Chris Short (footballer)

Born in Münster, West Germany, Short grew up in Yorkshire and followed his older brother Craig from non-league Pickering Town on to Scarborough.[2] He was loaned to Manchester United before joining his brother again at Notts County for £240,000, Scarborough's record sale.[2] He helped Neil Warnock's side reach the top flight in his first season and he stayed there until 1995, when he joined Sheffield United.[2] Brian Little took him to Stoke City on a free transfer in 1998 and impressed as an attacking right back.[2]

However, just a month into his Stoke career he collapsed on the edge of the pitch at Fulham on 8 September 1998 and had to be revived with oxygen.[2] Short went on a number of checks at the hospital but they found no problems with him.[2] He was put on a sodium diet and says that he always felt "tired and out of breath".[2] Eventually he was diagnosed with a circulation disorder and retired from playing after ending his career with Scarborough and Hinckley United.[2]

Short later worked as a strength and conditioning coach and sports massage therapist and has also worked as a fitness coach with Blackburn Rovers, Crystal Palace, Derby County, Leicester City and Sheffield United.[2][3] Short joined Neil Warnock's coaching set-up at Leeds United as the first team fitness conditioner on 13 July 2012.[4] Short left the club shortly after the sacking of Neil Warnock, with manager Brian McDermott bringing in his own fitness coach Jon Goodman.[5]

In November 2016 he became the fitness coach at Bradford City.[6] He left his role with Bradford in June 2018.[7]

A month after leaving Bradford he moved to Blackpool as the new First Team Coach.[8]

He joined Oxford United in 2018, as the club's new Head of Sports Science. Short left this role at the end of the 2020/21 season to join Middlesbrough, but departed following Neil Warnock’s sacking the following November.

He returned to Oxford United for a second spell in the club's sports science department in September 2022 on a short-term basis, initially until Christmas, helping out with the first team and women's side.

His brother Craig was also a professional footballer.[9] He and his brother now regularly row across the English channel for charity.[2] Both have played for Pickering Town, Scarborough, Notts County and Sheffield United. The two have also worked together at Oxford United.

• Chris Short at Soccerbase
• "Stats and photo at Football Heroes". Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2009.