Julian Dicks

Julian Dicks was born on August 8, 1968, in Bristol, England. He began his football journey at a young age, joining Birmingham City for an apprenticeship at 14. He progressed through their youth system and made his senior debut in 1985. In 1988, Dicks transferred to West Ham United, where he became a prominent left-back. He made his debut for West Ham on April 2, 1988. During his initial spell with the club, he established a reputation for his robust playing style, earning the nickname “The Terminator” and becoming a regular penalty taker. He was West Ham’s player of the year in 1990 and 1992.

In 1993, Dicks moved to Liverpool FC as part of a swap deal. His time at Liverpool, though brief, included scoring the last goal in front of the standing Spion Kop at Anfield. After a short period with Liverpool, he returned to West Ham United in 1994. In his second spell, he continued to be a key player, notably serving as an emergency goalkeeper in a match against Everton in 1995 and contributing significantly to West Ham’s Premier League survival. He was again named West Ham’s player of the year in 1996 and 1997. Dicks retired from professional football in 1999 after a career marked by significant achievements and a distinct playing style.

Following his playing career, Dicks transitioned into coaching. He managed Wivenhoe Town in 2009 and Grays Athletic from 2009 to 2011. He also coached the Sealand national football team in 2013 and West Ham United Ladies from 2014 to 2015. From 2015 to 2017, he served as a first-team coach for West Ham United under Slaven Bilić. He later managed Heybridge Swifts in two separate periods (2018-2019 and 2021) and was a first-team coach for West Bromwich Albion (2019-2020) and Watford (2022-2023). Most recently, he was appointed manager of Heybridge Swifts for a third time in May 2024, a role he resigned from in October 2025.