terry phelan

The wonderful Terry “The Scuttler” Phelan is a football coach and former professional footballer, who most famously played for Wimbledon and Manchester City in the 1980s and 1990s. He also made 42 appearances for the Republic of Ireland national team, including at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, and was named FIFA Young International Player of the Year in 1992. He now works as a footballing pundit on Sony Sports India’s The Kick Off Show, and as technical director of Indian I-League side South United FC.

Born and raised in Manchester, Phelan showed a natural talent for football at a young age and was part of the Leeds United youth system. He began his professional career in 1985 playing for the club’s first team, before moving to Swansea City on a free transfer in 1986, and then to the top division side Wimbledon in 1987. In his first season at Wimbledon he helped the team secure their shock victory in the 1988 FA Cup final against the then dominate Liverpool. In 1992 he transferred to Manchester City for £2.5 million, equalling the British record transfer fee for a defender. He moved to Chelsea in November 1995, then to Everton in 1997. After a loan spell at Crystal Palace in 1999, he moved to Fulham and helped the side secure promotion to the Premier League in 2001. After a short spell with Sheffield United, he moved to the United States to play for Charleston Battery and to coach young players. In 2005 he was named player-coach of Otago United in New Zealand. He retired as a player in 2009, and concentrated on coaching. In 2015 he moved to India to become the technical director of the grassroots programme at Kerala Blasters of the Indian Super League. In 2019 he became technical director at South United FC.

Phelan regularly connects with his legions of followers and fans through Instagram, posting pictures and videos about his life around football.