Banbury appoint ex-Derby, Ipswich, Chelsea, Notts, Walsall, Northampton player Kevin Wilson as their new manager first team manager.
The announcement came ahead of his new side’s victory over Darlington in midweek, with his first game in charge being at Chester on Saturday.
It has been over 7 years since his last managerial role, at Nuneaton, and prior to that, has been in charge of the likes of Ilkeston, Corby, Hucknall, Kettering, Aylesbury United, Bedford and Northampton.
Banbury currently sit 16th in the National League North standings with 36 points from 29 games played, 7 points above the drop zone.
𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 🏠 #WeAreUnited | #UTP pic.twitter.com/XPeUSWV3xN
— Banbury United FC (@BanburyUnitedFC) January 30, 2024
— Banbury United FC (@BanburyUnitedFC) January 30, 2024
CLUB STATEMENT:
Highly experienced manager and former top-flight footballer who began his career at Banbury United returns to his hometown club.
Kevin Wilson is confirmed as Banbury United FC’s new first team manager. Kevin, 62, met the players and coaching staff ahead of tonight’s National League North home fixture against Darlington and will take his first match in charge away at Chester on Saturday.
He said: “I’m delighted to come back to my roots at Banbury United and manage the Club at this point in its history. The time is right. I love this club.”
Kevin is Banbury born and bred. He first joined the Club aged 17, entering the first team in 1978/79 where he made 45 appearances and scored 13 goals. It secured him a Club record £25,000 transfer to Football League club Derby County. Kevin enjoyed a long career playing for Ipswich Town, Chelsea, Notts County, Walsall and Northampton Town, amassing 740 appearances and 207 goals. He was capped 42 times for Northern Ireland, scoring six goals.
He entered management with Northampton Town where he achieved promotion to League Two in 2000. He went onto manage clubs including Bedford Town, Aylesbury United, Kettering Town and Ilkeston Town. Kevin managed Nuneaton Town from May 2015 to November 2016 before becoming a director of the Sportz Connexions football agency.
Kevin added: “I have been asked to come in, with the short-term goal of ensuring that Banbury United stays in the Vanarama National League North.
“The club is entering a very exciting phase, with an impending ground move that requires significant funds to be raised – we simply must stay in this league. From what we saw on Saturday, we have the talent on board to achieve this. I’ll have a different management style for sure, but I do not plan to make any rush decisions with the squad.”
Kevin’s return to Banbury United fulfils his passionate desire to develop football in the town, for the first team and for the youth of the town.
“Longer term, I’m keen that Banbury United improves the pathway to professional football for local youngsters,” he said. “Banbury served me well as a teenager and I would like to give something back to the promising talent of the town.”
Ronnie Johnson, Chairman of Banbury United FC, said: “I think I speak on behalf of Banbury past and present by expressing our pleasure at the appointment of Kevin Wilson as manager of Banbury United Football Club. Kevin’s homecoming is something of a fairy tale story for one of the Club’s greatest ever players and we see in him the right experience and character to work with our squad, ensuring we remain playing football at this level and putting in the groundwork for a competitive 24/25 season. Welcome back home, Kevin!”
For an in-depth look at Kevin’s former career, please see David Shadbolt’s article, here.
HIS CAREER:
Youth days
Banbury United
Senior – *Club domestic league appearances and goals
1979–1985 – Derby County – 124 games (30 goals)
1985–1987 – Ipswich Town – 98 games (34 goals)
1987–1992 – Chelsea – 152 games (42 goals)
1992–1994 – Notts County – 69 games (3 goals)
1994 → Bradford City (loan) – 5 games (0 goals)
1994–1997 – Walsall – 125 games (38 goals)
1997–2001 – Northampton Town – 31 games (2 goals)
Total – 604 games (149 goals)
International career
1987–1995 – Northern Ireland – 42 games (6 goals)
Managerial career
1999–2001 – Northampton Town
2002–2003 – Bedford Town
2003 – Aylesbury United
2003–2005 – Kettering Town
2005–2006 – Kettering Town
2006–2007 – Hucknall Town
2007–2008 – Corby Town
2009–2010 – Ilkeston Town
2010–2015 – Ilkeston
2015–2016 – Nuneaton
Twitter users reacted as Banbury appoint the ex-Derby, Ipswich, Chelsea, Notts, Walsall, Northampton player as their new manager…
@wadeycobbler: Super Kevin Wilson. Still the record transfer fee received for any Banbury player. Good luck fella. You were great at Cobblers guiding us to promotion back in 1999/2000.
@CUSSLEWIS: An excellent appointment, well done to the board and members for making it happen. He will hopefully pull the club together again after all the upheaval since last summer. Feel for Joner of course, he tried hard but hopefully the club can achieve it’s immediate and long term goals
@Nickcla71: Good luck SuperKev
@markhudsonjones: Exciting times!
@UTPN1931: Welcome back Kev 👋
@tsdcfc: Derby and Banbury fan here this is class
@TownendReds: Some of you were lucky enough to watch him. The rest of us grew up on stories of this icon of our clubs history. Now, we get to create some new stories. Welcome Home Kevin Wilson ❤️💛
@GWP84: Kevin Wilson’s Tramway Army
@meadows_liam: What an Announcement 😍 Goosebumps
@_HVN_06: Not gonna act like I know alot about the life and times of Kevin Wilson, but this seems like an amazing appointment #UTP
@ch4zf1: Very exciting this. If he keeps us up, truly will be one of the greatest red and gold legends
@BigGoonerGadge1: Super Kevin Wilson ♥️💛
👑 https://t.co/R4ruu5iDkB pic.twitter.com/Ir8J2dnxpn
— Lewis Aston (@LewisAston777) January 30, 2024

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