Paul Simpson

Manchester City

At the age of 15, Simpson moved from Carlisle to Manchester in order to begin his playing career as a schoolboy at Manchester City. He made his senior debut aged 16, on 2 October 1982 in a 3–2 win against Coventry City, making three senior appearance in total in the 1982/83 season. After the club were relegated and new manager Billy McNeill arrived, Simpson, along with John Beresford, was briefly loaned out to Irish club Finn Harps to gain more experience. He scored 3 goals in 9 total appearances at Finn Park. He returned during the final stages of 1984–85 campaign and enjoyed a run of games as he scored 6 times in just 10 appearances as City won promotion from the Second Division. He was a regular member of the first team in the 1985–86 season and scored nine First Division goals as City survived their first season back in the top flight, although they were relegated a year later. He won five caps for the England under-21 team during his spell at Maine Road, adding to three caps at under-18 level. His U21 debut came on 26 March 1986 as a substitute against Denmark on his home ground. He also played in the 1987 Toulon Tournament, during which he scored.

Oxford United

He left City, now back in the Second Division, for Oxford United in October 1988 in a £200,000 deal, after making 155 appearances for them in total. He remained at Oxford for over four years – all spent in the second tier – before signing for Derby County in February 1992 for…

Rochdale

After manager John Hollins departed from Rochdale in 2002, Simpson stepped in as player-manager. He began the season in equally bright goal-scoring form, but as the pressure of management took its toll and he enjoyed a largely unsuccessful season. Simpson left Rochdale after only season in charge where they reached the FA Cup fifth round, an equal club record, but finished 19th after a late turnaround by Macclesfield saw them drop from 13th in the final 10minutes of the season.

Carlisle United

Following his departure from Rochdale, Simpson moved back to his home town, where he signed as a player for Carlisle United. Four games into the season manager Roddy Collins was sacked with the club bottom of the table. Simpson was asked to take over as manager. Carlisle were relegated to the Conference in his first year at Brunton Park, at a time when the club was struggling financially. A transfer embargo prevented new players being brought in and by December 2003 Carlisle were 15 points adrift, and despite an improved latter half of the season, the club were eventually relegated. However, he immediately led Carlisle back to League Two in 2004–05 as Conference National play-off winners. Following this, Simpson enjoyed perhaps his best season as a manager, leading Carlisle to double – promotion, winning promotion to League One as League Two champions. He was also named as the League Two Manager of the Year and in the League Managers Association statistics…

He completed at degree in Sport Science at Manchester Metropolitan University. Simpson temporarily stepped down from his coaching role at Bristol City in July 2021 while receiving treatment for kidney cancer. Paul's son, Dom Simpson, is a professional actor who plays the role of Christian in Moulin Rouge at The Piccadilly Theatre, and has previously played Elder Price in the Book of Mormon at the Prince of Wales Theatre (London's West End). His son Jake Simpson is also a former professional, formerly head of performance at Carlisle United until 31 August 2024.

Player

Manchester City

Football League Second Division promotion: 1984–85 Full Members' Cup runner-up: 1985–86 Derby County

Football League Second Division runner-up: 1995–96 Anglo-Italian Cup runner-up: 1992–93 Blackpool

Football League Fourth Division play-offs: 2001 Football League Trophy: 2001–02 Carlisle United

Football League Two: 2005–06 Conference National play-offs: 2005 Individual

PFA Team of the Year: 2000–01 Third Division

Manager

Carlisle United

Football League Two: 2005–06; play-offs: 2023 Conference National play-offs: 2005 Football League Trophy runner-up: 2005–06 England U20

FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2017 Individual

Football League Two Manager of the Month: December 2005, March 2006