David "Dave" Wilkes is a former professional football midfielder

Midfielder

A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...

 who played for Barnsley

Barnsley F.C.

Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...

, Carlisle United

Carlisle United F.C.

Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....

, Halifax Town, Stockport County

Stockport County F.C.

Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...

, Frickley Athletic and Bridlington Town

Bridlington Town F.C.

Bridlington Town A.F.C. are an English football club, based in Bridlington, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. They were founded in 1918 and currently play in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division. The club's reserve team play in the Humber Premier League.-History:The club was founded in...

.

Barnsley

Wilkes started his career with his hometown club Barnsley, but injury plagued his career there and he only made 17 appearances for them between 1981 and 1984, he also scored 2 goals in this time. Wilkes was sent out on loan in March 1983 to Halifax Town, he made 4 appearances before returning at the end of March.

Hong Kong

Wilkes moved to Hong Kong in 1984 to play for Harps he stayed there from 1984 until 1986, the total of his appearances and goals is unknown. He transferred to Stockport County in 1986.

Stockport County and Non League Career

Wilkes only made 8 appearances for Stockport as injury plagued him once again in 1987, he left for non-league football.

Wilkes had spells at Bridlington and Frickley between 1987 and 1990, his appearances and goals totals are unknown.

Carlisle United

Wilkes joined Carlisle United in 1990 and played 5 games for them, he retired from playing to become the Carlisle youth team coach in 1992.

Carlisle United

After retiring in 1992, Wilkes joined Carlisle United as Youth Development Officer and then in 1995, under Mick Wadsworth

Mick Wadsworth

Michael "Mick" Wadsworth is an English football coach and former player, who is currently the Manager at Football League One club Hartlepool United.-Playing career:...

, he stepped up to a senior coaching role, he also was caretaker manager when Mervyn Day

Mervyn Day

Mervyn Day is a former professional footballer who played in the Football League as a goalkeeper for West Ham United, Leyton Orient, Aston Villa, Leeds United, Luton Town, Sheffield United and Carlisle United. He later managed Carlisle United...

 left the club, in 1997.

Michael Knighton period

In 1997, then-Carlisle United chairman Michael Knighton

Michael Knighton

Michael Knighton is an English businessman who is best known for his involvement in Manchester United and Carlisle United football clubs.-Early life:...

 refused to look for a new manager after Mervyn Day's departure, so he took over team selection and coaching. He was helped by John Halpin and Wilkes himself, who were both directors of coaching. During Carlisle's good spells Wilkes and Halpin were to take back seats and not to claim any credit but when things were going bad they were placed in the firing line by Knighton and endured criticism which they didn't really deserve.

Newcastle United

Around 1999, after leaving his post at Carlisle United, joined Newcastle United with former-colleague Mick Wadsworth.

Huddersfield Town

On 9 July 2002, Wilkes joined Mick Wadsworth at Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield Town F.C.

Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...

 as First Team Coach. The season 2002–03 went awfully wrong for Huddersfield and at one point didn't record a win in 8 games. After a bad run of games in January 2003, Wadsworth was sacked but the club couldn't pay him out so he was reinstated but was sacked again in March 2003, although Wilkes stayed as First Team Coach under Caretaker-Manager Mel Machin

Mel Machin

Melvyn "Mel" Machin is an English former footballer and manager.A midfielder, he started his career at Port Vale in 1962, before he moved on to Gillingham four years later. He made his name at the club from 1966 to 1971, before he transferred to Bournemouth for a three year spell...

 he left in May 2003, along with Machin and goalkeeping-coach Dave Watson

Dave Watson

David "Dave" Watson is an English former professional footballer who made 12 appearances for the English national team. He is now the youth team coach at Newcastle United.-Playing career:...

, when Huddersfield were placed into administration.

Carlisle United, Again

Wilkes re-joined sometime in 2005 as Centre of Excellence Head. As of 2009 he is still Head of the Centre of Excellence.

External links

• Webpage about his spell as Director of Coaching at Carlisle United