Newcastle United staff profiles
Written by Simon Austin — December 2, 2017
Pen pics of Newcastle United's coaching, science, medicine and analytics staff. To see staff profiles for other clubs, click here.
FOOTBALL EXECUTIVE
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Dan Ashworth
Nationality: English
Could be described as the godfather of this role in the UK. Was Technical Director at West Brom from 2007 to 2012, having previously had a career as a youth coach and Academy Manager. Then worked for the Football Association for seven years (half of them as Technical Director), launching the England DNA and transforming coaching and coach education. The youth teams - and senior team under Gareth Southgate - enjoyed a period of unprecedented success on the international stage. Worked for Brighton from the end of 2018 to February 2022 and was formally announced as Newcastle's first Technical Director at the end of May. Ashworth appeared on Episode #20 of the TGG Podcast, when he gave an excellent insight into the Technical Director role.
COACHING STAFF
MANAGER
Eddie Howe
Nationality: English
A hero at Bournemouth, having risen through the ranks there as a player before becoming manager in January 2009. Led a side that had been threatened with relegation to the Conference all the way to the Premier League (with a short spell at Burnley in between). Eventually departed in May 2020. After a year out of the game he now has the opportunity to prove his credentials at one of the richest clubs in the world.
ASSISTANT
Jason Tindall
Nationality: English
Howe's long-time assistant. Joined him at Bournemouth in January 2009, went with him to Burnley and came back to the Cherries to help them climb all the way to the Premier League. Succeeded Howe for a brief - and ill-fated - spell as Bournemouth's manager, before then assisting Paul Heckingbottom at Sheffield United at the end of 2020/21.
ASSISTANT
Graeme Jones
Nationality: English
The Gateshead-born coach is a lifelong Newcastle fan and joined the club in January 2021 from Bournemouth, where he had been first-team coach for five months. Worked with former team-mate Roberto Martinez at Swansea, Wigan, Everton and Belgium, before a brief spell as a manager in his own right, at Luton Town.
ASSISTANT
Stephen Purches
Nationality: English
Another of Howe's former staff from Bournemouth. Played for the Cherries for more than a decade before joining the club’s youth set-up as a coach in 2004. Progressed to become first-team coach and then assistant to Howe. Left in June 2021 when Scott Parker was appointed manager of the south coast club.
FIRST-TEAM COACH
Simon Weatherstone
Nationality: English
The Pro Licence holder was first-team coach at Bournemouth under Howe from June 2014 to June 2021
INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT COACH
Ben Dawson
Nationality: English
Took on his current role in 2020/21 and focuses on players transitioning from Academy to first team. Has been with Newcastle since 2014, moving from U21s coach to Head of Coaching.
HEAD OF GOALKEEPING
Adam Bartlett
Nationality: English
Was U23s Goalkeeper Coach before being promoted to first-team duties in January 2022 and then Head of Goalkeeping in September of the same year. Succeeded the long-serving Simon Smith.
GOALKEEPER COACH
Shwan Jilal
Nationality: English
Head of Goalkeeping at Stockport County prior to joining the Magpies in October 2022.
MEDICAL
HEAD OF MEDICAL
DR PAUL CATTERSON
Nationality: English
Long-standing member of staff who heads up the medical department. Has worked for the Magpies since 2009.
HEAD PHYSIO
DANNY MURPHY
Nationality: English
Joined in October 2022, replacing Derek Wright, who had been with the club for 38 years. Previously worked for Charlton, La Liga, West Ham and Crystal Palace.
SENIOR PHYSIO
NATHAN RING
Nationality: English
Was England U21s physio and Head of Performance Support Services at Hibernian before joining Newcastle in October 2022.
PHYSIO
DANIEL MARTI
Nationality: Spanish
Ran his own clinic - as well as consulting with West Ham and Tottenham - before joining the Magpies in 2016.
PERFORMANCE
HEAD OF PERFORMANCE
Dan Hodges
Nationality: English
Arrived with Howe in November 2021. Worked with the manager at Bournemouth from 2012 and actually remained at the club under Tindall and then Scott Parker.
LEAD SPORT SCIENTIST
Liam Mason
Nationality: English
Joined at the end of the 2021/22 season. Previously spent eight years with Blackburn Rovers, starting as an intern before going on to become Head of Performance.
STRENGTH & CONDITIONING
Nick Grantham
Nationality: English
Appointed shortly after Steve Bruce became manager in summer of 2019. Highly experienced, having worked for West Brom, Nottingham Forest and the Football Association.
SPORT SCIENTIST
James Allan
Nationality: English
Promoted from assistant to first team sports scientist in October 2020.
SPORT SCIENTIST & DATA ANALYST
John Fitzpatrick
Nationality: English
Promoted from Lead Academy Sport Scientist in June 2021. Joined the club in February 2013 as an intern.
PHYSIO
DANIEL MARTI
Nationality: Spanish
Ran his own clinic, as well as consulting with West Ham and Tottenham, before joining the Magpies in 2016.
ANALYSIS
FIRST TEAM COACH-ANALYST
Mark Leyland
Nationality: English
Joined from Liverpool in December 2021 to take on this new role. Remit is to work closely with the coaching staff to ensure that analysis is impacting training and match preparation/ reflection. Worked for the Reds for eight-and-a-half years, as post-match analyst and then Head of Post-Match Analysis and Elite Player Analysis.
PERFORMANCE ANALYST
Kieran Taylor
Nationality: English
Was an intern at the club before taking on his current role in July 2018.
