I’m a Man Utd legend who managed Premier League title winners – now I’m proud to be taking over at England’s worst club
MARK HUGHES insists pride will always come before a fall for him as he bids to resurrect his career. The Manchester United legend takes charge of his first game at rock–bottom Carlisle today as convinced as ever that he can still be a top manager again. Mark Hughes is back in management with lowly Carlisle It’s his first job since being sacked by Bradford in October 2023Rex Getty - ContributorHughes enjoyed a stellar playing career with the likes of Man Utd[/caption] The 61-year-old was sacked by fellow League Two club Bradford in October 2023 — that P45 followed those handed to him by Southampton, Stoke, QPR and Manchester City. Now Hughes, who has also bossed Wales and Fulham, finds himself as far down the EFL food chain as it gets. Yet Sparky stressed to SunSport: “I have never lost belief in myself and there’s that pride in you that makes you want to go again. “I had a fantastic time as a player at United, at other places like United, Barcelona, Bayern and Chelsea — but standing on the touchline in charge of your own team at three o’clock on a Saturday afternoon is something else again. “I’ve always said to myself that if a job comes along that I believe I can do then I’ll go for it and the level doesn’t matter. A lot of my pals thought I was mad to go to Bradford and they were saying, ‘I told you so’ after I got the sack. “But I left convinced that I was treated unfairly. “It just didn’t make any sense to get rid of me because things were starting to come together in what was only my first full season there. “After that experience, some might have simply decided they’d had enough of the life of a manager. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS “But it only made me more determined to get back on the horse somewhere else and show I can be a success again.” Ironically, the Welshman frequently played golf with former Cumbrians boss Keith Curle during his time out of the game. Mark Hughes’ amazing career Playing career Man Utd, 1983-1986: 121 games, 47 goals Barcelona, 1986-1987: 36 games, 5 goals Bayern Munich (loan), 1987-1988: 23 games, 7 goals Man Utd, 1988-1995: 352 games, 116 goals Chelsea, 1995-1998: 123 games, 39 goals Southampton, 1998-2000: 61 games, 2 goals Everton, 1999-2000: 19 games, 1 goal Blackburn, 2000-2002: 64 games, 7 goals Wales, 1984-1999: 72 games, 16 goals Trophies Man Utd: Premier League x2, FA Cup x3, League Cup, Charity Shield x3, European Cup Winners’ Cup, European Super Cup Chelsea: FA Cup, League Cup, Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup Blackburn: League Cup Managerial career Wales, 1999-2004: P41 W12 D15 L14 Blackburn, 2004-2008: P188 W82 D47 L59 Man City, 2008-2009: P77 W36 D16 L25 Fulham, 2010-2011: P43 W14 D16 L13 QPR, Jan 2012-Nov 2012: P34 W8 D6 L20 Stoke, 2013-2018: P200 W71 D48 L81 Southampton, Mar 2018-Dec 2018: P27 W5 D10 L12 Bradford City, 2022-2023: P82 W31 D26 L25 Carlisle, 2025-Present: P0 W0 D0 L0 Before Craig Bellamy replaced Rob Page last summer, Hughes was interested in doing another stint in charge of his country. Now he finds himself as the shock successor to Mike Williamson. Former MK Dons gaffer Williamson only took over from Paul Simpson in September and was allowed to bring in seven new players in last month’s transfer window. Hughes returns to the dugout against Grimsby at Blundell Park today with Carlisle marooned at the foot of the table and on a run of five defeats in their last six games. His biggest success as a manager was taking Stoke to a Prem-high finish of ninth three seasons in a row, before being axed in January 2018. Now the task is to save Carlisle from dropping into the National League after the club approached him at the start of the week. Sparky said: “Things accelerated after that and up the motorway I went on Thursday and got on the training pitch. “It was great to be back, even if it’s not a great situation to come into. “It’s my job to maybe instil a little bit more confidence in the group. I suspect that’s a big factor at the moment. “But that can turn very quickly with a couple of results, so the sooner we get those then the better for the whole group.”
MARK HUGHES insists pride will always come before a fall for him as he bids to resurrect his career.
The Manchester United legend takes charge of his first game at rock–bottom Carlisle today as convinced as ever that he can still be a top manager again.
The 61-year-old was sacked by fellow League Two club Bradford in October 2023 — that P45 followed those handed to him by Southampton, Stoke, QPR and Manchester City.
Now Hughes, who has also bossed Wales and Fulham, finds himself as far down the EFL food chain as it gets.
Yet Sparky stressed to SunSport: “I have never lost belief in myself and there’s that pride in you that makes you want to go again.
“I had a fantastic time as a player at United, at other places like United, Barcelona, Bayern and Chelsea — but standing on the touchline in charge of your own team at three o’clock on a Saturday afternoon is something else again.
“I’ve always said to myself that if a job comes along that I believe I can do then I’ll go for it and the level doesn’t matter. A lot of my pals thought I was mad to go to Bradford and they were saying, ‘I told you so’ after I got the sack.
“But I left convinced that I was treated unfairly.
“It just didn’t make any sense to get rid of me because things were starting to come together in what was only my first full season there.
“After that experience, some might have simply decided they’d had enough of the life of a manager.
“But it only made me more determined to get back on the horse somewhere else and show I can be a success again.”
Ironically, the Welshman frequently played golf with former Cumbrians boss Keith Curle during his time out of the game.
Mark Hughes’ amazing career
Playing career
- Man Utd, 1983-1986: 121 games, 47 goals
- Barcelona, 1986-1987: 36 games, 5 goals
- Bayern Munich (loan), 1987-1988: 23 games, 7 goals
- Man Utd, 1988-1995: 352 games, 116 goals
- Chelsea, 1995-1998: 123 games, 39 goals
- Southampton, 1998-2000: 61 games, 2 goals
- Everton, 1999-2000: 19 games, 1 goal
- Blackburn, 2000-2002: 64 games, 7 goals
- Wales, 1984-1999: 72 games, 16 goals
Trophies
- Man Utd: Premier League x2, FA Cup x3, League Cup, Charity Shield x3, European Cup Winners’ Cup, European Super Cup
- Chelsea: FA Cup, League Cup, Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup
- Blackburn: League Cup
Managerial career
- Wales, 1999-2004: P41 W12 D15 L14
- Blackburn, 2004-2008: P188 W82 D47 L59
- Man City, 2008-2009: P77 W36 D16 L25
- Fulham, 2010-2011: P43 W14 D16 L13
- QPR, Jan 2012-Nov 2012: P34 W8 D6 L20
- Stoke, 2013-2018: P200 W71 D48 L81
- Southampton, Mar 2018-Dec 2018: P27 W5 D10 L12
- Bradford City, 2022-2023: P82 W31 D26 L25
- Carlisle, 2025-Present: P0 W0 D0 L0
Before Craig Bellamy replaced Rob Page last summer, Hughes was interested in doing another stint in charge of his country. Now he finds himself as the shock successor to Mike Williamson.
Former MK Dons gaffer Williamson only took over from Paul Simpson in September and was allowed to bring in seven new players in last month’s transfer window.
Hughes returns to the dugout against Grimsby at Blundell Park today with Carlisle marooned at the foot of the table and on a run of five defeats in their last six games.
His biggest success as a manager was taking Stoke to a Prem-high finish of ninth three seasons in a row, before being axed in January 2018.
Now the task is to save Carlisle from dropping into the National League after the club approached him at the start of the week.
Sparky said: “Things accelerated after that and up the motorway I went on Thursday and got on the training pitch.
“It was great to be back, even if it’s not a great situation to come into.
“It’s my job to maybe instil a little bit more confidence in the group. I suspect that’s a big factor at the moment.
“But that can turn very quickly with a couple of results, so the sooner we get those then the better for the whole group.”
