Andy Welsh

Stockport County

The left-footed Welsh wrote to the club asking for a trial run and made his professional debut for Stockport County in October 2001, going on to make 75 league appearances in his four-year stint at the club. His final match was a 3–0 loss to Sheffield Wednesday in League One. He also made six appearances on loan at Macclesfield Town in 2002.

Sunderland

After impressing in a three-day trial with Sunderland in November 2004, Welsh signed with the club for £15,000, and could have included a compensation for amount of time on the field stipulation to £35,000. Upon signing for Sunderland he was assigned the vacant number 11 shirt, and made his club debut on 1 January 2005 in a 3–2 defeat to Preston North End, replacing Marcus Stewart in the 68th minute. He scored two goals in eight appearances during the 2004–05 season for Sunderland. Welsh made his first start for Sunderland a week later on 8 January 2005, scoring a free kick in a 2–1 victory against Crystal Palace. Welsh went on to make eight appearances that season, scoring again, against QPR at Loftus Road on 2 April. After Sunderland's promotion to the Premier League, Welsh retained the number 11 shirt, starting the season in place of injured defender George McCartney. However, Welsh was controversially sent off in only the second game of the season against Liverpool at Anfield on 20 August 2005, although the decision was later overturned on appeal. Welsh found himself out of the Sunderland…

In September 2017, Andy Welsh became player/head coach at Ossett Albion. Welsh led a team that was struggling (second bottom in the league on seven points at Christmas) on an unbeaten run, finishing safely in the league. He then took over at the newly merged club Ossett United, finishing fourth in the League (making the playoffs) with the league's best defensive record. The club also enjoyed cup success against Guiseley, a team two divisions higher. On 29 July 2020, Welsh was selected from 750 applicants to become the first manager of Bury AFC, but the first season was ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bury were crowned champions of the NWCFL Division One North in the club's second season. Welsh led Bury to the title; the side finished 11 points clear, winning 27 out of 36 games, boasting the highest goals total and best defensive record in the division. On 5 June 2023, upon the merger of Bury FC and Bury AFC, the two team's histories were combined — retroactively counting Bury AFC's seasons as seasons for Bury FC and also retroactively counting Welsh as Bury manager since 2020. On 17 September 2023, after a run of form that saw two wins in eight games, Bury parted company with Welsh. Welsh was appointed Guiseley manager in October 2023. Welsh departed on April 2, 2024.