 Appleton in 2009 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Antony Appleton[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1975-12-04)4 December 1975 (age 50)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Salford, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1992–1994 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–1997 | Manchester United | 0 | (0) |
| 1995 | →Wimbledon (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1995 | →Lincoln City (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 1997 | →Grimsby Town (loan) | 10 | (3) |
| 1997–2001 | Preston North End | 121 | (12) |
| 2001–2003 | West Bromwich Albion | 33 | (0) |
| Total | 168 | (15) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2011 | West Bromwich Albion (caretaker) | ||
| 2011–2012 | Portsmouth | ||
| 2012–2013 | Blackpool | ||
| 2013 | Blackburn Rovers | ||
| 2014–2017 | Oxford United | ||
| 2017 | Leicester City (caretaker) | ||
| 2019–2022 | Lincoln City | ||
| 2022–2023 | Blackpool | ||
| 2023–2024 | Charlton Athletic | ||
| 2025–2026 | Shrewsbury Town | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Michael Antony Appleton (born 4 December 1975) is an English professionalfootballmanager and former player, most recently head coach atEFL League Two clubShrewsbury Town.
As a player, he operated as amidfielder, in a nine-year career that began in 1994 and ended 2003. His playing years were cut short by a serious knee injury. He began his career as a professional forManchester United. While there, he had brief loan spells atWimbledon,Lincoln City andGrimsby Town, before securing a permanent transfer toPreston North End in 1997. He moved on toWest Bromwich Albion in 2001, playing at theWest Midlands club for two seasons, ending his playing career there.
Following his retirement, he became a coach with West Brom, and served as theircaretaker manager for one match afterRoberto Di Matteo was placed on leave. On 10 November 2011, he earned his first managerial appointment atPortsmouth, before he became manager of Blackpool a year later. After just over two months as Blackpool manager, he left his post with the Seasiders to take charge ofBlackburn Rovers in January 2013. He was relieved from his duties on 19 March that same year.[2][3] In July 2014, he was appointed manager ofOxford United, and led the club to promotion toLeague One in his second season.
Born inSalford, Greater Manchester,[1] Appleton attended Seedley Primary School andBuile Hill Secondary School, both in Salford.[4] He represented the football teams of both schools, playing as a striker until the age of "12 or 13" before switching to midfield.[5] A lifelong Manchester United fan,[6] Appleton progressed through the club's youth system before earning a professional contract in 1994. He had a brief loan spell at Wimbledon in 1995, featuring in their makeshift squad for the1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup.[7] In the1995–96 season, he was loaned out to Lincoln City for a month to getfirst-team experience, playing fourDivision Three matches and one match in theFootball League Trophy, before returning toOld Trafford.
In October 1996, Appleton made his Manchester United début in the 2–1League Cup victory versusSwindon Town. His second and last game forthe Red Devils was a 2–0 defeat atFilbert Street againstLeicester City.
In January 1997, Appleton joined Grimsby Town on a two-month loan from United, scoring three goals in ten league matches forthe Mariners, against Swindon Town,Barnsley andManchester City. He returned to United in March 1997.[8]
In the1997–98 pre-season, Appleton joined Preston North End for a (then) club record fee of £500,000. In his three and a half years atDeepdale, he played 145 first-team games, scoring fifteen goals. He also played an important part inthe Lilywhites' promotion to Division One in2000 as Division Two champions.
In January 2001, Appleton moved from Preston to West Bromwich Albion for a fee of £750,000, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract.[9] He made his début in a 2–1 victory overSheffield United, picking up a yellow card, and went on to play an important part inthe Baggies'play-off chase, although they ultimately lost toBolton Wanderers in the semi-finals.
At the start of the2001–02 season, Appleton was a regular in the first team, but on 19 November 2001, he toreposterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee, after an accidentaltraining-ground collision with teammateDes Lyttle. He was initially expected to be out for the rest of the season.[10] With West Brom getting promoted to thePremier League, Appleton had to wait until February 2003 for his return to football, 28 minutes into areserve-team match against former club Manchester United.[11] In November 2003, at the age of 27, he was forced to retire, after losing his two-year battle with the injury. West Brom managerGary Megson described Appleton's retirement as "One of the saddest days I've had as a manager. Football can't afford to be losing a player of his ilk."[12]
Appleton, who played his last first-team game of football in a single-goal victory atBirmingham City on 7 November 2001, made a total of 38 appearances for West Brom.
"Having had my playing career taken away from me prematurely, I am all the more determined now to make a success of my coaching career."
After the knee injury, Appleton stayed with West Brom in a coaching capacity. He worked in the club's youth side for five years. He worked with different age groups before moving up to the senior squad as assistant manager. In June 2009, Appleton was appointed first-team coach. After the board sackedRoberto Di Matteo and placed him ongardening leave on 6 February 2011, Appleton was placed in temporary charge of first-team affairs.[14] In his only match in charge, West Brom drew 3–3 at home toWest Ham, having been 3–0 up at half-time.[15]
On 10 November 2011, Portsmouth unveiled Appleton as their new manager on a three-and-a-half-year contract; his first official managerial role.[16] Appleton's first League game in charge was a 2–0 defeat againstWatford.[17] Appleton made two new signings inJoe Mattock andGeorge Thorne on loan from West Bromwich Albion.[18] He had previously worked with them when on the coaching staff at West Brom.[citation needed]
Appleton made his first permanent signing by bringing inKelvin Etuhu on a free transfer after Etuhu spent eight months in jail for carrying out an assault outside a Manchester casino in February.[19] Following Portsmouth's fall into administration, Appleton insisted that he would not walk away from the club, vowing to "fight on until the end".[20] Portsmouth were relegated from the Championship at the end of the 2011–12 season.
On 7 November 2012, Appleton was appointed manager of Blackpool on a one-year rolling contract.[21] His first game in charge was on 10 November 2012, a 2–2 draw at home to Bolton Wanderers.[22] He earned his first win as Blackpool manager on 1 December 2012, beatingPeterborough 4–1 away from home, extending his unbeaten start to five games.[23] He was in charge for a further six League games, of which he won one, drew three and lost two.
After his resignation, he became the shortest-serving Blackpool manager in their history, having been in the role for eleven Football League games.[24]
On 10 January 2013, Appleton was given permission to speak to Blackburn Rovers, and it was announced a day later by Rovers that he had agreed to join the club as manager after 65 days in charge of Blackpool. Appleton said of his move acrossLancashire toBlackburn: "I am delighted to be joining such a historic club. This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I am excited about the challenge we have ahead of us."[25]
Appleton's first match in charge of Rovers was on 19 January 2013, a 2–1 defeat againstCharlton Athletic atEwood Park.[26] He earned his first victory on 26 January 2013, a 3–0 win againstDerby County atPride Park in theFA Cup fourth round.[27] A week later, he recorded his first league victory, a 2–0 win at home againstBristol City.[28] On 16 February 2013, Appleton's Blackburn team defeated Premier League teamArsenal in the fifth round of the FA Cup at theEmirates Stadium;[29] however, the victory was followed by a run of eight games without a win, with Rovers losing an FA Cup quarter-final replay at home toMillwall.[3]
On 19 March 2013, after poor results in the Championship, Appleton was relieved of his duties as manager of Blackburn Rovers, having won four of his fifteen games in charge. A brief statement on the club website said: "Blackburn Rovers FC can confirm that Michael Appleton has been relieved of his duties as manager along with assistant manager Ashley Westwood, first-team coachDarren Moore and head of senior recruitment Luke Dowling."[30]
Appleton's tenure at Blackburn lasted 67 days, two days more than his time in the Blackpool hotseat. At his time of departure, Blackburn were 18th in the table, four points clear of the relegation zone, 13 points adrift of the play-off places with only nine games to go.[30]
On 4 July 2014, Appleton became the new head coach of Oxford United, replacingGary Waddock.[31] Inhis first season, Oxford finished in thirteenth place in League Two.The following season, however, they finished second with 86 points, achieving automatic promotion toLeague One,[32] and reached thefinal of theFootball League Trophy atWembley.[33] In histhird season in charge, Oxford again reached thefinal of theEFL Trophy, but again finished runners-up.[34] They finished in eighth place in League One.[35]
On 20 June 2017, Appleton was confirmed as the new assistant to managerCraig Shakespeare at Premier League club Leicester City, signing a three-year contract.[36] After the dismissal of Shakespeare in October 2017, Appleton took over as caretaker manager[37] for two matches, both Leicester victories,[38] before the appointment ofClaude Puel. On 30 June 2018, it was announced that Appleton had left his position at Leicester with immediate effect following a restructure of the coaching staff.[39]
On 26 April 2019, Appleton agreed to act as first-team coach to West Bromwich Albion caretaker managerJames Shan until the end of the2018–19 season,[40] speculation having arisen in previous weeks that he could become the new manager of theWest Midlands club.[41] The move saw Appleton return tothe Baggies following an eight-year absence,[40] where he linked up with former associateSteven Reid, who was acting in the same role as Appleton.[42] On 5 August 2019, West Brom announced that Appleton had been appointed as the coach of their under-23 squad.[43]
On 23 September 2019, Appleton returned to management, after being appointed at recently promoted League One club Lincoln City on a four-year deal.[44] He replacedDanny Cowley, who left to take over at strugglingChampionship clubHuddersfield Town.[45] He signed a new four-year deal on 25 February 2021.[46] On 30 April 2022, following their victory overCrewe Alexandra on the final day of the season, it was announced that Appleton would be leaving his role as manager.[47]
On 17 June 2022, Appleton was appointed head coach of Blackpool, his second stint at the club. He signed a contract until June 2026, succeedingNeil Critchley, who left two weeks earlier to become assistant toSteven Gerrard atAston Villa.[48]
Appleton was sacked, seven months after his appointment, on 18 January 2023, after achieving one win in eleven games, leaving them 23rd in the Championship relegation zone.[49]
On 8 September 2023, Appleton signed a two-year contract to become head coach ofCharlton Athletic.[50][51] On 23 January 2024, following a 3–2 defeat at The Valley againstNorthampton Town, and no wins in ten League One games, Appleton was sacked.[52]
On 26 March 2025, Appleton signed a contract withShrewsbury Town until the end of the 2024–25 season as interim head coach, with Shrewsbury 14 points from safety with nine games left to play.[53][54] Following Shrewsbury’s relegation to League Two, Appleton signed a two-year contract to remain at the club as permanent head coach in May 2025.[55] He was sacked on 28 January 2026 following a run of just four wins in 16 games, with the club two points above the relegation zone.[56]
"I am relieved finally to have received judgment and to be able to put this chapter of my life behind me"
In June 2005, Appleton announced that he was going tosue thesurgeon who he believed had ended his career early. The surgeon's name was not announced, and the case was set to start in early 2007.[57] In June, West Bromwich Albion began a £1 million compensation claim against knee specialist Medhet Mohammed El-Safty, whom the club described as "negligent".[58] If West Bromwich Albion had won the case, it could result in many similar cases, the appeal court was told.[59]
Appleton's case against Mr El-Safty was heard byMr Justice Royce, aHigh Court judge, in Manchester, with evidence provided by Appleton's former managerAlex Ferguson and former teammatesRyan Giggs andGary Neville. Appleton won his case,[60] and on 23 March 2007 he was awarded £1.5 million in damages – thought to be one of the biggest pay-outs to an English footballer[61] – as El-Safty had admitted he wrongly operated on him. It was said that he could have earned £500,000 a year in the Premier League, and theHigh Court also commented that his career could have lasted until 2009.[13]
On 13 July 2021, Appleton announced that he was diagnosed withtesticular cancer, and would take a short break to recover from the surgery.[62] It was revealed in June 2022 that he had fully recovered.[63]
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| West Bromwich Albion (caretaker) | 6 February 2011 | 14 February 2011 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 000.0 | [14][64] |
| Portsmouth | 10 November 2011 | 7 November 2012 | 51 | 13 | 11 | 27 | 025.5 | [64] |
| Blackpool | 7 November 2012 | 11 January 2013 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 016.7 | [21][25][65] |
| Blackburn Rovers | 11 January 2013 | 19 March 2013 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 026.7 | [25][64] |
| Oxford United | 4 July 2014 | 20 June 2017 | 173 | 78 | 46 | 49 | 045.1 | [64] |
| Leicester City (caretaker) | 17 October 2017 | 25 October 2017 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.0 | [37][64] |
| Lincoln City | 23 September 2019 | 30 April 2022 | 143 | 55 | 33 | 55 | 038.5 | [64] |
| Blackpool | 17 June 2022 | 18 January 2023 | 29 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 024.1 | [66] |
| Charlton Athletic | 8 September 2023 | 23 January 2024 | 28 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 028.6 | [50] |
| Shrewsbury Town | 26 March 2025 | 28 January 2026 | 43 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 020.93 | [56] |
| Total | 497 | 178 | 133 | 186 | 035.8 | — | ||
Individual
Oxford United
