Notts' new Manager comes with pedigree, experience and honours to his name as a player and a manager. Here's our official guide to the career of John Sheridan.
Early Life:
John Sheridan was born in Stretford in 1964. A product of Manchester City's youth team, he established himself as a promising midfield prospect before he moved on to Leeds United without making a first team appearance for City.
Playing Career:
Sheridan was a huge hit at Leeds United, scoring 47 times in 230 appearances between 1982 and 1989. The fans favourite's best season with the club the 1986–87 season. Then of the Second Division Leeds overcame the odds to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup and they also finished fourth in the League table—their highest finish since relegation from the First Division in 1982. Sheridan smashed in 15 goals in the league that season.
He stayed with Leeds before briefly joining Nottingham Forest, making just one appearance, before signing permanently for Sheffield Wednesday in November 1989.
At Wednesday he was a cult hero, scoring 33 goals in 233 appearances for The Owls, and during his time at Hillsborough Sheridan enjoyed the fortune of playing in their promotion winning side as well as scoring the winning goal in Wednesday's victory over Manchester United at Wembley, to secure the League Cup in 1991.
He then moved to Bolton where he also won promotion, before a brief spell at Doncaster. He ended his playing career at Oldham Athletic, making 144 appearances before retiring in 2004.
In a remarkable and honour-filled playing career, Sheridan played 621 times in the league and scored 89 goals.
International Career:
Sheridan played for Ireland on thirty-four occasions, scoring five goals and representing his country at both the 1990 and 1994 World Cups. Shay Dunphy, a writer from Eire.Guide, said of Sheridan, "It is testament to his ability and courage that he was able to navigate such narrow philosophical football waters. Players of his ilk helped nurture the idea that the game we love is really the beautiful game. Thankfully he continues to espouse this philosophy as a manager."
He memorably scored the 100th goal at Lansdowne Road for Ireland against Bolivia in 1994.
Managerial Career:
Sheridan was briefly Co-Caretaker Manager of Oldham Athletic in 2001 during his playing days at Boundary Park, and also had a Caretaker Manager stint at the club in 2003-04. He eventually joined as Manager in June 2006, and that December was named League One's 'Manager Of The Month'. He guided Oldham to the play-offs, eventually succumbing to Blackpool in the semi-finals.
He left the club in 2009 and joined Chesterfield. He brought Tommy Wright and Mark Crossley to the club with him and enjoyed a successful time at the Spireites, and won promotion as Champions in his second season to take Chesterfield to League One.
He also guided Chesterfield to silverware at Wembley, winning the Football League Trophy in 2012.
Sheridan's next appointment was at Plymouth Argyle in January 2013. It took him only 3 months to win his first Manager Of The Month award, after Argyle won 4 and drew one of their 6 matches in March of that year. By the end of the season, the club had won eight and drawn four of Sheridan's 19 games in charge and Plymouth avoided relegation from the Football League.
He then continued to improve league positions at the Pilgrims, finishing 10th the following season before landing a place in the playoffs in the 2014/15 season. Plymouth were eventually eliminated by Wycombe Wanderers.
Sheridan left Plymouth in 2015 after two years at Home Park, and was named manager at Newport County in October 2015 with the Exiles 5 points adrift at the foot of the League Two table. Sheridan's appointment had an immediate impact, and despite him leaving the club in January 2016, Newport eventually avoided relegation by 9 points.
Oldham appointed Sheridan in January 2016 with Oldham 6 points away from safety. After the appointment of Sheridan, Oldham's fortunes recovered, and they eventually finished 8 points clear of relegation.
Playing Honours:
FA Cup Semi-Finalist - Leeds United: 1986/87
League Cup Winners - Sheffield Wednesday: 1991
Division One Champions - Bolton Wanders: 1996/97
Play Off Semi Finalist - Oldham Athletic: 2001/02
Managerial Honours:
League One Play Off Semi-Finals - Oldham Athletic: 2006/07
League Two Champions - Chesterfield: 2010/11
Football League Trophy - Chesterfield: 2012
League Two Play Off Semi-Finals - Plymouth Argyle - 2014/15