Chris Short (footballer)

Christian Mark Short (born 9 May 1970) is a former footballer who played as a defender for Scarborough, Notts County, Huddersfield Town, Sheffield United and Stoke City. He also played non-league football for Pickering Town and Hinckley United.[1]

Chris Short
Personal information
Full name Christian Mark Short
Date of birth (1970-05-09) 9 May 1970 (age 53)
Place of birth Münster, West Germany
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
Pickering Town
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1990 Scarborough 43 (1)
1990Manchester United (loan) 0 (0)
1990–1995 Notts County 94 (2)
1994Huddersfield Town (loan) 6 (0)
1995–1998 Sheffield United 46 (0)
1998–2000 Stoke City 35 (0)
2001 Scarborough 5 (0)
2001 Hinckley United 2 (0)
Total 231 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career edit

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]

Coaching career edit

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.

Personal life edit

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.

Career statistics edit

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[10]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[a] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Scarborough 1988–89 Fourth Division 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 4 0
1989–90 Fourth Division 41 1 1 0 5 0 2 0 49 1
Total 43 1 1 0 5 0 4 0 53 1
Notts County 1990–91 Second Division 15 1 2 0 0 0 2 0 19 1
1991–92 First Division 27 0 2 0 1 0 2 1 32 1
1992–93 First Division 31 1 1 0 2 0 1 0 35 1
1993–94 First Division 6 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 9 0
1994–95 First Division 13 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 14 0
1995–96 Second Division 2 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 6 0
Total 94 2 5 0 7 0 9 1 115 3
Huddersfield Town (loan) 1994–95 Second Division 6 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 7 0
Sheffield United 1995–96 First Division 15 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 18 0
1996–97 First Division 24 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 29 0
1997–98 First Division 5 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 10 0
Total 44 0 7 0 4 0 2 0 57 0
Stoke City 1998–99 Second Division 21 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 23 0
1999–2000 Second Division 14 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 18 0
Total 35 0 1 0 5 0 0 0 41 0
Scarborough 2001–02 Football Conference 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Career total 227 3 14 0 21 0 16 1 278 4

References edit

  1. ^ "Chris Short". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Sherwin, Phil (2012). The Sentinel – The way we were. Stoke-on-trent. p. 12.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ^ "Short's role as fitness coach is over". thisisleicestershire.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  4. ^ "Chris Short joins up at Thorp Arch..." Leeds United. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2012.
  5. ^ "JON JOINS UP AT THORP ARCH". Leeds United. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  6. ^ "Bradford City: Short has long list of 'Iron man' goals". 19 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Fitness coach Lossau returns to Bradford City". 28 June 2018.
  8. ^ "Chris Short Joins Coaching Staff". Blackpool F.C. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  9. ^ "Short back at Scarborough". Evening Press. York. 26 July 2001. Archived from the original on 10 July 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
  10. ^ Chris Short at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)

External links edit