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David Wilson (born 22 February 1974) is a Scottish football manager who is currently head coach for Lions Gibraltar in the Gibraltar Football League. From April 2013 to March 2015, he served as an assistant manager of the national team under head coach Allen Bula and held the position when the Gibraltar Football Association (GFA) was admitted to UEFA in May 2013.[1][2] He has also managed Bruno's Magpies and Manchester 62.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David James Wilson | ||
| Date of birth | 22 February 1974 | ||
| Place of birth | Kilwinning, Scotland | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Lions Gibraltar (head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1988–1992 | Kilmarnock | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Pennyburn Boys Club | |||
| Ardeer Thistle | |||
| Kilwinning Rangers | |||
| 1994–1995 | Worthing Town | ||
| 1996–1997 | Bashley | ||
| 1998–2002 | Newport (Isle of Wight) | ||
| 2002–2003 | Bashley | ||
| Troon | |||
| Saltcoats Vic | |||
| Auchinleck Talbot | |||
| 2019 | Bruno's Magpies | 7 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2013–2015 | Gibraltar (assistant manager) | ||
| 2015 | Gibraltar (interim manager) | ||
| 2015–2016 | Gibraltar (assistant manager) | ||
| 2015–2016 | Manchester 62 (assistant manager) | ||
| 2016 | Lions Gibraltar | ||
| 2016–2019 | Bruno's Magpies | ||
| 2019–2022 | Manchester 62 | ||
| 2023 | Mons Calpe U23 (caretaker) | ||
| 2024 | St Joseph's U23 | ||
| 2024– | Lions Gibraltar | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Wilson was born in Redlands hospital on the west end of Glasgow, Scotland and his family moved to Pennyburn area of Kilwinning in 1985.[1]
Playing career
During his short playing career, Wilson played for Pennyburn Boys Club, Ardeer Thistle, and Kilwinning Rangers, for which he was considered a "star" during the 1990s under head coach Jim McSherry. He was also on the books of Kilmarnock from 1988 to 1992 as an S form Schoolboy before becoming one of the club's first ever apprentice professional footballers under manager Jim Fleeting in 1990. Wilson decided to walk away from playing at only 19 years of age because he thought that he would never make it at the top level. At this time, Wilson joined the Royal Navy. During his time serving with the Royal Navy Wilson maintained a good level of football representing Worthing Town 1994–95, Bashley FC 1996–97, Newport isle of wight from 1998 to 2002, before returning to Bashley FC for his final year of football south of the border in 2002–03 playing in the Hampshire cup final against Aldershot Town FC. between 2003 and 2005 Wilson represented three Scottish non league clubs, Troon, Saltcoats Vic FC and finally Auchinleck Talbot before deciding to retire from playing.[1] In 2019 he re-registered as a player, aged 44, amid an injury crisis at Bruno's Magpies, playing 65 minutes at centre-back in a 5-2 Gibraltar Division 2 Cup win over Leo.[3]
Managerial career
In 2008, Wilson's Navy career took him to Gibraltar to serve as an Exercise Rehabilitation Officer. He also played in matches organized by the Royal Navy Football Association.[4] At this time, he also offered his services to local football clubs to help with fitness. After becoming acquainted with Allen Bula, head coach of the Gibraltar national football team, Wilson was asked to offer his services to the national team in April 2013. After initially thinking that he would only be assessing players and helping with rehabilitation, he soon discovered Bula wanted him to become his "right hand man" and was named an assistant.[1]
Wilson was then on the bench as Gibraltar made their international debut in November 2013, a scoreless draw against Slovakia.[1] Wilson described it as a special occasion when Gibraltar was drawn into the same qualifying group as his native Scotland for UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying, Gibraltar's first appearance in an official UEFA tournament.[5]
After Bula was dismissed as head coach of the Gibraltar national team on 2 March 2015,[6] Wilson was named interim head coach beginning with the team's 29 March 2015 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying fixture against his native Scotland at Hampden Park.[7][8] Wilson currently holds his Uefa 'A' Coaching licence having completed both his Uefa A and B coaching badges in his native Scotland.[9]
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Bruno's Magpies
Manchester 62
- GFA Challenge Trophy: 2021–22
- As of 2 November 2024
Includes accredited UEFA fixture(s) only:
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | Win % | |||
| Gibraltar (caretaker) | March 2015 | July 2015 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 0.00 |
| Lions Gibraltar | July 2016 | September 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Bruno's Magpies | October 2016 | October 2019 | 67 | 48 | 11 | 8 | 267 | 79 | 71.64 |
| Manchester 62 | November 2019 | October 2022 | 55 | 16 | 8 | 31 | 70 | 140 | 29.09 |
| Mons Calpe U23 (caretaker) | September 2023 | September 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.00 |
| St Joseph's U23 | January 2024 | May 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0.00 |
| Lions Gibraltar | July 2024 | Present | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 14 | 33.33 |
| Total | 137 | 67 | 21 | 49 | 358 | 261 | 48.91 | ||
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