Eddie Niedzwiecki

Starting his playing career with Wrexham at the age of 14, Niedzwiecki won the Third Division title of 1978 with the side. He stayed with the club until the summer of 1983, when he was signed for Chelsea by former Wrexham manager, John Neal. He quickly won a regular place in the Chelsea starting line-up and was impressive as the side won the Second Division title in his first season. He also earned two caps for Wales during his playing career.

Niedzwiecki was forced to retire aged 28, after battling numerous injuries. He later became a coach at Chelsea, eventually leaving the club in November 2000 after the arrival of Claudio Ranieri. Niedzwiecki then linked up shortly after with Arsenal, succeeding the late George Armstrong as reserve team coach. He also worked as a part-time coach with Wales, under new manager Mark Hughes during this time. In September 2004, he joined Blackburn Rovers, again under Hughes, as a first-team coach. When Hughes left for Manchester City four years later, he was among several at Blackburn who followed him to Manchester. However, on 19 December 2009 Hughes and his backroom staff were relieved of their duties at the Sky Blues. Niedzwiecki once again linked up as a coach with Hughes in 2010 at Fulham. He left the club in the summer of 2011 alongside Hughes. In 2012, he joined Queens Park Rangers as a member of the coaching staff, after Hughes was appointed as the side's manager. He together with Mark Bowen were briefly appointed as joint caretaker managers after Hughes' dismissal in November 2012. Niedzwiecki then went on to join up with Hughes at Stoke City in June 2013. He left Stoke in January 2018. In March 2018, he was appointed assistant first-team coach at Southampton, following the appointment of Hughes as manager. In May 2018, after Southampton's Premier League status for the following season was confirmed, it was announced that Niedzwiecki had signed a new long-term contract. On…

As a player

Sourced from Eddie Niedzwiecki at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

As a manager

Niedzwiecki was born in Wales to Polish parents who emigrated to North Wales after the Second World War.