Sol Campbell appointed manager by Macclesfield Town

Sol Campbell will be unveiled by the League Two basement club, Macclesfield Town, on Thursday as the former England defender takes his first steps in club management.

Campbell, who won 73 caps, retired in 2012 and completed his Uefa pro coaching licence with the Football Association of Wales. But despite spells as assistant coach of Trinidad & Tobago and working with England Under-21s as part of the Football Association’s In Pursuit of Progress initiative, which offers BAME coaches experience in the national team set-up, the 44-year-old had been frustrated in his attempts to secure full-time employment; he had previously been an unsuccessful applicant for vacant positions at Oxford United, Grimsby and Oldham.

He was photographed entering offices at Macclesfield’s Moss Rose stadium on Tuesday and the deal was confirmed on Twitter with a picture of a bottle of Sol beer and the message: “Drink anyone????”

Campbell has signed an 18-month deal and takes over a club bottom of the Football League – although they followed up a home win over Yeovil with another at Exeter City on Tuesday, with Campbell in attendance at St James’ Park.

Macclesfield have been without a manager since Mark Yates was sacked on 8 October after his team failed to win any of their first 12 league games. Danny Whittaker, the veteran midfielder, had been acting as caretaker boss alongside former Silkmen player Neil Howarth.

Having led the club to promotion from the National League last season as champions, the long-serving manager John Askey chose to move on to League One Shrewsbury, who sacked him on 12 November.

Instead of what would have been a popular return for Askey, the Cheshire club have turned to Campbell, who becomes the third BAME manager to be appointed by the club in the last decade after Keith Alexander and Paul Ince.

“The lads will be buzzing once they see Sol has been appointed,” Ince told Sky Sports. “He’ll be fine. Unfortunately he’s had to go to the bottom team in the league but he has got his foot in the door now.”

“Yes, @SolManOfficial! First management job. Wishing you all the very best with @TheSilkmen, Sol,” added Arsenal’s Twitter account.

Campbell’s appointment means that eight of the 92 Premier League and EFL clubs (8.7%) employ a manager with a BAME background.