A former Newcastle United man has been appointed manager of a Football League side.
The Magpies have seen many players evolve into managers in recent years as it becomes easier to gain coaching badges.
Newcastle fans will rue Scott Parker at Burnley who currently have Newcastle target James Trafford at their disposal.
Meanwhile, ex-Toon striker Jon Dahl Tomasson is now manager of the Swedish national team following a stint at Blackburn Rovers. Lee Bowyer is also working in international management with Montserrat.
After leaving Newcastle’s affiliates Gateshead, Mike Williamson and Rob Elliot are now at Carlisle and Crawley respectively while Damien Duff has just won the League of Ireland with Shelbourne.
There’s now another name who can be added to that list after taking a job in League One.
Kevin Nolan becomes Northampton Town manager
On Monday it was announced that former Newcastle man Kevin Nolan would join League One strugglers Northampton Town who currently sit two places off the relegation zone.
Nolan joined Newcastle in 2009 and was part of the side that was relegated to the Championship but helped bring the club back up at the first time of asking the year after by scoring 17 goals.
He would make 91 appearances, scoring 30 goals for the Magpies before joining West Ham in 2011.
Nolan had been working alongside David Moyes as his assistant manager at the Hammers before his departure in 2024.
It’s Nolan’s first leading managerial job in six years, he was previously head coach of Leyton Orient and Notts County before the move to West Ham.
Nolan still keeps up with Newcastle from time to time. The 42-year-old was impressed with Sandro Tonali on his return to football after 10 months away.
Newcastle fans will remember him fondly for his chicken celebration which would go down in Toon Army folklore after his departure.
Nolan wanted Alan Shearer out of retirement
Nolan joined the club during the time club legend Alan Shearer was manager in 2009 and despite being retired since 2006 Nolan was adamant the striker could still do a job and help them get out of their slump.
In October 2023, Nolan told talkSPORT: “Yeah he got involved, he still could have played to be fair, he could’ve kept us up if he played, to be honest.
“I think I actually said to him, ‘You should play’. He used to bang goals in every time he got an opportunity, goal, goal.”
“Everything about him, his technique, his power, the way he hit the ball. I’m sure you could [teach what he had] but it would take a lot of practice.
“I’m sure that’s come from him doing it a lot when he was younger and continuing it and just getting better at it. But I’m sure a lot of it comes down to talent as well.”
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