Greg Abbott

Coventry City

Abbott was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, on 14 December 1963. He started his football career with his hometown club Coventry City, first signing schoolboy forms, before becoming an apprentice in June 1980. He developed through the junior and reserve teams to sign a professional contract in January 1982 but at the end of the season he was given a free transfer without making a league appearance for the Division One side. The youth development team at Coventry City instead recommended Abbott to Bradford City, where he was given a trial in July, before earning a one-year contract at the newly promoted Division Three club.

Bradford City

Abbott had to wait eight months for his first team debut, which came in a 3–1 defeat to Plymouth Argyle at right back. However, he was a regular member of the club's reserve side, which won the 1983 Northern Intermediate League Cup. Abbott finished with 11 first team games in his first season with City at full back or in midfield, who finished 12th in the first season in Division Three. Abbott became a more regular member of the first team the following season as City won just one of their first 15 games, following a summer where the club was nearly closed. However the club resigned striker Bobby Campbell from Derby County and embarked on a club record ten consecutive victories, during which Abbott scored his first senior goal as City defeated Lincoln City. The club eventually finished seventh after winning only…

Leeds United

When he finished his playing career, Abbott was invited to join the Leeds United coaching staff, by Ces Podd, who had played with Abbott at Bradford City. Abbott worked with Brian Kidd at Leeds' academy with the teams from under 10s to under 18s level. He also had a brief stint as reserves team manager, but wanted to coach senior teams. He turned down an offer from Paul Jewell, another player Abbott knew from his time at Bradford City, to do some short-term coaching at Wigan Athletic. During his time with Leeds he also spent a brief period as assistant manager at his former side Guiseley before he resigned in February 1998. Five months after leaving Guiseley, he also combined his role at Leeds, with that of joint manager of Thackley, a role he shared with another former Guiseley coach Brendan Hudson. He resigned in January 1999, to concentrate on his role with Leeds United as well as radio commentary with BBC Radio Leeds.

Carlisle United

In July 2006, he joined Carlisle United as assistant manager to Neil McDonald. When McDonald was sacked by Carlisle on 13 August 2007, Abbott was appointed as caretaker manager. He won five of his ten games in charge to guide Carlisle to fourth position, before Carlisle appointed Cheltenham Town manager John Ward as their new boss in October; Abbott returned to his original assistant manager role with the club and signed a new two-year contract. The pair led Carlisle to the League One play-offs where they were…

In April 2018, it was announced that Abbott was suffering from prostate cancer. In May 2018 Abbott underwent an operation and returned to work.

Carlisle United

Football League Trophy: 2010–11; runner-up: 2009–10