Allan Russell

Allan John Russell (born 13 December 1980) is a Scottish former professional footballer who was most recently a set-piece coach for EFL Championship club Norwich City. Currently resides in Franklin, TN with his fiancé Jana Russell (Kramer) where they are expecting their first child (son) together in October 2023.

For the baseball player, see Allen Russell.

Allan Russell
Personal information
Full name Allan John Russell[1]
Date of birth (1980-12-13) 13 December 1980
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s) Midfielder, Forward
Youth career
1990–1997 Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1999 Hibernian
1999–2003 Hamilton Academical 65 (13)
2003–2005 St Mirren 51 (9)
2005 Macclesfield Town 13 (2)
2005–2006 Mansfield Town 18 (2)
2006–2007 Forest Green Rovers 19 (4)
2007 Partick Thistle 14 (1)
2007–2008 Airdrie United 32 (19)
2008–2010 Kilmarnock 25 (4)
2010–2011 Carolina RailHawks 30 (5)
2012–2014 Orange County Blues FC 55 (8)
Total 322 (67)
Managerial career
2017–2021 England (attacking coach)
2021–2022 Aberdeen (assistant)
2022–2023 Norwich City (set-piece coach)
2022 Norwich City (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Scotland and England

Born in Glasgow, Russell began his career in 1999 with Hamilton Academical, making over sixty league appearances over a four-year period. In 2003, Russell began a two-year spell with St Mirren before moving to English side Macclesfield Town in early 2005. Russell's stay at Macclesfield lasted only a few months and he moved on to Mansfield Town at the start of the 2005–06 season.

Russell returned to Scotland with Partick Thistle in January 2007. At Partick he scored once; his goal coming in a 1–0 win over Livingston.[2] Russell began the 2007–08 season with Airdrie, where a December 2007 Player of the Month award and his goalscoring form – by February 2008 he had already scored more than any previous season – attracted interest from Scottish Premier League sides Kilmarnock and Dundee United.[3][4]

In May 2008, Russell netted the Scottish Football League Second Division Player of the Year award having scored 28 goals in a record breaking season and was eventually signed by Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock signing a two-year deal.[5] He left Kilmarnock after the expiry of his contract in 2010.[6]

United States

Russell signed for Carolina RailHawks on 23 July 2010.[7] He stayed with the club through the 2011 season winning the 2010 and 2011 NASL league Championships. He then signed with Los Angeles Blues of the USL Pro Division on 8 December 2011, who later changed franchise name to Orange County Blues.

Russell captained Orange County Blues for a time, playing both as a defensive midfielder and as a striker.[8]

Coaching career

In March 2017, Russell joined the England coaching staff as their striker coach.[9] During the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he earned particular praise for his work on the England team's set pieces, after a well-choreographed goal in their game against Panama.[10]

Russell was appointed assistant first team coach at Aberdeen in April 2021, initially combining the role with his England duties.[11] He left his consultancy position with England a month later, after he admitted allowing his younger brother to drive while uninsured.[12]

When Dean Smith was terminated as manager of Championship club Norwich City in December 2022, Russell and the club's Head of Football Development, Steve Weaver were announced as the now co-head coaches on an interim basis a few months after Russell was appointed their set-piece coach, the club's December 2022 statement confirms. Russell then became the set piece coach for Norwich.

In March 2023, Russell and Norwich parted ways and they agreed to a mutual termination of his contract. He then moved to the US to live with his then girlfriend and now fiancé, Jana Kramer. He remains unemployed as of today.

References
  1. "Allan Russell". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  2. "Livingston 0-1 Partick Thistle". BBC. 17 February 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  3. "Killie fail in deadline-day bids". BBC Sport. 1 February 2008. Archived from the original on 8 February 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2008.
  4. Marwick, Bill. "Russell catches Levein's eye with two-goal display". The Scotsman. Retrieved 3 March 2008.
  5. "Kilmarnock seal Russell transfer". BBC News. 14 May 2008. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2008.
  6. Wilson, Fraser (25 June 2010). "Allan Russell backs Mixu Paatelainen to fix Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 28 June 2010. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  7. "RailHawks Acquire Scottish Forward". Carolina RailHawks FC. 23 July 2010. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  8. "Blues Sign Scottish Striker". United Soccer Leagues. 8 December 2011. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  9. Northcroft, Jonathan (24 June 2018). "England's model coach giving strikers a helping hand". The Times. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  10. Gareth Southgate praises Allan Russell for England’s set-piece success The Guardian. 25 June 2018. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  11. Media, AFC (2 April 2021). "ALLAN RUSSELL JOINS NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM". Aberdeen F.C. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  12. Lindsay, Clive (13 May 2021). "Aberdeen's Allan Russell leaves England set-up after 'serious error of judgement'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
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