David Wilson (Scottish football manager)

David Wilson (born 22 February 1974) is a Scottish football manager who is currently head coach of Manchester 62 in the Gibraltar National League. From April 2013 to March 2015, he served as an assistant manager of the national team under head coach Allen Bula and held the position when the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) was admitted to UEFA in May 2013.[1][2]

David Wilson
Personal information
Full name David James Wilson
Date of birth (1974-02-22) 22 February 1974
Place of birth Kilwinning, Scotland
Playing position(s) Defender
Club information
Current team
 Manchester 62 (manager)
Youth career
1988–1992 Kilmarnock
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Pennyburn Boys Club
Ardeer Thistle
Kilwinning Rangers
1994–1995 Worthing Town
1996–1997 Bashley
1998–2002 Newport (Isle of Wight)
2002–2003 Bashley
Troon
Saltcoats Vic
Auchinleck Talbot
2019 Bruno's Magpies 7 (0)
Teams managed
2013–2015 Gibraltar (assistant manager)
2015 Gibraltar (interim manager)
2015–2016 Gibraltar (assistant manager)
2015–2016 Manchester 62 (assistant manager)
2016 Lions Gibraltar
2016–2019 Bruno's Magpies
2019– Manchester 62
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 24 May 2019

Early life

Wilson was born in Redlands hospital on the west end of Glasgow, Scotland and his family moved to Pennyburn area of Kilwinning in 1985.[1]

Career

Playing career

During his short playing career, Wilson played for Pennyburn Boys Club, Ardeer Thistle, and Kilwinning Rangers, for which he was considered a "star" during the 1990s under head coach Jim McSherry. He was also on the books of Kilmarnock from 1988–1992 as an S form Schoolboy before becoming one of the club's first ever apprentice professional footballers under manager Jim Fleeting in 1990. Wilson decided to walk away from playing at only 19 years of age because he thought that he would never make it at the top level. At this time, Wilson joined the Royal Navy. During his time serving with the Royal Navy Wilson maintained a good level of football representing Worthing Town 1994–95, Bashley FC 1996–97, Newport isle of wight from 1998–2002, before returning to Bashley FC for his final year of football south of the border in 2002–03 playing in the Hampshire cup final against Aldershot Town FC. between 2003–2005 Wilson represented three Scottish non league clubs, Troon, Saltcoats Vic FC and finally Auchinleck Talbot before deciding to retire from playing.[1] In 2019 he re-registered as a player, aged 44, amid an injury crisis at Bruno's Magpies, playing 65 minutes at centre-back in a 5-2 Gibraltar Division 2 Cup win over Leo.[3]

Managerial career

In 2008, Wilson's Navy career took him to Gibraltar to serve as an Exercise Rehabilitation Officer. He also played in matches organized by the Royal Navy Football Association.[4] At this time, he also offered his services to local football clubs to help with fitness. After becoming acquainted with Allen Bula, head coach of the Gibraltar national football team, Wilson was asked to offer his services to the national team in April 2013. After initially thinking that he would only be assessing players and helping with rehabilitation, he soon discovered Bula wanted him to become his "right hand man" and was named an assistant.[1]

Wilson was then on the bench as Gibraltar made their international debut in November 2013, a scoreless draw against Slovakia.[1] Wilson described it as a special occasion when Gibraltar was drawn into the same qualifying group as his native Scotland for UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying, Gibraltar's first appearance in an official UEFA tournament.[5]

After Bula was dismissed as head coach of the Gibraltar national team on 2 March 2015,[6] Wilson was named interim head coach beginning with the team's 29 March 2015 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying fixture against his native Scotland at Hampden Park.[7][8] As of May 2015, Wilson is completing his UEFA 'B' coaching badges in his native Scotland.[9]

Achievements
With Bruno's Magpies

Managerial statistics
As of 28 January 2020

Includes accredited UEFA fixture(s) only:

Team From To Record
GWDLGFGAWin %
Gibraltar (caretaker) March 2015 July 2015 3 0 0 3 1 17 000.00
Lions Gibraltar July 2016 September 2016 0 0 0 0 0 0 !—
Bruno's Magpies October 2016 October 2019 67 48 11 8 267 79 071.64
Manchester 62 November 2019 Present 8 3 0 5 10 17 037.50

References
  1. McGowan, Eric. "Let's rock the world says Gibraltar boss from Kilwinning". Daily Record. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  2. "Gibraltar given full Uefa membership at London Congress". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  3. Match Report: Bruno's Magpies 5-2 Leo Archived 2019-02-25 at the Wayback Machine Gibraltar FA. 24 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  4. "RNFA Vets - Gibraltar Tour". Royal Navy FA. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  5. Scott, Andy. "Minnows Gibraltar ready for Euro baptism of fire". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  6. "GFA announce the departure of Allen Bula". 5point4sports.com. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  7. "Scotsman David Wilson named Gibraltar interim head coach". FIFA. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  8. "'Stars align' for Gibraltar's Scottish manager David Wilson". BBC Sport. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  9. "WILSON ANNOUNCES SQUAD FOR UPCOMING INTERNATIONALS". GibFootballTalk. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
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