sport news Man City coach Ben Wilkinson grew up in awe of his dad Howard at Leeds - the ... trends now
These days, the godfather of English football’s renaissance stands in his kitchen watching Manchester City’s academy on his iPad. Howard Wilkinson, the FA’s first technical director, studies the Under-18 games with that keen eye for which he earned such renown.
Eighty now, Wilkinson is retiring, stepping back away from chairmanship of the LMA. But the fire still burns and City gives him that outlet.
It happens that their manager is a Mr Ben Wilkinson. When dad isn’t at matches, he’s plugged in at home instead.
‘Apparently he gets quite into it with mum,’ Ben says. ‘Swearing and stuff. I would never have thought that, given the amount of games they’ve seen in their lives. My mum probably makes me more nervous than dad – I’m scared of her!
‘I like it, I remember him being down there on the touchline for years and me and mum being upstairs. Now it’s the other way around.’
Manchester City U18 coach Ben Wilkinson (above) has his sights set on FA Youth Cup glory
The game Ben heads into on Friday is one of those enchanting opportunities for parallels everywhere. The younger Wilkinson leading youngsters in an FA Youth Cup final, the standard of quality on offer in part down to a vision the elder Wilkinson – among others – made sure was a blueprint for future success in developing players.
And it’s against Leeds United, no less. Ben grew up in awe of Howard at Leeds, bobbing in and out of dressing rooms – making sure he was sat in his Elland Road seat at 2pm on matchdays so not to miss anything - as his old man conquered the game. Still the last Englishman to win the league, Wilkinson.
In 1992. Ben was five then. As he grew older, there were regular trips to Thorp Arch during half term, absorbing training sessions. A budding midfielder, he became obsessed with coaching.
‘I was intrigued as to what happened between Saturdays, all that time in between,’ he says. ‘Why was my dad never at home? Then the more I saw that the more it opened my eyes. Dad was massive as a kid and without those experiences maybe I wouldn’t be here now. You’re fortunate enough to be in the company of unbelievable people - and almost thinking it’s normal.’
Come on, name names then.
‘The likes of Dave Bassett, Jim Smith, Trevor Francis, Sir Alex Ferguson he would count as friends. These people would make regular phone calls.
‘I’ll always
