Misplaced Pages

Stephen Mark Agnew (born 9 November 1965) is an English football coach and former professional footballer. He is assistant head coach to Steve Bruce at Blackpool.

As a player, he was a midfielder from 1983 to 2002, notably in the Premier League for Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City and Sunderland, and in the Football league for Barnsley, Portsmouth and York City before finishing his career in non-League with Gateshead.

He has since worked as a coach in a variety roles at Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Leeds United, Hartlepool Utd, Hull City, Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday, Newcastle United, West Bromwich Albion and Aberdeen.

Playing career

Agnew was born in Shipley, West Riding of Yorkshire. He started his career at Barnsley, staying there for eight years after turning professional and playing more than 200 times. He was sold to Blackburn Rovers for a £700,000 fee in June 1991 – making him the Ewood Park club's most costly signing at the time, just after wealthy owner Jack Walker bought the club. His spell at Blackburn was unsuccessful, only making four appearances before he joined Portsmouth on loan and then Leicester City permanently in the 1992–93 season, when Rovers were in the new Premier League and Leicester were challenging for promotion from Division One. During his time at Blackburn, the club earned promotion to the Premier League, but Agnew's part in the success was a minimal one as the attention was focused on big-money new signings such as Mike Newell and Roy Wegerle and later Alan Shearer and Stuart Ripley. One of Agnew's most memorable nights in a Leicester City shirt was 15 April 1993, when Leicester beat Millwall 3–0. Agnew scored and was sent off. Agnew "reacted angrily to a heavy challenge by Andy Roberts. At least a dozen players jostled each other as police, stewards and the respective managers tried to restore order. Agnew, who had already been cautioned, appeared to lash out at a Millwall player, leaving Mr Parker no option other than to reach for red. Millwall tried hard to exploit their numerical advantage, only for the home team to score again through David Oldfield." He was part of the Leicester team that won promotion to the Premier League as Division One play-off winners in 1994.

Agnew then moved north to Sunderland, helping them win promotion to the Premier League as Division One champions in 1996, although they went down after just one season. In 1998 he signed for York City and despite his efforts the Bootham Crescent team were unable to avoid relegation from Division Two in the 1998–99 season. Agnew spent the 2001–02 season playing for Gateshead, where he finished his playing career.

Coaching career

In February 2002, Agnew moved into coaching, becoming assistant manager of Gateshead to Gary Gill. Both he and Gill resigned from Gateshead after the playing budget was cut in early October 2002.

Agnew continued his coaching at the Middlesbrough Academy and then joined Leeds United as reserve-team manager on 23 July 2003. Agnew left the club to become assistant manager at Hartlepool United on 23 June 2005. On 9 February 2006, Agnew quit his position as reserve-team coach at Hartlepool before rejoining Leeds as under-18s manager.

He rejoined Middlesbrough as reserve-team coach on 23 January 2007. He was promoted to the position of assistant manager on 7 July 2008, following the departure of Steve Harrison. On 18 October 2010, he took over as caretaker manager at Middlesbrough following the resignation of Gordon Strachan. On 29 June 2012, Agnew took up the post of assistant manager at Hull City.

On 23 December 2014, Agnew joined Middlesbrough as assistant head coach, working under head coach Aitor Karanka. On 16 March 2017, Agnew took over as caretaker manager at Middlesbrough, after Aitor Karanka was dismissed. His first match in charge came three days later, as Middlesbrough were beaten 3–1 at home by Manchester United. He was unable to save Middlesbrough from relegation after they finished 19th in the Premier League, remaining in charge until the appointment of Garry Monk on 9 June 2017.

On 22 December 2017 Agnew was appointed the first team coach of Aston Villa. But on 3 October 2018, head coach Steve Bruce, Colin Calderwood, Stephen Clemence, Gary Walsh and Agnew himself, were all fired.

On 2 January 2019 Sheffield Wednesday announced that the club had appointed Steve Bruce as the club's new head coach from 1 February 2019. Clemence and Agnew would be in charge of the team in his absence until that date. With the arriving of Bruce, Agnew would function as a first team coach. In November 2021, Agnew followed Bruce out the door at Newcastle United, following the appointment of Eddie Howe and his backroom staff.

Bruce was appointed manager of Championship club West Bromwich Albion in February 2022, and was again accompanied by Agnew and Clemence. They left with him when he was sacked eight months later. on 30 January 2023 he join Aberdeen as interim assistant manager to interim manager Barry Robson following sacking of Jim Goodwin, signing on 1 May 2023 with Barry for a further two and a half years until end of season 2024–25. On 31 January 2024, the club parted company with both Robson and Agnew.

Agnew followed Bruce to Blackpool on 3 September 2024, with Bruce replacing Neil Critchley as head coach.

Personal life

Agnew's nephew Jordan Rhodes is also a footballer.

Managerial statistics

As of 27 January 2019

Honours

Sunderland

• Football League First Division: 1995–96

Individual

• Barnsley Player of the Year: 1989–90

References

1. ^ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2001). The 2001–2002 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. London: AFS. p. 10. ISBN 978-0-946531-34-9.
2. Shaw, Phil (15 April 1993). "Football: Leicester maul Millwall". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
3. "Proudlock sad to depart Gateshead". Non-League Daily. 11 February 2002. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
4. Moreland, Bob (4 October 2002). "Double quit blow". Sunday Sun. Newcastle. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012.
5. "Opportunity knocks for Steve". Leeds United F.C. 23 July 2003. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 29 March 2017.
6. "Agnew leaves Leeds for Hartlepool". BBC Sport. 23 June 2005. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
7. "Agnew follows Scott out of Pools". BBC Sport. 9 February 2006. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
8. "Agnew rejoins Boro coaching staff". BBC Sport. 23 January 2007. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
9. "Harrison leaves Boro". Sky Sports. 7 July 2008. Retrieved 7 July 2008.
10. ^ "Gordon Strachan resigns as manager of Middlesbrough". BBC Sport. 18 October 2010. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
11. "New staff announcement". Hull City A.F.C. 29 June 2012. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012.
12. "Steve Agnew takes Middlesbrough assistant head coach role". BBC Sport. 23 December 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
13. ^ "Aitor Karanka: Middlesbrough sack manager after three and a half years". BBC Sport. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
14. Gwilliam, Louise (19 March 2017). "Middlesbrough 1–3 Manchester United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
15. ^ "Garry Monk: Middlesbrough name ex-Leeds United boss as manager". BBC Sport. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
16. "Steve Agnew Joins Aston Villa". Middlesbrough FC. 22 December 2017.
17. "Club statement: Steve Bruce". Aston Villa FC. 3 October 2018.
18. Steve Bruce appointed Wednesday manager , swfc.co.uk, 2 January 2019
19. Steve Agnew – First team – Coaching staff profiles – Sheffield Wednesday, swfc.co.uk, 2 January 2019
20. "Steve Bruce appointed Albion manager". West Bromwich Albion F.C. 3 February 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
21. "Steve Bruce: West Bromwich Albion part company with manager". BBC Sport. 10 October 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
22. "Barry Robson drafts in Steve Agnew for assistance in Aberdeen interim role". 30 January 2023.
23. "Club Statement: Management Team Departs". www.afc.co.uk. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
24. FC, Blackpool (3 September 2024). "Steve Bruce Appointed As Head Coach". Blackpool FC. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
25. Shaw, Dominic (11 March 2015). "Jordan Rhodes: Five things you need to know about the Boro target". Teesside Gazette. Middlesbrough. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015.
26. ^ "Managers: Steve Agnew". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
27. "Barnsley Player of the Season". Barnsley FC. Retrieved 2 January 2024.

External links

• Steve Agnew at Soccerbase

• 1965 births
• Living people
• Sportspeople from Shipley, West Yorkshire
• Footballers from West Yorkshire
• English men's footballers
• Men's association football midfielders
• Barnsley F.C. players
• Blackburn Rovers F.C. players
• Portsmouth F.C. players
• Leicester City F.C. players
• Sunderland A.F.C. players
• York City F.C. players
• Gateshead F.C. players
• English Football League players
• Premier League players
• Northern Premier League players
• English football managers
• Middlesbrough F.C. managers
• English Football League managers
• Premier League managers
• Gateshead F.C. non-playing staff
• Middlesbrough F.C. non-playing staff
• Leeds United F.C. non-playing staff
• Hartlepool United F.C. non-playing staff
• Hull City A.F.C. non-playing staff
• Aston Villa F.C. non-playing staff
• Sheffield Wednesday F.C. non-playing staff
• Newcastle United F.C. non-playing staff
• West Bromwich Albion F.C. non-playing staff
• Aberdeen F.C. non-playing staff
• Blackpool F.C. non-playing staff