Manager
DoB: 20th August 1962
Birthplace: Ludgershill, nr. Andover.
City Managerial Record:
P-82, W-27 (32.9%), D-18, L-31, Goals-96, Against-123.
excludes matches as joint manager in 1994, see below
P-10, W-6 (60%), D-0, L-4, Goals-15, Against-12
City Playing Career
Transfer Details: Initially signed by Brian Godfrey from Ch@#tenham Town for an undisclosed fee in July 1988.
City Debut: vs. Ashtree Highfield (h) BHLMD, 20th August '88, Won
2-0
1988/9: 59(2) Apps, 6 Goals (figures incomplete)
1989/0: 60 Apps, 7 Goals
1990/1: 23(1) Apps, 1 Goal
1991/2: 28(1) Apps, 1 Goal
1992/3: 42 Apps, 2 Goals
1993/4 25 Apps, 0 Goals
1994/5 4(3) Apps, 0 Goals
1995/6: 1(1) App, 0 Goals
1999/0: 1 App, 0 Goals
Totals: 243(8) Apps, 18 Goals
As Manager
Clubs: Gloucester
City, Witney Town (as assistant), Trowbridge Town (as assistant), Gloucester
City (initially as assistant), Witney Town,
Cirencester Town
As Player (Right Midfield)
Previous Clubs: Swindon Town (80(5)-5), Torquay United
(42(6)-6), Ch@#tenham Town, Gloucester City,
Witney Town, Gloucester City, Highworth Town.
Honours: Southern League Premier Championship 84-5,
Midland Floodlit Cup Winner 3 times, Southern
League Midland Championship 88/9, Southern League Premier
runners-up 90/1, Gloucestershire Senior Cup Winner 90/1 &
92/3, FA Cup 2nd Round 89/0
Pen Pic:
Controversially sacked by the unpopular board led by Eamonn McGurk in February
2000, making him a focus for fans protesting against the
club's regime. Had been appointed Manager on the 10th November 1998 by Rob
Thomas after the departure of Leroy Rosenior, with who Hughes had worked with as
assistant since late 1997. Was the popular fans choice to
replace Rosenior and show what he could do with his home town club . Good
results in January and February 1998 showed Hughes could achieve things at the
club, but he has been constantly plagued by escalating financial problems and
boardroom wrangling. The fact that he has had to put up with abuse, machinations
and unbelievable personal pressure from some of his directors meant he
remained popular despite the obvious difficulties on the pitch.
Reservations had been expressed about Hughes' judgement when he axed
proven players like Holloway and Mainwaring in May 1999, and also his lack of
demonstrable leadership from the dugout when events on the pitch turn bad. He
did succeed for the most part in keeping player's morale together in the face
of enforced departures and unsettling rumours over the club's future, and
also unearthed some promising young players as he was forced to pull in
players from the youth team and local football. It proved nigh on impossible
to properly gauge Hughes' qualities as a manager in the circumstances, but he
did prove once again his loyalty to the club and its fans under the sort of
strain which would have seen most men forced out. The depth of the difficulties
he has faced and his desire to support his side were typified when injuries
forced him to once again don a City shirt in December 1999.
Previous to becoming Manager and martyr figure Hughesy served City for many
seasons as a skillful ball playing right sided midfielder,
captaining the side to the Midland Division title and to within
minutes of the Conference in 1990/1. Showed his personal loyalty
to his manager by walking out when Brian Godfrey was sacked in
November 1991, only to pick his boots back up when Godfrey
returned in February 1992. Stuck with City during that cash
crisis and became joint manager with Gary Goodwin for a few games
at the end of the 93/4 season following Godfrey's final
dismissal. This short taste of management included City's shock 1-0 win against
Ch@#tenham at Whaddon Road, when a Karl
Bayliss goal cost them promotion to the Conference. While it may
seem futile now it was a great moment and few there will have
forgotten Hughes' obvious commitment to the cause that day. When
Murphy took over as manager the following summer Hughes stayed at
Meadow Park as player-coach, although with fewer playing
appearances as he all but hung up his boots. Hughes then left
when Murphy's managerial team was sacked in March 1996. Continued
to learn from Murphy as his assistant at both Witney and
Trowbridge before returning to Meadow Park as Rosenior's
assistant in November 1997. Took over as manager of Witney Town in May 2000
and has since moved on to manage neighbours Cirencester Town.
