Paul Tisdale

Football manager infobox
playername = Paul Tisdale


fullname = Paul Robert Tisdale
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1973|01|14|df=y
cityofbirth = Valletta
countryofbirth = Malta
nickname = Tiz
height = height|ft=5|in=9
weight = 11 st 9 lbs
currentclub = Exeter City (Manager)
clubnumber = 17
position = Midfielder
youthyears = 1987–1991
youthclubs = Southampton
years = 1991–1997
1992
1996
1997–1998
1997–1998
1998
1998
1998–1999
1999–2000 2007–
clubs = Southampton
→ Northampton (loan)
→ Huddersfield (loan)
Bristol City
→ Exeter City (loan)
→ Dundee United (loan)
FinnPa
Panionios
Yeovil Town
Exeter City
caps(goals) = 16 (1)
05 (0)
02 (0)
06 (0)
10 (1)
00 (0)
? (?)
18 (1)
15 (1) 00 (0)
manageryears = 2001–2006
2006–
managerclubs = Team Bath
Exeter City

Paul Robert Tisdale (born 14 January 1973 in Malta) is an ex-professional footballer, and the current manager of Exeter City.

Playing career

outhampton

A former England youth international, Tisdale came through the youth system at Southampton. He signed as a professional in June 1991. He was loaned out to Northampton Town at the end of the 1991-92 season, where he made 5 league appearances.

He eventually made his Southampton debut in a League Cup game against Huddersfield Town on 5 October 1994. Unfortunately, at this time Southampton were enduring frequent changes of manager and, as a result, Tisdale never had a settled run in the first team. Having played his last senior game for Southampton on 27 April 1996, he again went out on loan in the 1996-97 season, this time to Huddersfield Town, where he made only two appearances.

In his time at Southampton he made a total of 18 first team appearances, scoring once, against Manchester City on 16 March 1996, when he took one touch and delicately lifted the ball over goalkeeper Eike Immel. Following the departure of mentor David Merrington, Tisdale moved to Bristol City in August 1997.

Bristol City and after

At Bristol City his appearances were limited. It was while at Bristol City that Tisdale got his first taste of life at Exeter, on a 3 month loan in the 1997-98 season. He left Ashton Gate after just one year, and began a globe-trotting career, playing for FinnPa (Finland) and Panionios (Greece) before returning to spend a year with Yeovil Town.

Coaching and management

Team Bath

Injury forced him to end his career early, and he took a coaching role with Team Bath in 2000. His time at the University of Bath side is best remembered for the FA Cup run in the 2002-03 season, in which they became the first university team to enter the competition since Gonville & Caius in 1881. Team Bath entered in the preliminary round and advanced through four qualifying rounds to the first round proper, before losing to Mansfield Town. At Team Bath, he had a great deal of success, earning four promotions.

Exeter City

Paul Tisdale's achievements at Team Bath prompted Exeter City to appoint him as their manager on 26 June 2006.

Following a major summer clearout under predecessor Alex Inglethorpe, three of Tisdale's four pre-season signings were defenders. Classy centre-half Rob Edwards was the one key first-teamer, but the transfer window closed with City boasting just three strikers and no winger, much to the alarm of many Grecians.

However, Tisdale's neat footballing style was warmly welcomed at St. James` Park, with his side's patient approach and desire to pass the ball in all areas of the pitch catching the eye amid the rough and tumble of the Conference League. City were too-often blunt in attack - never more so than in a 1-0 defeat at Burton Albion, live on Sky TV - but they stayed among the play-off contenders courtesy of an efficient record against lesser sides and a host of draws against stronger sides.

Late in 2006, Tisdale finally got himself a winger by re-signing Wayne Carlisle, and in the January 2007 transfer window he recruited full-back Steve Tully, wide man Lee Elam and striker Richard Logan from Weymouth, financing the signings with the sale of Danny Woodards to Crewe.

The new blood gave City a boost, and in April 2007, Tisdale led Exeter to their first-ever appearance in the post-season playoffs, where they played Oxford United. They lost the first leg at St James Park 1-0; however, they recorded a thrilling 2-1 victory at Oxford and reached the play off final with a 4-3 win on penalties, where they met Morecambe at Wembley on 20 May, losing 2-1.

Tisdale re-registered himself as a player for the beginning of the 2007-08 season, giving himself the squad number 17, but he did not feature in the first team.

In the summer of 2007, Tisdale’s moves in the transfer market seemed more notable for players sold or released than those signed.

Lee Phillips (£17,500) and Chris Todd (£7,500) were both sold to Torquay, while Billy Jones (£65,000) went to Crewe. Jon Challinor, Patrick Ada and Martin Rice were also allowed to leave, as was player / assistant-boss Paul Buckle.

Experienced keeper Andy Marriott was brought in, and he played a key part in Exeter’s success in 2007–08, before handing the gloves to Paul Jones near the season’s end.

Matt Taylor joined from Team Bath, and excelled in an often-inexperienced defence alongside local youngsters George Friend and Danny Seaborne, whom Tisdale had promoted to first team duties.

Steve Basham was the only high profile signing and, although injuries limited the number of appearances he made, Basham’s touch of quality helped add a further creative edge to City’s play.

However, Tisdale’s side were still an outside bet for the play-offs in January 2008 when leading scorer Jamie Mackie was sold to Plymouth for £145,000 – taking Tisdale’s total transfer income raised to more than £250,000.

To the astonishment of fans, there was no rush to replace Mackie, with only midfielder Ryan Harley brought in from Weston-super-Mare and later striker Ben Watson signed from Grays.

However, Tisdale’s City side continued to play smart, tidy football and held their nerve in a tense climax to the season to qualify for the play-offs with a game to spare.

As with the previous year, Exeter lost the home play-off first leg to a freak goal, but won away - this time against Torquay - to win a return to Wembley.

This time, Tisdale led Exeter City to promotion via the play-offs in his second season in charge, after a 1-0 win against Cambridge United at Wembley on 18 May 2008. He is one of only four managers to lead The Grecians to promotion.

With Exeter back in the Football League, Tisdale was able to bring in former Ipswich Town legend Marcus Stewart from Yeovil Town. However, in true Tisdale fashion, there were departures too. Lee Elam, Wayne Carlisle, Jon Richardson and Andy Taylor left in the summer and, early in the 2008/09 season, George Friend was sold to Wolves for £350,000.

City started brightly back in the League, picking up 11 points in the first eight fixtures despite sticking - Stewart aside - largely with the Blue Square play-off winning squad.

In naming Paul Tisdale among the League's top ten managers, the SkySports.com website wrote in October 2008: "Tisdale is renowned for ensuring his sides play short, tidy football."

External links

* [http://www.truegreats.com/player.asp?p=182&c=106 Profile] at [http://www.truegreats.com truegreats.com]

*