.jpg) Phelan withManchester United in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Christopher Phelan[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1962-09-24)24 September 1962 (age 63)[1][2] | ||
| Place of birth | Nelson, England[1][2] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2][3] | ||
| Position(s) | Defender[2] Midfielder[2] | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Burnley | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1979–1985 | Burnley | 168 | (9) |
| 1985–1989 | Norwich City | 156 | (9) |
| 1989–1994 | Manchester United | 102 | (2) |
| 1994–1995 | West Bromwich Albion | 21 | (0) |
| Total | 485 | (20) | |
| International career | |||
| 1981 | England U18[4] | 5 | (0) |
| 1989 | England | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1996–1997 | Blackpool (assistant) | ||
| 2008–2013 | Manchester United (assistant) | ||
| 2014–2015 | Norwich City (assistant) | ||
| 2015–2016 | Hull City (assistant) | ||
| 2016–2017 | Hull City | ||
| 2018–2022 | Manchester United (assistant) | ||
| 2024 | Plymouth Argyle (assistant) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Michael Christopher Phelan (born 24 September 1962) is an English professionalfootball coach and former player who was most recently (until 31 December 2024) assistant head coach forEFL Championship clubPlymouth Argyle.
Born inNelson,Lancashire, he spent most of his playing career atBurnley,Norwich City andManchester United, with a short spell atWest Bromwich Albion before retirement. While he was with Manchester United he also earned a single cap forEngland. In 2006, Norwich fans voted Phelan into the club'sHall of Fame.
Following the end of his playing career, Phelan moved into management. He first took a position asGary Megson's assistant at his former club, Norwich City, before following Megson toBlackpool and thenStockport County. After Megson left Stockport, Phelan was hired by another former club, Manchester United, taking over as the assistant manager of the club's reserve team. Two years later, he was promoted to becomeAlex Ferguson's chief first-team coach, and in 2008 he replacedCarlos Queiroz as Ferguson's assistant manager. He remained in the position until Ferguson's retirement in 2013, when Ferguson's successorDavid Moyes replaced the entire coaching staff.
After a year out of football, Phelan was appointed as first-team coach back at Norwich City in November 2014 and took temporary charge of the club when managerNeil Adams resigned in January 2015, only to be relieved of his duties by Adams' permanent replacement,Alex Neil. A month later, he was appointed as assistant manager atHull City under former Manchester United teammateSteve Bruce. He was promoted to first team management following the departure of Bruce on a temporary basis before the 2016–17 season. This was made permanent on 13 October. He was sacked from his position with Hull on 3 January 2017 with the club 20th in the Premier League.
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Phelan began his career atBurnley, signing as an associated schoolboy in July 1979, as an apprentice two years later and as a professional in July 1980. He made his league debut in January 1981 againstChesterfield and whilst atTurf Moor, gained England Youth caps[4] and aThird Division champions medal in 1982. But in 1985, Burnley were relegated to theFourth Division, and Phelan moved toNorwich City for £60,000 on 13 July 1985. Norwich won theSecond Division title in his first season at the club. He became club captain whenSteve Bruce joinedManchester United in December 1987, captaining them to fourth place in theFirst Division and a place in theFA Cup semi-finals in hisfirst full season as captain.
He was called into the England squad for theRous Cup games againstChile andScotland but did not play due to ahamstring injury. His success drew the attention of larger clubs and he followed Steve Bruce toManchester United for £750,000 on 1 July 1989. While at United, he won his first international cap (againstItaly in 1989)[5] and an FA Cup winner's medal in his first season. This was followed by theFA Charity Shield in 1990,European Cup Winners' Cup in 1991 and theLeague Cup in 1992. Phelan was often deployed at right-back during his first season at Manchester United, but following the arrival ofDenis Irwin in 1990 he mostly played on the right or in the centre of midfield. He had played on the right side of midfield before Irwin's arrival, most notably in the FA Cup final win overCrystal Palace in 1990, whenPaul Ince was switched from central midfield to right-back.
By 1993, however, his appearances were becoming increasingly limited due to growing competition from younger players likeAndrei Kanchelskis,Paul Ince,Ryan Giggs andLee Sharpe. He did make enough league appearances to collect aPremier League title medal for the1992–93 season, but rarely played in the1993–94 season, failing to make enough appearances for another league title medal, and not being in the squad for theFA Cup triumph overChelsea.
With the introduction of Premier League squad numbers for the 1993–94 season, he was issued with the number 23 shirt which was next worn byPhil Neville. Phelan was given a free transfer at the end of the 1993–94 season. After leavingOld Trafford, Phelan signed for West Bromwich Albion, where he spent 18 months and played just 21 games, his first-team chances limited by younger players such asKevin Donovan andLee Ashcroft, who were more favoured by new managerAlan Buckley (appointed in the autumn following the dismissal ofKeith Burkinshaw, who brought Phelan to the club).
He returned toCarrow Road in December 1995, as an assistant manager toGary Megson (another former Norwich player) and managed the club's reserve team. When Megson was fired and joinedBlackpool, Phelan followed him to take a similar role, returning to his native North-West. A year later, he followed Megson toStockport County.
Following Megson's sacking as Stockport County boss on 25 June 1999,Andy Kilner took over as manager. Phelan moved on shortly afterwards, taking up a role at Manchester United's Centre of Excellence. FollowingSteve McClaren's departure toMiddlesbrough in the summer of 2001, Phelan was promoted to first-team coach. He was appointed assistant manager of United on 3 September 2008, replacingCarlos Queiroz who had left to manage thePortugal national football team.[6] For many years, Phelan conducted interviews forBBC programmes such asMatch of the Day, due to United managerAlex Ferguson refusing to speak with the BBC following corruption allegations made in 2004 by the BBC'sPanorama programme towards one of Ferguson's sons, football agent Jason Ferguson. Ferguson finally agreed to BBC interviews once more in August 2011.[7] In January 2010, Phelan was linked with a return to his first clubBurnley as manager following the departure ofOwen Coyle toBolton Wanderers.[8] He was Ferguson's right-hand man for three Premier League titles, a FIFA Club World Cup, two League Cups, and two runs to the final of the UEFA Champions League. He departed the club shortly after Ferguson's retirement.[9]
On 20 November 2014, Phelan was announced as a first-team coach atNorwich City.[10] Following the resignation ofNeil Adams on 5 January 2015, Phelan was named caretaker manager of Norwich.[11] On 9 January, Norwich appointedHamilton Academical managerAlex Neil, and Phelan returned to his first-team coaching duties.[12] On 20 January, Phelan left the club by mutual consent.[13] On 5 February, Phelan was named assistant manager atHull City.[14] On 22 July 2016, following the resignation ofSteve Bruce, the club confirmed that Phelan would act as caretaker manager.[15] He was namedPremier League Manager of the Month for August, after victories overLeicester City andSwansea City, and a narrow defeat toManchester United.[16] On 13 October, Phelan was appointed first-team manager on a permanent basis.[17] On 3 January 2017, Hull City's vice-chairmanEhab Allam released a statement stating that the club and Phelan had parted company for a "fresh approach".[18]
On 16 July 2018, Phelan was appointed sporting director atCentral Coast Mariners;[19] a mostly ambassadorial position. Less than six months later on 19 December, Phelan was appointed as a first-team coach for Manchester United's caretaker manager,Ole Gunnar Solskjær.[20] On 10 May, he was appointed as United's assistant manager for the second time.[21]
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In December 2021, following Solskjær's departure as Manchester United manager, his interim replacementRalf Rangnick confirmed that Phelan would remain as one of the club's first-team coaches, though he was not involved in training sessions.[22]
On 8 December 2024, Phelan moved to be assistant head coach atPlymouth Argyle only to leave on 31 December 2024, following the departure of manager Wayne Rooney.[23]
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Norwich City (caretaker) | 5 January 2015 | 9 January 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | !— | [11][12] |
| Hull City | 22 July 2016 | 3 January 2017 | 24 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 025.0 | [24] |
| Total | 24 | 6 | 5 | 13 | 025.0 | — | ||
Burnley
Norwich City
Manchester United
Individual
