Lincoln City today announced that veteran striker Iffy Onuora is to be the new Assistant Manager at Sincil Bank. Onuora has signed a deal that will run to the end of the season and Peter Jackson said 'Iffy was my number one choice, he's an excellent coach with experience of management and more importantly someone I can trust as I've known him for years'. Onuora will make the journey to Accrington tonight, but will only take up his role officially on Saturday at Sincil Bank against Macclesfield.
It won't be the first time the powerful ex-striker has graced Sincil Bank, he'll probably be best remembered by Imps fans for scoring the only goal in Huddersfields 1-0 win over City in the 2004 play off semi finals, a game that ended 3-2 on aggregate. However Onuora's playing career amounted to much more than a game against City. Onuora has a varied career that spanned such sides as Huddersfield, Sheffield Utd, Gillingham and Swindon. In over 500 appearances he scored 133 goals. The only slight blot on his copybook was a 2003 loan spell at Grimsby Town for whom he scored 3 goals. He was mainly a lower league journeyman striker, powerfully built with a keen eye for the back of the net.
Upon retiring in 2004, Onuora became assistant to Paul Merson at Walsall.
However, he was sacked by Merson in October 2004, reportedly for lacking the respect of the players, and not holding the necessary coaching credentials. Following Mersons departure from Walsall it soon became clear which of the management team lacked respect, and it seems more a case of Onuora's northern style clashing with the southern style of Merson. Later in the 2004-05 season, Onuora became a coach and youth development officer at Swindon Town. When Andy King was sacked after a poor start to season, Onuora was appointed as Swindon's caretaker manager. Whilst at Swindon the road show that is 'Ron Atkinson' rolled up to film his abhorrent Sky TV programme 'Big Ron Manager'. The idea was that Big Ron would help Onuora in his battle against relegation. Atkinsons stay was short lived though as Onuora refused to work with Ron. Atkinson moved onto Peterborough where manager Steve Bleasdale was sacked, perhaps proving Onuora right.
Dennis Wise later became the new Swindon manager and Onuora was offered the chance to stay in a reduced capacity but he turned down that offer and left the club. He returned to Gillingham in June 2007 as a first team coach. When manager Ronnie Jepson resigned in September 2007 he was named, alongside Mick Docherty, as joint caretaker manager. He held the position until the appointment of Mark Stimson on 1 November 2007 and briefly remained as a first team coach under the new regime before departing approximately two weeks later.
It won't be the first time the powerful ex-striker has graced Sincil Bank, he'll probably be best remembered by Imps fans for scoring the only goal in Huddersfields 1-0 win over City in the 2004 play off semi finals, a game that ended 3-2 on aggregate. However Onuora's playing career amounted to much more than a game against City. Onuora has a varied career that spanned such sides as Huddersfield, Sheffield Utd, Gillingham and Swindon. In over 500 appearances he scored 133 goals. The only slight blot on his copybook was a 2003 loan spell at Grimsby Town for whom he scored 3 goals. He was mainly a lower league journeyman striker, powerfully built with a keen eye for the back of the net.
Upon retiring in 2004, Onuora became assistant to Paul Merson at Walsall.
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Dennis Wise later became the new Swindon manager and Onuora was offered the chance to stay in a reduced capacity but he turned down that offer and left the club. He returned to Gillingham in June 2007 as a first team coach. When manager Ronnie Jepson resigned in September 2007 he was named, alongside Mick Docherty, as joint caretaker manager. He held the position until the appointment of Mark Stimson on 1 November 2007 and briefly remained as a first team coach under the new regime before departing approximately two weeks later.