 Llera playing forSheffield Wednesday in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Miguel Ángel Llera Garzón | ||
| Date of birth | (1979-08-07)7 August 1979 (age 46) | ||
| Place of birth | Castilleja de la Cuesta, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position | Centre back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Recreativo | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1998–2001 | Recreativo B | ||
| 2000–2001 | →San Fernando (loan) | 19 | (0) |
| 2001–2005 | Alicante | 102 | (4) |
| 2005–2007 | Gimnàstic | 39 | (5) |
| 2007–2008 | Hércules | 11 | (1) |
| 2008–2009 | Milton Keynes Dons | 36 | (2) |
| 2009–2011 | Charlton Athletic | 41 | (6) |
| 2011–2012 | Blackpool | 0 | (0) |
| 2011 | →Brentford (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | →Sheffield Wednesday (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2012–2014 | Sheffield Wednesday | 79 | (10) |
| 2014–2015 | Scunthorpe United | 15 | (1) |
| Total | 357 | (29) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Miguel Ángel Llera Garzón (born 7 August 1979) is a Spanishfootballmanager and former professional player who played as acentre back. He was most recently first-team coach atBristol Rovers.
He played mostly in the lower leagues of his country, appearing in only 12La Liga games withGimnàstic. He moved to England in 2008 after signing withMilton Keynes Dons, going on to remain in the country until his retirement and represent a host of clubs, mainlySheffield Wednesday (three years) andCharlton Athletic (two).
Llera was born inCastilleja de la Cuesta,Province of Seville. After unsuccessfully emerging through localRecreativo de Huelva's youth ranks, he represented several modest clubs until2005–06, when he contributed with 27 games (scoring three times) toGimnàstic de Tarragona's[1] return toLa Liga after a 56-year absence;[2] midway throughthe following season, however, he was released from contract after appearing in 12 matches (all starts) for theCatalans and scoring in defeats againstReal Sociedad (2–3, away)[3] andGetafe CF (1–3, home),[4] asNàstic were immediately relegated.
In2007–08 Llera continued inSegunda División, but also failed to impress atHércules CF, playing only 11 games out of a possible 42.
Subsequently, Llera took his game to England, joiningLeague One sideMilton Keynes Dons in September 2008.[5]
He scored twice during his spell with the Dons, againstCarlisle United[6] andBrighton & Hove Albion.[7]
After a successfulseason, with a third-place finish straight out ofFootball League Two, albeit without eventual promotion, Llera signed forCharlton Athletic on 2 July 2009,[8] after turning down a new contract offer – he became the first Spanish footballer to play for the club.[9][10]
Llera quickly established himself as a fans' favourite after just four matches, scoring on his debut againstWycombe Wanderers[11] but also picking up a head injury which led him to wear a helmet for the next fixtures, similar to that ofChelsea'sPetr Čech; he scored his first goal for the Addicks on 22 August 2009, in a 2–0 home win againstWalsall.[12]
After leaving Charlton at the end of the2010–11 season, Llera spent some time training withBlackpool and joined them on trial, making his debut againstRangers on 19 July 2011. On 2 August, he scored from afree kick againstLancaster City in a 1–3 defeat, and, two days later, he signed a one-year contract with the option of a further year.[13]
On 7 September 2011, Llera transferred toBrentford on a three-month loan deal.[14] On 22 November he moved toSheffield Wednesday, in a loan agreement lasting until January 2012.[15]
On 10 January 2012, Llera was signed on a permanent deal by Wednesday, having been released by Blackpool.[16][17] On 11 February, in a game againstExeter City, he suffered a head injury in an eventual 1–2 away loss,[18] going on to miss approximately one month of action.
After impressing on trial, on 21 July 2014 Llera was offered a contract byOldham Athletic, which was later withdrawn.[19] He eventually moved to League One'sScunthorpe United late in the month, agreeing to a one-year deal also after a trial period.
Llera made his competitive debut on 9 August 2014, in a 1–3 defeat atSwindon Town.[20] His first appearance atGlanford Park took place the following weekend, and he scored a 39th minuteown goal in 0–4 loss toPreston North End.[21]
Llera netted his first and only goal for the Iron on 13 December 2014, contributing to a 2–1 home win overCrewe Alexandra.[22] On 5 May of the following year, it was announced he would not be offered a new contract and was free to leave the club.[23]
In July 2014, Llera began coaching the under-14 squad of Sheffield Wednesday.[24] In summer 2015, he started working as a first-teamscout.[25]
In January 2016, Llera launched his own academy, Miguel Llera International Football Academy, occasionally sending young players for trials at Wednesday.[26] In August 2017, he was appointed Professional Development Phase coach atChesterfield.[27][28]
On 11 January 2019, Llera left theProact Stadium by mutual consent.[29][30]
Starting in July 2015 and with the duration of one year, Llera was part of the staff atSheffield FC, acting asassistant manager as well as being responsible for subjects concerning the academy.[31] In September 2015, he became the club's scholarship football coach and also second and third team manager atSheffield Hallam University;[32] in addition, he held the same position at Meadowhead School Academy Trust.[33]
Llera left all of these roles in September 2016.[34]
A qualifiedpersonal trainer who owned amaster's degree insport psychology and coaching, Llera subsequently worked as a primary and secondary physical education fitness coach. On 12 July 2019, he was hired as academy manager at Walsall.[35]
On 14 January 2022, Llera left his role as Walsall academy manager.[36]
In July 2023, Llera joinedNCEFL Division One teamRetford United as a member of their coaching staff.
In October 2023, he was appointed assistant manager of NCEFL Premier Division clubMaltby Main.[37] He resigned from his role alongside manager Jamie Smith two months later.[38]
In May 2024, Llera was appointed assistant manager ofShirebrook Town.[39]
In March 2025, Llera joined the coaching staff of League One sideBristol Rovers, initially on a short-term basis.[40] On 4 May 2025, following relegation, Llera departed the club alongside managerIñigo Calderón.[41]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| San Fernando (loan) | 2000–01[42] | Segunda División B | 19 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 0 | ||
| Alicante | 2001–02[42] | Segunda División B | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 28 | 2 | |
| 2002–03[42] | Segunda División B | 33 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | 39 | 1 | ||
| 2003–04[42] | Segunda División B | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 28 | 1 | ||
| 2004–05[42] | Segunda División B | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 1 | 17 | 1 | |
| Total | 102 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 112 | 5 | ||
| Gimnàstic | 2005–06[42] | Segunda División | 27 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | 30 | 3 | |
| 2006–07[42] | La Liga | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 2 | ||
| Total | 39 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | 42 | 5 | |||
| Hércules | 2007–08[42] | Segunda División | 11 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | 15 | 2 | |
| Milton Keynes Dons | 2008–09[43] | League One | 36 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 38 | 2 |
| Charlton Athletic | 2009–10[43] | League One | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 27 | 4 |
| 2010–11[43] | League One | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 18 | 2 | |
| Total | 41 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 6 | ||
| Blackpool | 2011–12[43] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| Brentford (loan) | 2011–12[43] | League One | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| Sheffield Wednesday (loan) | 2011–12[43] | League One | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 2011–12[43] | League One | 16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 4 |
| 2012–13[43] | Championship | 41 | 6 | 5 | 0 | — | 46 | 6 | ||
| 2013–14[43] | Championship | 22 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 25 | 1 | ||
| Total | 83 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 91 | 11 | ||
| Scunthorpe United | 2014–15[43] | League One | 15 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| Career total | 321 | 28 | 35 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 364 | 31 | ||
Alicante
Sheffield Wednesday
