Mike Milligan

After beginning his playing career in Oldham Athletic's youth team on leaving school in 1983, he turned professional in the 1984–85 season and made his debut the season after, before becoming a first team regular by the time of his 20th birthday in February 1987. He helped the Latics reach the Football League Cup final in 1989–90, where they lost 1–0 to Nottingham Forest, as well as reaching the FA Cup semi finals where they held Manchester United to a 3–3 draw before losing the replay 2–1. However, the Latics were still in the Second Division in 1990 despite having looked like promotion contenders more than once since Milligan's debut five years earlier. When Everton manager Colin Harvey made a £1million bid for him, he accepted the offer and headed to Goodison Park on 24 August 1990. Unfortunately, his time at Everton was not a success as the Toffees endured a terrible start to the season and Harvey was replaced by Howard Kendall as manager in early November 1990. Everton's form improved and they climbed from 18th in early November to ninth in the final table, as well as reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals and eliminating neighbours Liverpool on the way, but Milligan failed to perform well on the pitch and made 17 appearances, scoring once, during a frustrating league campaign. Meanwhile, Joe Royle had guided Oldham to the Second Division title and ended their 68-year absence from the First Division in 1990–91, and he secured Milligan's return to Boundary Park on 17 July…

Milligan had been capped once by the Republic of Ireland at full level (by Jack Charlton in 1992), having made a solitary appearance as an U-21 in 1986 and two as a "B" international in 1990 and 1994.

Milligan had a two-year spells as head of player recruitment at Yeovil Town.

Oldham Athletic

Football League Cup runner-up: 1989–90 Everton

Full Members' Cup runner-up: 1990–91 Blackpool

Football League Third Division play-offs: 2001