Micky Mellon

Micky Mellon

Mellon pictured in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Michael Joseph Mellon
Date of birth	(1972-03-18) 18 March 1972
Place of birth	Paisley, Scotland
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1989–1993	Bristol City	35	(1)
1991–1992	→ Cork City (loan)	11	(3)
1993–1994	West Bromwich Albion	45	(6)
1994–1997	Blackpool	125	(14)
1997–1999	Tranmere Rovers	57	(3)
1999–2001	Burnley	85	(5)
2001	→ Tranmere Rovers (loan)	1	(0)
2001–2004	Tranmere Rovers	115	(3)
2004–2005	Kidderminster Harriers	7	(0)
2005	Witton Albion	7	(0)
2005–2006	Lancaster City	2	(0)
Total		490	(35)
Managerial career
2008–2012	Fleetwood Town
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Michael Joseph "Micky" Mellon (born 18 March 1972) is a Scottish former professional footballer, though he never played professionally in his native land. He was most recently manager of Fleetwood Town.

Playing career

Born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Mellon began his career in 1989 as a 17-year-old with Bristol City gaining promotion to the then First Division, then managed by Joe Jordan. In 1991 he was loaned out for two months to League of Ireland club Cork City, making his League of Ireland debut on 20 October 1991. He made eleven league appearances for Cork, scoring three goals.

He spent four years at Ashton Gate, before joining Midlanders West Bromwich Albion in 1993 for a fee of £75,000. He played 45 league games for West Brom, scoring six goals in their promotion season ending in a play off victory over Port Vale at Wembley . It was his move to Blackpool for a fee of £50,000 in 1994, however, that saw Mellon establish himself as a regular on the team and scoresheet. Under Sam Allardyce's guidance, Mellon made 138 appearances and scored 17 goals in all competitions. He was voted the club's Player of the year in the 1995-96 season as the club just missed out on promotion from Division Two.

The season following Allardyce's sacking in 1997, Mellon moved up a division to join Tranmere Rovers, who were then playing in Division One, for a fee of £300,000. He spent two seasons at Prenton Park, followed by another two with Burnley, whom he joined for £350,000 gaining promotion finishing second to preston north end. He returned to Tranmere Rovers in March 2001 initially on loan, and then on a free transfer. He was released in May 2004.

Mellon joined Kidderminster Harriers in August 2004, signing a two year contract.

After leaving Harriers, Mellon spent a short spell at Witton Albion in 2005 before joining Lancaster City.

Management and coaching

Lancaster City and Burnley

Mellon was appointed as assistant manager of Lancaster City in June 2006. However, on 10 October after an FA Cup defeat to Scarborough he left the club along with four players for financial reasons. He moved to his former club Burnley as a youth team coach, coaching the Under-15 and Under-16 teams.

Fleetwood Town

On 23 September 2008 Mellon was appointed manager of Fleetwood Town in the Conference North, succeeding Tony Greenwood. Mellon initially divided his time between coaching at Burnley and managing Fleetwood. However, on 12 January 2009, his position was made full-time, a first in the history of the club. Mellon led Fleetwood to a successful FA Cup run, reaching the Second Round for the first time in their history. He introduced a number of new faces to the playing staff, and over the course of the season produced a settled team with increasingly improving league results. Fleetwood finished the season in a creditable eighth place, having been bottom of the league when he was appointed.

Chairman Andy Pilley appointed the Burnley youth team coach and former Blackpool midfielder Micky Mellon as manager on 23 September. Macauley was later named as his assistant. Mellon at first divided his time between coaching the Under-15 and Under-16 teams at Burnley and managing Fleetwood.,[7] but on 12 January 2009, his position was made full-time, a first in the history of the club.[8] Mellon introduced a number of new faces to the playing staff, and over the course of the season produced a settled team with increasingly improving league results.[11] The team finished in eighth place overall, thereby securing the highest position in the club's history since the 1997 re-establishment.

From the beginning of the 2009–10 season, Fleetwood were seen as serious promotion contenders. By the end of 2009, Southport and Fleetwood had established themselves as the two strongest teams in the league. A 5–0 defeat to Southport on Boxing Day at Haig Avenue appeared to have tipped the balance Southport's way, but this was followed by a 4–0 Fleetwood victory in the return fixture at Highbury on New Year's Day.

The demise of Farsley Celtic late in the season led their entire 2009–10 playing record being expunged, thereby costing Fleetwood three points relative to Southport. Fleetwood appealed against the decision but the appeal was rejected the day before the last match of the season, leaving Southport one point ahead. A final day 2–0 victory over Stalybridge Celtic proved ultimately inadequate in securing the championship as Southport defeated Eastwood Town 3–0 away from home to win the championship, and the automatic promotion place, by one point. A two-legged playoff semi-final against Droylsden was decided on penalties, as a 2–0 defeat at Droylesden was countered by a 3–1 victory at Highbury. Goalkeeper Danny Hurst saved the last penalty to put Fleetwood through 4–3. The final was played against Alfreton Town at Highbury on May 9, in front of a new record capacity crowd of 3,592.

Fleetwood defeated Alfreton 2-1 in Play-off final. The team's second place finish and ultimate promotion to the Conference, the fifth tier of English football, secured the highest position in the club's history since the 1997 re-establishment.

In season 2010/2011 Fleetwood finished fifth in the Conference National, losing the Play-Off semi final 8-1 on aggregate to Wimbledon.

Fleetwood won the 2011/2012 Conference National attaining 103 points in the process. Fleetwood progressed to the 3rd round of the FA Cup for the first time in their history; beating Wycombe and Yeovil before finally succumbing 5-1 to neighbours Blackpool infront of a sell-out crowd.

Mellon's Fleetwood are progressing well in their first season in the Football League, sitting comfortably in the top half of the table however he was sacked on the 01/12/12 after losing 2-3 at home to Aldershot town in the FA Cup

Managerial stats

Statistics account for all competitions.

Updated: 1 December 2012

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				G	W	D	L	Win %
Fleetwood Town		27 September 2008	Present	225	116	58	51	51.56

Personal life

Mellon has lived in Blackpool since 1994. He is married to Jane.

Energie Shokk Gym Franchisee

Mellon opened the very first franchised energie Shokk gym aimed at teenagers with his wife Jane in Blackpool in February 2009.

The gym later went out of business in October 2009.

External links

• Micky Mellon at Soccerbase
• Micky Mellon management career statistics at Soccerbase
• An article by Mellon in The Guardian, 6 January 2012