Home » Article » Portsmouth’s New Coach, Rooney Joins Bury And McDonald Leaves For Boundary Park! – Football League Roundup

Portsmouth’s New Coach, Rooney Joins Bury And McDonald Leaves For Boundary Park! – Football League Roundup

Financially troubled Portsmouth have named ex player Alan McLoughlin as the club’s new first-team coach. The forty-six year old played for the south coast side during the nineties and with over 300 appearances to his name he is considered to be a true club legend. McLoughlin has also been working in the academy for the previous two years but has sacrificed his role, which he said he enjoyed very much, to jump up to the first-team.

Portsmouth manager Guy Whittingham has also recently appointed Steve Allen as his new assistant manager in a new look backroom staff at Fratton Park.

“I have to thank Guy for giving me this opportunity. It’s been a tough year for me and my family, but this is a proud day for me,”McLoughlin said, “It was a difficult decision to leave the academy after a wonderful two years with some fantastic staff who have helped me along the way,” McLoughlin added,

“I owe a lot of thanks to Andy Awford the academy manager, who brought me back into the club and has shown me a lot of support. It took a lot of thought, but you only live once and I couldn’t turn down the chance to work with the first team.”

Staying with Wigan as Sandy Stewart has been unveiled as the new assistant manager to Coyle. The forty-seven year old re-unites with the man he has worked with at each of Coyle’s last three clubs. Stewart has worked with his fellow countryman at Bolton, Burnley and St. Johnstone.

Rooney has joined Bury!

If you’re looking at the screen and wandering how a club as little as Bury managed to sign a world-class player like Wayne Rooney then your right to be wondering because this is Wayne’s younger lesser known brother John Rooney. Bury have signed the forward on a one year deal as he tries to follow the footsteps of older brother. Obviously having a less successful career than his brother, John started his career at the mighty Maccelsfield and before leaving the leaving the club made forty-six appearances.

He then had two unsuccessful trials with championship sides Derby and Huddersfield. Since then Rooney has been playing his football abroad in the U.S and back in England as he joined MLS side New York Red Bulls. He then had a short spell at Orlando City before deciding to move back to England with Barnsley in a disappointing spell. At the very, very beginning of his career he was a product of the Everton youth academy. He was at the academy between 1996 and 2002.

Charlie MacDonald

Oldham Athletic have signed striker Charlie MacDonald on a one year deal, with an option of a second year. MacDonald was released by Leyton Orient at the end of last season after scoring three goals in twenty appearances. That included a brace against Bournemouth in March, but Orient didn’t see why they should have kept him so they let him go. The thirty-two year old comes in as a short-term replacement for Leeds United bound striker Matt Smith.

That makes Oldham manager Lee Johnson, who at 32 is the youngest manager in the entire football league, the same age as his own new signing! MacDonald began last season at MK Dons after signing from Brentford but left to join the O’s on a short-term contract in January. Will the veteran striker find a more permanent home at Boundary Park?

Written by Guest Author – Dexter

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