Dave Maclean Leaves Role as National Team Assistant Coach After Seven Years

Writes: Elliot Burrow

Seven years filled with memories and silverware, Dave Maclean might be leaving his role as national team assistant coach, but he won’t be forgetting his time with EAFA in a hurry.

Dave joined the charity back in 2016, to which Owen Coyle Jr (EAFA national team head coach 2016-2022) appointed Dave as his right-hand man in the dugout, but his roots in amputee football go back four years before this.

“In 2012 I was working at Bolton Wanderers Community Trust where I was the Football Development Manager, and I had several North West Based Amputee players who would come to the Pan Ability session I ran at the Eddie Davies Academy,” Dave said.

“This group included current England players David Tweed, Martin Heald, and a number of other internationals, and I was impressed with the level of technical ability of these players and enquired about volunteering with the Great Britain Amputee Football team.”

At the time Dave couldn’t fully commit to the team due to commitments within academy football, but in 2016 he met Coyle Jr while working at Blackpool FC Community Trust who ran the disability programme.

“I went to observe my first weekend at Burnley College and although it was very different to what the programme looks like now, I really enjoyed the experience,” Dave said.

“Only a month later I was thrown in at the deep end having been asked to step in at the last minute to coach the team's final session at Manchester City’s training academy due to a lack of staff availability.

“This was just before the Amp Football Cup so it was a big deal to be involved with at the time and I loved it, so when Owen asked me to be his assistant after he’d been appointed the new head coach I just couldn’t say no.”

‘Dmac’ (pictured) celebrates Ray Westbrook’s goal in the 2017 European Championship Final vs Turkey

Fast forward to the present day and Scott Rogers is now the current head coach of the team, with Dave being his assistant up until deciding to step away to spend more time with his family.

Together they managed to secure the country’s first major trophy with victory in the Nations League, ending a 33 year wait, and creating a memory to last a lifetime for Dave.

He said: “I have a great sense of pride when thinking about what all us players and staff achieved earlier on this year, because they’ve sacrificed so much, and worked hard to beat the odds.

“Winning a major tournament with this special group of players will be a memory I’ll never forget, especially with not winning one in 30-odd years.

“That pressure has hung heavy over this team for a while, especially after coming so close in 2017, but that’s gone now, and I’m confident that this success gives the team the confidence and platform they need to repeat this in next year’s European Championships.”

For Dave now though it’s time to look back and reflect on those memories with his family, but he’ll still be looking at everything that’s going on with the EAFA teams and programmes.

He said: “I’ll be keeping an eye on the team and their developments, and still coming to camps when they have international fixtures.

“I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family, as although working with the team is a huge honour and enjoyable, it’s a large commitment and sacrifice.”

Attention for the national team themselves now turns towards the upcoming Amp Futbol Cup next month, as they look to add more silverware to the trophy cabinet. Scott Rogers’ side return to Reaseheath this weekend.