Wayne Thomas Carlisle (born 9 September 1979) is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He is currently assistant manager at Bristol Rovers.

Wayne Carlisle
Personal information
Full name Wayne Thomas Carlisle
Date of birth (1979-09-09) 9 September 1979 (age 45)
Place of birth Lisburn, Northern Ireland
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Bristol Rovers (assistant manager)
Youth career
Crystal Palace
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2002 Crystal Palace 46 (3)
2001–2002Swindon Town (loan) 11 (2)
2002–2004 Bristol Rovers 71 (14)
2004–2006 Leyton Orient 40 (3)
2006–2008 Exeter City 62 (10)
2008–2010 Torquay United 71 (10)
2011 Truro City 3 (0)
2014–2015 Truro City 2 (0)
Total 306 (42)
International career
1999–2001 Northern Ireland U21 & B 12 (1)
Managerial career
2023 Rotherham United (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Carlisle was primarily a right-sided midfielder, however was able to play in a wide range of positions. He was capped by Northern Ireland at youth, under-21 level and B international.[1]

Career

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Carlisle was born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. He began his career with then English Championship side Crystal Palace. Due to the club's financial troubles during the late 1990s, first-team opportunities became available for the then-young trainee. He made his league debut in February 1999 in Palace's 1–1 draw at home to Birmingham City.[2] Carlisle featured in 46 first team league matches while at Selhurst Park, but when Simon Jordan stepped in to save the club, investments in more experienced and high-profile players limited Carlisle's chances.

In October 2001 Carlisle moved on loan to Swindon Town for three months, where he featured in 11 matches, scoring 2 goals. On 28 March 2002, Carlisle moved on a free transfer to League Two side Bristol Rovers.[3] In his over two years at Memorial Stadium, Carlisle produced a scoring record 14 goals in 71 matches, this despite the team struggling against relegation. With Rovers needing to cut costs, Carlisle, along with teammate Danny Boxall was placed on the transfer list in December 2003.[4]

He was released by Rovers in May 2004[5] and joined then League Two side Leyton Orient on a two-year contract the following month.[6] In the 2005–06 season, Carlisle was restricted to mostly appearances from the bench, and transferred to Conference National side Exeter City in the January transfer window.[7]

Carlisle started promisingly with his new club, breaking straight into the first team, but his season was ended prematurely with a broken leg suffered against Tamworth.[8] At the end of the season, departing manager Alex Inglethorpe released Carlisle on a free transfer.

On 6 October 2006, Carlisle was re-signed by new Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale after impressing as an early season trialist. Carlisle was taken to hospital on 19 October 2006 to have his appendix removed.[9] He broke back into the Exeter City first team, was offered an extended contract,[10] and was involved in their promotion to the Football League in 2008, scoring in both of the play-off semi-final games against local rivals Torquay United.

Although offered a contract by Exeter, Carlisle chose to join Torquay United in May 2008,[11] where on his third visit to the new Wembley in three years Carlisle gained his second consecutive promotion. Carlisle started the 2009–10 season in fine form but early in the new year sustained a knee injury which restricted him to on a handful of games before the end of the season. Carlisle signed a six-month contract with Torquay United at the start of the 2010–11 season but in January 2011 took the decision to retire from professional football to pursue a career in player development at Ivybridge Community College, Devon.[12]

On 4 March 2011, Carlisle signed for Southern Premier League side Truro City, but his spell there was short lived and in May 2011 he retired from playing football altogether to focus on a career in coaching.

During the 2014-15 season, however, he came out of retirement to play twice for Truro City in the Southern League Premier Division; he also made one appearance in the FA Cup for the club.[13]

Career statistics

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Sources:[14][13]

Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Crystal Palace 1998–99 Division One 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
Crystal Palace 1999–2000 Division One 26 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 27 3
Crystal Palace 2000–01 Division One 14 0 1 0 5 0 0 0 20 0
Crystal Palace 2001–02 Division One 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
Total 46 3 1 0 7 0 0 0 54 3
Swindon Town (loan) 2001–02 Division Two 11 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 13 2
Total 11 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 13 2
Bristol Rovers 2001–02 Division Three 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Bristol Rovers 2002–03 Division Three 41 7 4 1 1 0 0 0 46 8
Bristol Rovers 2003–04 Division Three 25 7 1 0 1 0 1[a] 0 28 7
Total 71 14 5 1 2 0 1 0 79 15
Leyton Orient 2004–05 League Two 28 3 2 1 1 0 3[b] 1 34 5
Leyton Orient 2005–06 League Two 12 0 3 0 0 0 2[a] 0 17 0
Total 40 3 5 1 1 0 5 1 51 5
Exeter City 2005–06 Conference Premier 6 1 0 0 0 0 1[c] 0 7 1
Exeter City 2006–07 Conference Premier 24 5 0 0 0 0 4[d][e] 0 28 5
Exeter City 2007–08 Conference Premier 32 4 2 1 0 0 4[f][g] 2 38 7
Total 62 10 2 1 0 0 9 2 73 13
Torquay United 2008–09 Conference Premier 37 8 2 0 0 0 2[h] 0 41 8
Torquay United 2009–10 League Two 24 2 3 0 1 0 2[a] 0 30 2
Torquay United 2010–11 League Two 10 0 0 0 0 0 1[a] 0 11 0
Total 71 10 5 0 1 0 5 0 82 10
Truro City 2010–11 Southern League Premier Division 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Truro City 2014–15 Southern League Premier Division 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Total 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
Career total 306 42 21 3 11 0 20 3 358 48
  1. ^ a b c d Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  2. ^ Appearance(s) and goal(s) in Football League Trophy
  3. ^ Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
  4. ^ 1 appearance(s) in FA Trophy
  5. ^ 3 appearance(s) in Conference play-offs
  6. ^ 2 appearance(s) in FA Trophy
  7. ^ 2 appearances and 2 goals in Conference play-offs
  8. ^ 2 appearances in Conference play-offs


Coaching career

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In March 2017, Carlisle returned to former club Exeter City in the role of head of coaching to ensure coaching consistency at all age groups.[15] Following the departure of Eric Kinder in the summer of 2019, Carlisle was promoted to the role of assistant manager.[16] The 2021–22 season saw Carlisle and manager Matt Taylor lead Exeter to promotion from League Two with a second-placed finish.[17]

On 4 October 2022, Carlisle followed manager Taylor as assistant manager to EFL Championship side Rotherham United on a contract until 2026.[18] Following Taylor's sacking in November 2023, Carlisle formed a three-man interim management team with Dan Green and Scott Brown.[19] Following the appointment of Leam Richardson, Carlisle continued to assist the manager,[20] before departing the club on 19 December 2023.[21]

In February 2024, Carlisle joined former club Bristol Rovers as Individual Player Development Coach, once again supporting Matt Taylor.[22] On 1 July 2024, the club announced that he had been appointed assistant manager.[23]

References

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  1. ^ "Wayne shows true grit". BBC Sport. 1 June 2001. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  2. ^ "C Palace 1-1 Birmingham". Soccerbase. 6 February 1999. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  3. ^ "Rovers snap up duo". BBC Sport. 28 March 2002. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  4. ^ "Rovers release Still". BBC Sport. 15 December 2003. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  5. ^ "Atkins begins clearout". BBC Sport. 12 May 2004. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  6. ^ "Orient capture Carlisle". BBC Sport. 8 July 2004. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  7. ^ "Exeter swoop for winger Carlisle". BBC Sport. 17 January 2006. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  8. ^ "Exeter winger Carlisle breaks leg". BBC Sport. 30 March 2006. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  9. ^ "Carlisle return to boost Exeter". BBC Sport. 8 November 2006. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  10. ^ "Grecians offer Carlisle new deal". BBC Sport. 8 January 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  11. ^ "Gulls sign Exeter winger Carlisle". BBC Sport. 29 May 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2009.
  12. ^ "Ivybridge Community College". ivybridge.devon.sch.uk. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  13. ^ a b "Wayne Carlisle | Player Profile · Aylesbury United Archive". www.aylesburyunitedarchive.com.
  14. ^ "Wayne Carlisle | Football Stats | No Club | Age 44 | 1997-2011 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com.
  15. ^ "Wayne Carlisle appointed head of coaching at Exeter City". www.exetercityfc.co.uk. 11 March 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  16. ^ "📝 Exeter City pleased to welcome five new members of staff at Cliff Hill training ground". www.exetercityfc.co.uk. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  17. ^ "Exeter City 0–1 Port Vale: Exeter miss out on first league title in 32 years". BBC Sport. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  18. ^ "READ : Matt Taylor-made for Millers appointment". www.themillers.co.uk. 4 October 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  19. ^ "READ | COACHING TRIO TO OVERSEE FIRST TEAM MATTERS IN INTERIM PERIOD". www.themillers.co.uk. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  20. ^ "READ | LEAM RICHARDSON APPOINTED AS HEAD COACH". www.themillers.co.uk. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  21. ^ "READ | WAYNE DEPARTS WITH CLUB'S BEST WISHES". www.themillers.co.uk. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  22. ^ "First Team Staff Update". www.bristolrovers.co.uk. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  23. ^ "Matt Taylor confirms 2024/25 first-team coaching staff". www.bristolrovers.co.uk. 1 July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
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