 Ford in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Paul Ford[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1966-02-09)9 February 1966 (age 59)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Bristol,[1] England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Evesham United | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Leicester City | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1984 | Leicester City | 0 | (0) |
| 1984 | Devizes Town | ||
| 1984–1988 | Cardiff City | 145 | (13) |
| 1988–1998 | Oxford United | 289 | (18) |
| 1998–2000 | Cardiff City | 51 | (0) |
| 2000 | Oxford United | 1 | (0) |
| 2003 | Thame United | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2000 | Oxford United (caretaker) | ||
| 2001 | Oxford United (caretaker) | ||
| 2009–2014 | Oxford City | ||
| 2015–2020 | Banbury United | ||
| 2022– | Evesham United | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Michael Paul Ford (born 9 February 1966) is an Englishfootball manager and former professional player. His father,Tony Ford, is also a former professional footballer.
Ford began his career atLeicester City where he became a full-time professional at the age of 18. He was released by the club without making an appearance and moved to non-league sideDevizes Town but he was signed a few months later byCardiff City and quickly made his debut in a 1–1 draw withLeeds United. A mainstay in the side, Ford played in numerous positions for Cardiff in defence and midfield and helped them to promotion in his final year at the club. He signed forOxford United in 1988 and was eventually made club captain. He spent ten years at theManor Ground before being released in 1998 and being taken back toNinian Park byFrank Burrows, who handed him the captaincy; he again helped Cardiff to promotion.[3]
During the1999–2000 season he developed a problem with a disc in his back and was forced to retire. After his retirement he was appointed as youth team manager at Oxford and was called back into action for the team in 2000 when the team faced an injury crisis, making one appearance againstBristol City. Ford also took over as caretaker manager on two separate occasions for Oxford when they were between managers and was working as assistant manager at the club when he was fired in 2003,[4] a decision that caused outrage among Oxford fans.[5] After he was sacked Ford had a spell playing for non-league sideThame United.[6]
Ford was the manager of Conference North football teamOxford City, who gained promotion in the 2011–12 season. He was also working as a football coach at theNorth Oxfordshire Academy teaching football skills and theory to 16- to 21-year-olds at the Academy sixth form, but is now employed by Oxford and Cherwell Valley College coaching students in the 16–19 age bracket. His team produced 3 or 4 players who helped the Oxford City first team to promotion.
On 30 April 2014, Oxford City announced that Ford would no longer be their first-team manager.[7] After a year out of the game, in May 2015 he was appointed manager ofBanbury United in the Southern League Division 1 South & West.[8] He earned promotion to the Southern Premier Division in his first season as manager via the playoffs.
On 29 April 2020, Banbury United announced that Ford would cease to manage the club once his contract expired at the end of the month.[9]
In the summer of 2022, he was appointed as manager ofEvesham United in theSouthern League Division One.[10]
