Paul James Raynor (born 29 April 1966) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He has worked as assistant manager under Steve Evans at Rotherham United, Leeds United, Mansfield Town, Peterborough United, Gillingham and Stevenage. He is currently at Rotherham United.

Paul Raynor
Raynor in 2014
Personal information
Full name Paul James Raynor
Date of birth (1966-04-29) 29 April 1966 (age 58)
Place of birth Nottingham, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Nottingham Forest
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1984–1985 Nottingham Forest 3 (1)
1984Bristol Rovers (loan) 8 (0)
1985–1987 Huddersfield Town 50 (9)
1987–1992 Swansea City 191 (27)
1988Wrexham (loan) 6 (0)
1992–1993 Cambridge United 49 (2)
1993–1995 Preston North End 80 (9)
1995–1997 Cambridge United 79 (7)
1997 Guangdong Hongyuan 10 (1)
1998 Leyton Orient 15 (0)
1998–1999 Kettering Town
1999–2000 Ilkeston Town
2000–2001 Boston United
2001 King's Lynn 5 (0)
2001 Hednesford Town 11 (0)
2001 Gainsborough Trinity
2002 Ossett Albion
2002–2004 King's Lynn 68 (1)
2007–2009 Crawley Town 4 (1)
Managerial career
2001 Hednesford Town
2004–2006 Boston United (assistant manager)
2006–2007 Boston United
2007–2012 Crawley Town (assistant manager)
2012–2015 Rotherham United (assistant manager)
2015–2016 Leeds United (assistant head coach)
2016–2018 Mansfield Town (assistant head coach)
2018–2019 Peterborough United (assistant manager)
2019–2022 Gillingham (assistant manager)
2022–2024 Stevenage (assistant manager)
2024– Rotherham United (assistant manager)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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He played in the Football League for Nottingham Forest, Bristol Rovers,[2] Huddersfield Town,[3] Swansea City, Wrexham,[4] Cambridge United,[5] Preston North End[6] (where he briefly played alongside a young David Beckham), and Leyton Orient.[7] He also spent a year in the Chinese Jia-A League with Guangdong Hongyuan.[8]

After leaving Leyton Orient, Raynor moved into non-League football with clubs including Kettering Town, Ilkeston Town, Boston United,[9] King's Lynn, Hednesford Town, where he spent a few months as player-manager,[10][11] Gainsborough Trinity,[12] Ossett Albion, and then King's Lynn again, to be released at the end of the 2002–03 season, only to rejoin for the next.[13][14]

Coaching career

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Raynor has coached at clubs Sheffield United and Boston United, where he was assistant manager for a time to Steve Evans.[15] In May 2007 Evans and Raynor left Boston to take over as manager and assistant at Crawley Town,[16] where he occasionally appeared as a player in the Conference.[9] The pair subsequently moved to Rotherham United. On 28 September 2015, Raynor left Rotherham.[9] On 19 October 2015, Raynor joined fellow Championship side Leeds United, once again as assistant to Evans.[17][18] On 31 May 2016, Evans and Raynor were both sacked by Leeds owner Massimo Cellino, with Evans becoming the sixth manager sacked by Cellino in two years.[19]

In June 2019 Raynor linked up with Evans once again at Gillingham.[20] Both departed the club on 9 January 2022.[21]

References

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  1. ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 356. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  2. ^ "Nottingham Forest : 1946/47–2008/09". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  3. ^ "Huddersfield Town : 1946/47–2008/09". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  4. ^ "Swansea City : 1946/47–2008/09". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  5. ^ "Cambridge United : 1970/71–2004/05". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  6. ^ "Preston North End : 1946/47–2008/09". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  7. ^ "Leyton Orient : 1946/47–2008/09". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  8. ^ Nixon, Alan (26 June 1997). "Sheffield United rate Kendall's loss at £1m". The Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  9. ^ a b c "Paul Raynor All-time playing career". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Archived from the original on 10 September 2005. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  10. ^ Stoner, Colin (26 May 2001). "Raynor vow to rescue Pitmen" (reprint). Birmingham Post. Retrieved 20 October 2009 – via FindArticles. [dead link]
  11. ^ Stoner, Colin (12 October 2001). "Pitmen to move fast as Raynor is sacked" (reprint). Birmingham Post. Retrieved 20 October 2009 – via FindArticles. [dead link]
  12. ^ "Player Details: Season 2001–2002". SoccerFacts UK. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  13. ^ "Morris Influence Easy To See at the Walks". NonLeague Daily. 5 April 2002. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  14. ^ "News Archive May–August 2003". King's Lynn F.C. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  15. ^ "Paul Raynor (First Team Coach)". Boston United F.C. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  16. ^ "Crawley appoint Evans as new boss". BBC Sport. 29 May 2007. Retrieved 20 October 2009.
  17. ^ "Steve Evans Appointed United Head Coach". Leeds United F.C. 19 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Steve Evans: Leeds appoint new boss as Massimo Cellino banned". BBC Sport. 19 October 2015.
  19. ^ "Steve Evans: Leeds United sack head coach". BBC Sport. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  20. ^ "Rotherham part company with Evans". BBC Sport.
  21. ^ "Club Statement". gillinghamfootballclub.com. 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
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