and joinedBirmingham City on a free transfer. After two years, during which he also spent time on loan atNotts County, Birmingham confirmed he would be released when his contract expired at the end of the2013–14 season.
Mullins made three appearances for theEngland under-21 squad in 1999. After retiring, he became under-23 manager of Watford in 2016, and was twice theirinterim manager.
Mullins was born inReading,Berkshire.[1] He joinedCrystal Palace as a trainee in August 1996,[2] and made his first-team debut in July 1998, at the age of 19, in the1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup matches against Turkish clubSamsunspor.[3][4] Head coachTerry Venables gave him his domestic debut in a 3–3 draw againstBolton Wanderers in August 1998, and he scored his first senior goal in a 3–1 away defeat toBirmingham City a week later.[2][4] He immediately established himself in the first team, made 45 league and cup appearances in the1998–99 season, was named Player of The Year,[5] and was capped for theEngland under-18 team.[citation needed] Mullins later acknowledged his debt to Venables, saying, "I learnt a lot from him. He took a lot of time with us on the training pitch. He taught us a lot about shape and formation, he's very detailed in that respect. He's very good man on man, he made me feel totally comfortable he didn't pressure me into it at all."[2]
Financial difficulties meant that Crystal Palace were unable to make new signings for the1999–2000 season and relied on youngsters such as Mullins andClinton Morrison and veterans such asAndy Linighan as they successfully battled against relegation from theFirst Division.[6] Mullins made 49 league and cup appearances in that season and a further 51 appearances in the2000–01 season as Palace reached thesemi-final of theLeague Cup, but narrowly escaped relegation.[5][7][8] He was transfer listed in October 2000, due to what managerAlan Smith described as a "bad attitude", but was taken off the list and was offered and signed a new four-year contract two months later as his relationship with Smith improved.[9] Smith said of him in January 2001, "He's a really good footballer which means I can play him in any position. I like my young players to play in different positions. This season he's played full-back, midfield and sweeper. [We've] got to work on his defending, but he's got pace, he has good vision and he wants to play football."[10]
Mullins made a total of 47 appearances in league and cup in the2001–02 season as Palace made an ultimately unsuccessful push for the First Division play-off places.[5][11] He was made captain in the2002–03 season by managerTrevor Francis, who saw him as an integral part of the squad.[12] He made 52 league and cup appearances as Palace advanced to thequarter-final of the League Cup,[13] as well as recording a memorable 2–0 win overLiverpool in anFA Cupfourth round replay atAnfield.[14] He was named Player of The Year for a second time in 2003.[5]
An offer of £600,000 from Birmingham City in January 2003 was rejected as "derisory". With one year remaining on his existing contract, Mullins turned down the offer of a new contract in May. His agent said, "It is no secret that Hayden believes he will not be able to fulfil his true potential at Palace. If the club wishes to get some financial reward for their role in his up bringing, then they need to sell him this summer."[15] The following October, he joinedWest Ham United.[16] Mullins made over 250 league and cup appearances for Palace, scoring 20 goals.[5]
Mullins was the first signing for West Ham's newly appointed manager,Alan Pardew, and initially joined on a short-term loan to enable him to play againstNottingham Forest on the same day.[16][17] The deal was made permanent a day later for a fee of £600,000, rising to £800,000 should West Ham be promoted.[18][19] Pardew said of him, "...I have captured a player that I feel is going to add significantly to us. [He] can play in various positions and give us cover in a number of those [...] I think ultimately he is a central midfield player for us and I think his energy will be important; he will have to battle in the midfield. He is someone we are going to look to when we are up against it, to win the battle and give the room to [other players] to play. He is very much a destroyer and I think we are desperate for one of those."[16]
Mullins made 34 league and cup appearances in hisfirst season for West Ham, helping them to theFirst Division play-off final in May 2004, where they were beaten by a single goal to nil by Mullins' former club Crystal Palace.[20][21] Thefollowing season, Mullins made 45 league and cup appearances as West Ham again reached theplay-off final, this time beatingPreston North End 1–0 to win promotion to thePremier League.[22][23]
West Ham exceeded expectations in the2005–06 season, finishing in a mid-table position and reaching theFA Cup final, which was won by Liverpool 3–1 on penalties.[24] Mullins, having made 42 appearances in that season, was suspended for the final along with Liverpool'sLuis García, after the pair had been sent off in a league fixture a few weeks earlier and an appeal against his dismissal was rejected bythe Football Association.[25][26] Pardew said, "I feel very aggrieved and very upset because Hayden has had a fantastic season. He has been one of our best players. He was my first signing here, I'm very proud of him, of what he has done and achieved."[26]
At the beginning of the2006–07 season, West Ham completed the signing ofArgentine internationalJavier Mascherano who, like Mullins, was a defensive midfielder.[27] However, after a brief period on the bench, Mullins re-established himself in the first team and scored the winning goal, in a 2–1 home win overBlackburn Rovers in October 2006, which put an end to the worst run of results for West Ham in 74 years.[28][29]
Mullins made 32 league and cup appearances in the 2006–07 season as West Ham narrowly escaped relegation.[30][31] On 1 November 2008, he scored his first league goal of theseason in a 1–1 draw againstMiddlesbrough at theRiverside Stadium. It was his first league goal for two years.
Mullins made a total of 213 appearances for West Ham United, netting seven goals.[4]
On 25 January 2009, Mullins joinedPortsmouth on a three-and-a-half-year contract.[32] He started the2010 FA Cup final in an unfamiliar left-back role as Portsmouth were narrowly beaten 1–0 byChelsea.[33][34]
Portsmouth were relegated at the end of the season, but Mullins stayed at theFratton Park side and took number 8 for the2010–11 season after captainMarc Wilson was given number 6. He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 win overBristol City on 28 September 2010.[35] He was voted Portsmouth Player of the Season for the 2010–11 season.[36]
On 15 March 2012, Mullins signed forReading on loan for the2011–12 season.[37] He made seven appearances for Reading as they were promoted to the Premier League.
On 12 July 2012, Mullins signed forBirmingham City on a two-year contract on a free transfer.[38] He made his debut in the League Cup first round againstBarnet,[39] and kept his place for the opening match of the2012–13 season, a 1–1 draw at home toCharlton Athletic.[40] He scored his first goal for Birmingham in a 2–2 draw with Nottingham Forest on 15 September.[41]
On 31 January 2014, Mullins joinedNotts County on loan until the end of the2013–14 season.[42] He made his debut the next day as a second-half substitute as County lost 2–0 away to Preston North End.[43] With one match of County's season remaining, Mullins was recalled by Birmingham to cover for the injuredTom Thorpe.[44] Playing at centre back, he made a crucial clearance in the final game, away at Bolton Wanderers, that contributed to Birmingham City retaining their Championship status viaPaul Caddis' stoppage-time equaliser.[45] Birmingham confirmed he would be released when his contract expired at the end of the2013–14 season. He finished his Birmingham career having scored twice in 39 appearances in all competitions.[43][46]
On 5 June 2014, Mullins rejoined Notts County on a one-year contract.[47]
Mullins made three appearances for theEngland under-21 team in 1999, againstPoland in March,Hungary in April andBulgaria in June.[48]
After retiring as a player, Mullins joined Reading in a role that saw him oversee the development of the club's players who were out on loan.[49] In July 2016, he joinedWatford as assistant to under-21 coachHarry Kewell,[50] later progressing to management of the under-23 team.[51] In December 2019, Mullins was named as temporary manager of Watford afterQuique Sánchez Flores was sacked.[52] He managed two games as interim manager; a 2–0 away defeat byLeicester City and a goalless draw at home toCrystal Palace.[53] Mullins took charge against Crystal Palace while newly appointed manager,Nigel Pearson watched from the stands.[54]
In July 2020, he was again placed in temporary charge following the dismissal of manager Pearson.[55][56] His first game in charge following Pearson's dismissal resulted in a 0–4 defeat toManchester City. This result, coupled withAston Villa's win later the same day, dropped Watford into 18th place in the league and a relegation position.[57] Watford were relegated to theChampionship on the last day of the season following a 3–2 defeat byArsenal.[58] On 1 September 2020 he left the club.[59]
On 3 September 2020, Mullins was announced as assistant head coach toSteve Ball atColchester United.[60] In February 2021, Ball was replaced byWayne Brown as first team coach.[61] After a run of poor results, Brown was in-turn replaced by Mullins on 31 March 2021.[62] On 13 May 2021, Mullins was appointed head coach of Colchester on a permanent basis.[63]On 19 January 2022, Mullins was sacked as head coach after a run of poor results.[64]
He coached theTurks and Caicos Islands national football team in March 2023.[65]
On 26 July 2023, Mullins was unveiled as the new U21 Head Coach atFulham.[66] On 16 May 2024, he led Fulham U21s to thePremier League Cup, defeatingTottenham Hotspur U21s 4–0 in the final.[67]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Crystal Palace | 1998–99[3][4] | First Division | 40 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 47 | 5 |
| 1999–2000[68] | First Division | 45 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 49 | 11 | ||
| 2000–01[69] | First Division | 41 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 51 | 1 | ||
| 2001–02[70] | First Division | 43 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 47 | 0 | ||
| 2002–03[71] | First Division | 43 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 52 | 3 | ||
| 2003–04[20] | First Division | 10 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | |||
| Total | 222 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 257 | 20 | ||
| West Ham United | 2003–04[20] | First Division | 27 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 3[b] | 0 | 34 | 1 | |
| 2004–05[22] | Championship | 37 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 45 | 1 | |
| 2005–06[25] | Premier League | 35 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 42 | 1 | ||
| 2006–07[30] | Premier League | 30 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0[d] | 0 | 32 | 3 | |
| 2007–08[72] | Premier League | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 39 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09[73] | Premier League | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 21 | 1 | ||
| Total | 180 | 4 | 17 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 213 | 7 | ||
| Portsmouth | 2008–09[73] | Premier League | 17 | 0 | — | — | — | 17 | 0 | |||
| 2009–10[74] | Premier League | 18 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 27 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11[75] | Championship | 45 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 49 | 2 | ||
| 2011–12[76] | Championship | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 36 | 1 | ||
| Total | 114 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 129 | 3 | ||
| Reading (loan) | 2011–12[76] | Championship | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| Birmingham City | 2012–13[77] | Championship | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 30 | 2 | |
| 2013–14[43] | Championship | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | ||
| Total | 36 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 39 | 2 | |||
| Notts County (loan) | 2013–14[43] | League One | 16 | 1 | — | — | — | 16 | 1 | |||
| Notts County | 2014–15[78] | League One | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| Total | 48 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 607 | 28 | 36 | 3 | 44 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 696 | 33 | ||
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Watford (caretaker) | 2 December 2019 | 7 December 2019 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 000.0 | [79][failed verification] |
| 19 July 2020 | 26 July 2020 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 000.0 | ||
| Colchester United | 31 March 2021 | 19 January 2022 | 40 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 027.5 | |
| Total | 44 | 11 | 12 | 21 | 025.0 | — | ||
Portsmouth
Fulham U21
