Mick Halsall

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mick Halsall

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Michael Halsall

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1961|7|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bootle, England

| height = {{height|ft=5|in=10}}{{Cite book |last=Rollin |first=Jack |url=https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball0000roll/page/418/mode/2up |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1990–91 |publisher=Queen Anne Press |year=1990 |isbn=0-356-17911-7 |location=London |pages=418 |oclc=655598315}}

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 = 1977–1979 | youthclubs1 = Liverpool

| years1 = 1979–1983 | clubs1 = Liverpool | caps1 = 0 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1983–1984 | clubs2 = Birmingham City | caps2 = 36 | goals2 = 3

| years3 = 1984–1987 | clubs3 = Carlisle United | caps3 = 92 | goals3 = 11

| years4 = 1987 | clubs4 = Grimsby Town | caps4 = 12 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 1987–1993 | clubs5 = Peterborough United | caps5 = 249 | goals5 = 28

| years6 = 1996 | clubs6 = Finn Harps | caps6 = 1 | goals6 = 0

| manageryears1 = 1995–1996 | managerclubs1 = Peterborough United

| manageryears2 = 2006 | managerclubs2 = Walsall (caretaker)

| manageryears3 = 2014 | managerclubs3 = Notts County (caretaker)

| manageryears4 = 2015–2016 | managerclubs4 = Notts County (caretaker)

}}

Michael Halsall (born 21 July 1961) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He scored 42 goals in 389 appearances in the Football League, playing for Birmingham City, Carlisle United, Grimsby Town and Peterborough United.{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player6/mickhalsall.html |title=Mick Halsall |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |access-date=5 April 2012}}

He has also worked as a manager with Peterborough United and as caretaker manager at Walsall and at Wolverhampton Wanderers youth academy, {{as of|2014|lc=y}} as professional lead coach.

In August 2014 he joined Notts County, and has had two spells there as caretaker manager.

Playing career

Halsall was born in Bootle, Merseyside. He began his football career as an apprentice with Liverpool in 1977 and turned professional in 1979, but in six years with the club he never played for the first team. He moved on to Birmingham City,{{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=Birmingham City: A Complete Record |year=1995 |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |page=93 |isbn=978-1-85983-010-9}} and went straight into the starting eleven for the First Division game away to West Bromwich Albion on 19 March 1983. Birmingham lost that game 2–0, but Halsall played in all but one of the remaining games of the 1982–83 season, in which the team won five of the last six games to avoid relegation, and scored his first goal for Birmingham in the penultimate game against Tottenham Hotspur.Matthews, p. 218.{{cite news |title=No blues in the rainbow |first=Paul |last=Harrison |work=The Times |date=9 May 1983 |page=18 |quote=Birmingham's players responded with their fourth win in five games, one which took them out of the bottom three for the first time this season ... Tottenham were well and truly unhinged by Phillips's ball to the fast and creative Handysides, whose centre left the unmarked Halsall to stab into the net after 16 minutes.}} Halsall began the following season as a first-team regular, but despite demonstrating his enthusiasm and capacity for hard work, he gradually lost his hold on a starting place. He was sent off in his last appearance for the club, in a League Cup tie in October 1984, and was promptly sold to Carlisle United for a fee of £5,000.Matthews, pp. 219–20.

When Halsall joined Carlisle, they were in the Second Division;{{cite web |url=http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/ad969/archive/1984-85.htm |title=Season 1984–85: Back to Mediocrity |work=Carlisle United Online Archive |access-date=17 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604030747/http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/ad969/archive/1984-85.htm |archive-date=4 June 2011}} by the time he left for Grimsby Town two and a half years later, for a fee of £10,000, they were well on the way to the Fourth.{{cite web |url=http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/ad969/archive/1986-87.htm |title=Season 1986–87: On the Crest of a Slump |work=Carlisle United Online Archive |access-date=17 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604030814/http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/ad969/archive/1986-87.htm |archive-date=4 June 2011}} Grimsby sold Halsall on to Peterborough United for a fee of £25,000 during the 1987 close season.

Halsall spent six seasons as a player with Peterborough, and played 249 league games. He captained the club to promotion from the Fourth Division in the 1990–91 season, to a run of nine consecutive wins the following season which contributed to their reaching sixth place in the Third Division, qualifying for the play-offs, and winning promotion to the second tier of English football for the first time in the club's history.{{cite news |url=http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/sport/Record-breakers-are-not-finished.3881214.jp |title=Record breakers are not finished yet |work=Peterborough Evening Telegraph |date=14 March 2008 |access-date=15 June 2009}}
{{cite web |url=http://www.londonroad.net/wemb1/wembleyRep92.html |title=Peterborough United 2 v Stockport County 1 |publisher=LondonRoad.net |access-date=15 June 2009}}{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820082959/http://www.theposhtrust.co.uk/news/2005/articles.htm |title=2005 Articles |publisher=The Posh Supporters' Trust |archive-date=20 August 2008 |quote=However, among [Steve Collins's] team mates were three players who were destined to help propel Posh through consecutive promotions into the new Division 1 – Noel Luke, Mick Halsall and Worrell Sterling.|url=http://www.theposhtrust.co.uk/news/2005/articles.htm }} The Peterborough Evening Telegraph's "A to Z of Posh" feature summed him up as follows:{{blockquote|Have Posh ever had a better captain than Mick HALSALL? It's doubtful as his tireless, passionate performances made him a club legend even before he lifted the Division Three Play-off trophy at Wembley in 1992.{{cite news |url=http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/poshfeats/H-Gorgeous-graceful-genius-.4557507.jp |title=A to Z of Posh: H |first=Swann |last=Alan |work=Peterborough Evening Telegraph |date=4 October 2008 |access-date=16 June 2009}}}}

Coaching career

In his last season as a Peterborough player he became involved on the coaching side, and in January 1994 he was appointed assistant manager to Chris Turner after the departure of Lil Fuccillo.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-turner-aims-to-paint-new-posh-picture-peterborough-bank-on-having-an-effect-on-tottenham-ian-ridley-reports-1405341.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-turner-aims-to-paint-new-posh-picture-peterborough-bank-on-having-an-effect-on-tottenham-ian-ridley-reports-1405341.html |archive-date=14 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Turner aims to paint new Posh picture: Peterborough bank on having an effect on Tottenham |first=Ian |last=Ridley |work=The Independent |date=7 January 1994 |access-date=15 June 2009}} He then worked under John Still before being appointed manager in October 1995 after Still's departure.{{cite web|url=http://www.theposh.com/page/History/0,,10427~397399,00.html |title=Posh Stats & Records |publisher=Peterborough United F.C |date=15 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717024330/http://www.theposh.com/page/History/0%2C%2C10427~397399%2C00.html |archive-date=17 July 2011 |url-status=dead }} Halsall reverted to coaching when Barry Fry took over the club in June 1996,{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/leeds-poised-to-sell-1334974.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220514/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/leeds-poised-to-sell-1334974.html |archive-date=14 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Leeds poised to sell |work=The Independent |date=1 June 1996 |access-date=15 June 2009}}
{{cite web |url=http://www.uptheposh.com/people/1134/career/ |title=Mick Halsall's Career |work=Up The Posh! |publisher=Chris Wilkinson |access-date=15 June 2009}} only to be sacked as an economy measure a few months later.{{cite web |url=http://www.theposh.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10427~223349,00.html |title=Ex-Manager Will Be Posh Spy in the Stand Next Season |publisher=Peterborough United F.C |access-date=15 June 2009}}

In November 1996, shortly after leaving Peterborough, Halsall made one playing appearance for Finn Harps in a League of Ireland match at Derry City.{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/1996/1125/96112500143.html |title=Derry too strong for Finn Harps |work=Irish Times |url-access=subscription |date=25 November 1996}}

Halsall worked for a private football academy{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/walsall-hand-youth-role-to-fogarty-88406 |title=Walsall hand youth role to Fogarty |work=Birmingham Mail |first=Brian |last=Halford |date=24 March 2009 |access-date=24 February 2014}} and as assistant to John Still at Barnet{{cite web|url=http://www.barnetfc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10431~126589,00.html |title=Signy Says |first=Dennis |last=Signy |publisher=Barnet F.C |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223142404/http://www.barnetfc.com/page/LatestNews/0%2C%2C10431~126589%2C00.html |archive-date=23 February 2012 |url-status=dead }} before joining the coaching staff at Walsall in the 1998–99 season. His main concern was with youth development, though as time went on he had more involvement with the first team, until in October 2002 he was appointed first team coach by manager Colin Lee.{{cite web|url=http://www.saddlers.co.uk/page/News/0,,10428~282359,00.html |title=Exclusive! New First-Team Coach Announced... |publisher=Walsall F.C |date=7 October 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219204643/http://www.saddlers.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10428~282359%2C00.html |archive-date=19 February 2012 |url-status=dead }} In March 2004, the appointment of Paul Bracewell as assistant manager allowed Halsall to return to the post of Head of Youth Development.{{cite web|url=http://www.saddlers.co.uk/page/News/0,,10428~500062,00.html |title=Youth Coaches Depart |publisher=Walsall F.C |date=12 March 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219204714/http://www.saddlers.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10428~500062%2C00.html |archive-date=19 February 2012 |url-status=dead }} After Lee's departure soon afterwards, Halsall offered assistance to player-manager Paul Merson, but was unwilling to accept the role of first-team coach.{{cite web|url=http://www.saddlers.co.uk/page/News/0,,10428~625516,00.html |title=Merson Happy With Halsall |publisher=Walsall F.C |date=10 February 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219204727/http://www.saddlers.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10428~625516%2C00.html |archive-date=19 February 2012 |url-status=dead }} When Merson left in early 2006, Halsall acted as caretaker manager for three matches, but refused any more permanent tenure.{{cite web|url=http://www.saddlers.co.uk/page/PastManagers/0,,10428,00.html |title=Past Managers |publisher=Walsall F.C |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120722155452/http://www.saddlers.co.uk/page/PastManagers/0%2C%2C10428%2C00.html |archive-date=22 July 2012 |url-status=dead }}

Halsall earned himself an excellent reputation in bringing young players through to first-team level, and in January 2009 he was approached by Premier League club Stoke City to manage their youth academy. Walsall's chairman refused to accept Halsall's resignation, but said he would not stand in his way provided that Stoke paid adequate compensation for the loss of his services.{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/mick-halsall-can-go-for-the-right-82999 |title=Mick Halsall can go for the right fee |work=Birmingham Mail |date=22 January 2009 |first=Brian |last=Halford |access-date=24 February 2014}} Halsall decided to stay at Walsall.{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/saddlers-head-of-youth-mick-halsall-84078 |title=Saddlers' head of youth Mick Halsall rejects Stoke approach |work=Birmingham Mail |date=5 February 2009 |first=Andy |last=Walker |access-date=24 February 2014}}

He joined Midlands neighbours Wolverhampton Wanderers in July 2009 as assistant academy manager and under-18's coach where he loved to run them.{{cite news|url=http://www.wolves.co.uk/page/News/0,,10307~1716883,00.html |title=Halsall Joins Academy |publisher=Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C |date=8 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310070243/http://www.wolves.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10307~1716883%2C00.html |archive-date=10 March 2012 |url-status=dead }} After a spell as reserve-team coach in 2012, {{as of|2014|lc=y}} Halsall is professional lead coach at the academy.{{cite web |url=http://www.wolves.co.uk/team/academy_staff/ |title=Wolverhampton Wanderers FC Academy Staff |publisher=Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C |access-date=24 February 2014}}

On 8 August 2014, Halsall was appointed Notts County Head of Academy Coaching.http://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/article/mick-halsall-appointed-notts-county-head-of-academy-coaching-1814158.aspx Head of Academy Coaching at Notts County

On 18 September 2015, he was appointed as the club's new Academy Manager.http://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/article/mick-halsall-appointed-academy-manager-2697326.aspx Academy Manager

On 29 December he was appointed joint caretaker manager of Notts County.http://www.nottinghampost.com/Mick-Halsall-ruled-running-Notts-County-boss/story-28440384-detail/story.html Caretaker manager at Notts County

As of 2018, he is Head of Coaching at the Coventry City academy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ccfc.co.uk/teams/Academy-Staff/|title = Academy Staff - Coventry City}}

Mick has been Head of Academy Coaching at West Bromwich Albion since 2019.