Micky Cummins

Micky Cummins

Personal information
Full name	Michael Thomas Cummins[1]
Date of birth	(1978-06-01) 1 June 1978 (age 46)[2]
Place of birth	Dublin, Ireland[3]
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Position(s)	Midfielder; right-back[2]
Youth career
1996–1998	Middlesbrough
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–2000	Middlesbrough	2	(0)
2000–2006	Port Vale	253	(31)
2006–2008	Darlington	79	(10)
2008–2010	Rotherham United	50	(5)
2010–2011	Grimsby Town	36	(1)
2011–2014	Gateshead	98	(14)
Total		515	(61)
International career
1997	Republic of Ireland U20	5	(2)
	Republic of Ireland U21	2	(0)
Managerial career
2015	Gateshead (caretaker)
2017	Gateshead (caretaker)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Michael Thomas Cummins (born 1 June 1978) is an Irish former professional footballer.

As a player, he was a midfielder from 1996 to 2014. He started his career with Middlesbrough in 1996, where he stayed for four years. In 2000, he moved on to Port Vale and made over 250 appearances for the club in a six-year stay, picking up a Football League Trophy winners medal in 2001. Between 2006 and 2008, he was signed to Darlington, and in 2008 he joined Rotherham United. Two years later, he transferred to Grimsby Town before he joined Gateshead in May 2011. He scored 67 goals in 588 league and cup appearances throughout his career. He has also appeared for the Republic of Ireland under-21 team and played all of Ireland's five games at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship.

After retiring as a player, he turned to coaching and twice took charge as caretaker manager at Gateshead. He coached at the club before taking up a coaching role at York City from 2019 to 2021.

Club career

Middlesbrough

Cummins began his professional career as a trainee with Middlesbrough in 1996.[4] He made his Premier League debut under Bryan Robson on 16 May 1999, playing the full ninety minutes of a 4–0 defeat to West Ham United at Upton Park.[4] He made his second appearance off the bench on 26 February 2000, in a goalless draw at the Riverside Stadium.[4] He later said "I was just a squad player. I was never treated as a person or an individual".[5]

Port Vale

Cummins joined Brian Horton's Port Vale on a free transfer in March 2000.[4] He scored his first senior goal on 21 March in a 2–1 defeat to Walsall at Vale Park. He played twelve First Division games in 1999–2000, as the "Valiants" were relegated into the Second Division. He was given a two-year contract in the summer.[5] He played a total of 56 games in 2000–01 in league and cup, mainly out of position at right-wing-back, including the 2001 Football League Trophy final 2–1 victory over Brentford at the Millennium Stadium.[6][7] He scored three goals throughout the campaign, including the opener of the 2–1 victory over Stoke City in the Football League Trophy Northern Section semi-finals.[8] He was utilized mostly at right-back throughout the campaign, before reverting to his more established midfield position.[9]

Cummins was a key player for Vale in 2001–02, scoring nine goals in 53 games; the most significant of these nine goals came in a 1–0 win against Potteries derby opponents Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on 10 February (the last such meeting between the two clubs).[10] In 2002–03 he scored four goals in 35 games, with two of these goals coming in a 4–2 win over Mansfield Town on 30 November; his appearances were limited by a shoulder injury that required surgery.[11] He recovered from a knee injury to score four goals in 46 games in 2003–04,[12] as new manager Martin Foyle led the club to a seventh-place finish – the club finished outside of the play-off zone due to an inferior goal difference. Having signed a two-year deal in May 2004,[13] Cummins scored twice in 43 games in 2004–05, as Vale struggled to compete in the third tier. With ten League One goals in 2005–06, he finished the campaign as the club's joint-highest league goalscorer (with Leon Constantine); he also overcame injury problems to play a total of 42 games.[14] Having made a total of 287 league and cup appearances for Port Vale, scoring 34 goals, he decided to relocate to the North East for family reasons.[4][15]

Darlington

Cummins joined David Hodgson's Darlington on a free transfer in May 2006.[16] He quickly became a regular in the first-team for the "Quakers", making 45 league and cup appearances in the 2006–07 season despite suffering from a groin problem.[17][18] Darlington knocked Championship side Stoke City out of the League Cup in August 2006, and finished the season in mid-table.[19][20] He was nominated for the League Two Player of the Month award in November 2006.[21] However, following Darlington's failure to gain promotion out of League Two in the 2007–08 season, Cummins was released by manager Dave Penney.[22]

Rotherham United

He signed a two-year contract with League Two rivals Rotherham United, then managed by Mark Robins, in May 2008.[23] He scored five goals in 45 games in 2008–09. He scored against Championship club West Bromwich Albion in the 4–3 defeat in the League Cup Second Round on 26 August 2009.[24] A groin injury meant that he was restricted to just seventeen appearances in 2009–10.[3] He did not feature in the play-off final defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge.

Grimsby Town

Released by Rotherham,[25] Cummins signed a one-year deal with Neil Woods' Grimsby Town in June 2010.[26][27] He played a total of 40 games for the Conference Premier side in 2010–11, scoring one goal in a 2–0 win over Luton Town at Blundell Park.[28] Though Woods was keen to sign him to a longer contract,[29] Cummins left the club at the end of the campaign after he was released by new management duo Rob Scott and Paul Hurst.[30]

Gateshead

In May 2011, he joined Conference side Gateshead on a one-year deal.[31] He was signed by manager Ian Bogie, his former teammate at Port Vale. Cummins made his Gateshead debut on 13 August, scoring their second goal against Kidderminster Harriers in a 3–2 win at Aggborough.[32] He enjoyed his most prolific season yet in 2011–12, bagging 12 goals in 49 appearances, and starting in all league games. He agreed a new one-year contract with the club in May 2012 to cover the 2012–13 season.[33] He went on to play 42 games in the 2012–13 campaign, helping the "Tynesiders" to a 17th-place finish. On 18 August 2013, Cummins was named caretaker assistant manager at Gateshead following the resignation of Anth Smith,[34] a position he held until 3 September when Gary Mills was appointed manager.[35] He was limited to five starts in the 2013–14 campaign as Gateshead secured a play-off spot with a third-place finish.

International career

Cummins was a squad member in the 1994 UEFA European Under-16 Championship, and won caps for the Republic of Ireland under-21 side. He also scored two goals at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia; he found the net in a 2–1 win over the United States and a 1–1 draw with China at the group stage held at the Darul Aman Stadium in Alor Setar.[36][37] The Irish were knocked out by eventual winners Argentina at the semi-final stage, and then finished third following a 2–1 win over Ghana.[38]

Coaching career

In July 2014, Cummins was appointed joint reserve and youth team coach at Gateshead, alongside Paul Bryson.[39] On 23 November 2015, Cummins was named co-caretaker manager of Gateshead alongside Ben Clark following the departure of manager Malcolm Crosby.[40] The pair spent just four days in charge before Neil Aspin was named as the club's new manager.[41] He again stepped up to the role as caretaker manager when Aspin departed on 4 October 2017,[42] holding the post until Steve Watson was appointed manager on 10 October.[43] Watson went on to name Cummins as his assistant.[44] Watson again appointed Cummins as his assistant when he took the management role at National League North side York City in January 2019.[45] On 28 October 2021, he was suspended by the club after he was charged by the Football Association concerning 148 bets placed on football matches between January 2015 and March 2019.[46] Steve Watson was sacked two weeks later, leading to Cummings's permanent departure from the York Community Stadium.[47]

Style of play

Cummins has been described as being "comfortable on the ball" and possessing "good aerial ability".[48] Rotherham teammate Tom Pope said that he was "one of the best I have seen" for his jumping ability and timing in the air.[49] In May 2011, Gateshead manager Ian Bogie stated that Cummins was "a talented player with a physical presence who can also score goals, has a lot of know how... a player who will put his foot in and dictate play."[50] In May 2006, Darlington manager David Hodgson stated that "Michael is one of the most consistent players in League One."[51]

Career statistics

Playing statistics

Club	Season	Division	League^[A]		FA Cup		League Cup		Other^[B]		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Middlesbrough	1996–97[52]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1997–98[53]	First Division	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	1998–99[54]	Premier League	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	1999–2000[55]	Premier League	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	Total		2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Port Vale	1999–2000[55]	First Division	12	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	12	1
	2000–01[56]	Second Division	45	2	2	0	2	0	7	1	56	3
	2001–02[57]	Second Division	46	8	2	1	2	0	3	0	53	9
	2002–03[58]	Second Division	30	4	1	0	1	0	3	0	35	4
	2003–04[59]	Second Division	42	4	2	0	1	0	1	0	46	4
	2004–05[60]	League One	39	2	2	0	0	0	2	0	43	2
	2005–06[61]	League One	39	10	2	0	1	1	0	0	42	11
	Total		253	31	11	1	7	1	16	1	287	34
Darlington	2006–07[62]	League Two	39	4	2	0	2	0	2	0	45	4
	2007–08[63]	League Two	40	6	2	0	1	0	3	0	46	6
	Total		79	10	4	0	3	0	5	0	91	10
Rotherham United	2008–09[64]	League Two	35	4	2	1	3	0	5	0	45	5
	2009–10[65]	League Two	15	1	0	0	1	1	1	0	17	2
	Total		50	5	2	1	4	1	6	0	62	7
Grimsby Town	2010–11[66]	Conference Premier	36	1	2	0	0	0	2	0	40	1
Gateshead	2011–12[67]	Conference Premier	44	10	1	1	0	0	4	1	49	12
	2012–13[68]	Conference Premier	39	3	1	0	0	0	2	0	42	3
	2013–14[69]	Conference Premier	15	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	15	0
	Total		98	13	2	1	0	0	6	1	106	15
Career totals			518	60	21	3	14	2	35	2	588	67

A. ^ The "League" column constitutes appearances and goals (including those as a substitute) in the Premier League, Football League and Conference.

B. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals (including those as a substitute) in the Football League Trophy and FA Trophy.

Managerial statistics

As of match played 30 September 2017

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	From	To	Record					Ref
			P	W	D	L	Win %
Gateshead (caretaker)	23 November 2015	27 November 2015	0	0	0	0	!—
Gateshead (caretaker)	4 October 2017	10 October 2017	1	0	0	1	000.0	[70]
Total			1	0	0	1	000.0

Honours

Port Vale

• Football League Trophy: 2000–01[71]

Republic of Ireland

• FIFA World Youth Championship Third Place: 1997

References

1. "Micky Cummins". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
2. "Profile". darlington-fc.net. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
3. "Injured Cummins out for six weeks". BBC Sport. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
4. "Michael Cummins". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 March 2008.
5. "The Micky Cummins Interview (Part 1)". The Vale Park Beano. 95.
6. Baggaley, Mike (16 October 2023). "Ben Garrity, a century and finest of the new era". Valiant's Substack. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
7. "Vale vault Brentford to lift Vans trophy". BBC Sport. 22 April 2001. Retrieved 2 March 2008.
8. "Port Vale 2–1 Stoke". BBC Sport. 5 March 2001. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
9. Baggaley, Michael (6 April 2020). "Is this the best Port Vale select team of last 50 years? Have your say". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
10. "Stoke 0–1 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 10 February 2002. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
11. "Cummins to undergo op". BBC Sport. 8 January 2003. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
12. "Vale wait on injured four". BBC Sport. 11 September 2003. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
13. "Cummins signs new Vale deal". BBC Sport. 28 May 2004. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
14. "Injured duo out of Vale equation". BBC Sport. 29 November 2005. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
15. "The Micky Cummins Interview (Part 3)". The Vale Park Beano. 97.
16. "Quakers complete double signing". BBC Sport. 27 May 2006. Retrieved 2 March 2008.
17. "Darlington 2006/2007 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 March 2008.
18. "Darlington duo hit by injury blow". BBC Sport. 25 April 2007. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
19. "Stoke 1–2 Darlington". BBC Sport. 22 August 2006. Retrieved 2 March 2008.
20. "final 2006/2007 Football League Two Table". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2 March 2008.
21. "Pirates keeper nets monthly prize". BBC Sport. 10 December 2006. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
22. "Nine players released by Quakers". BBC Sport. 22 June 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2008.
23. "Ex-Quaker Cummins signs for Rotherham". The Northern Echo. 23 May 2008. Retrieved 23 May 2008.
24. "West Brom 4 – 3 Rotherham". BBC Sport. 26 August 2009. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
25. "Pablo Mills departs in Rotherham United cull". BBC Sport. 2 June 2010. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
26. "Miller's Man Joins Town". grimsby-townfc.co.uk. 12 June 2010. Archived from the original on 18 June 2010. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
27. "Grimsby sign ex-Rotherham midfielder Michael Cummins". BBC Sport. 11 June 2010. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
28. "Grimsby Town 2–0 Luton Town". BBC Sport. 4 September 2010. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
29. "Grimsby Town in contract talks with Micky Cummins". BBC Sport. 12 January 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
30. "Seven Released". grimsby-townfc.co.uk. 4 May 2011. Archived from the original on 8 May 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
31. "Gateshead sign experienced midfielder Cummins". gateshead-fc.com. 19 May 2011. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
32. "Kidderminster Harriers 2–3 Gateshead". gateshead-fc.com. 14 August 2011. Archived from the original on 28 August 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
33. "Ten on Board at Gateshead". Blue Square Bet Premier. 10 May 2012. Archived from the original on 12 May 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
34. "Smith Resignation Accepted". gateshead-fc.com. 18 August 2013. Archived from the original on 18 August 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
35. "Gary Mills Unveiled As New Gateshead Manager". gateshead-fc.com. 3 September 2013. Archived from the original on 6 September 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
36. "Republic of Ireland – USA". FIFA. Archived from the original on 22 October 2007. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
37. "Republic of Ireland – China PR". FIFA. Archived from the original on 22 October 2007. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
38. "Ghana – Republic of Ireland". FIFA. Archived from the original on 22 October 2007. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
39. "Cummins Relishes New Coaching Role". gateshead-fc.com. 2 July 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
40. "Clark and Cummins take caretaker charge". gateshead-fc.com. 23 November 2015. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
41. "Neil Aspin: Former Halifax boss appointed Gateshead manager". BBC Sport. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
42. Baggaley, Michael (4 October 2017). "Chris Morgan and Ned Kelly leave Port Vale". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
43. Steve Watson: Gateshead appoint ex-Newcastle defender as manager BBC Sport, 10 October 2017
44. Bowron, Jeff (7 November 2017). "Gateshead appoint Micky Cummins at Steve Watson's No 2 at the International Stadium". NE Chronicle. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
45. Fett, Dave (15 January 2019). "Micky Cummins backs old pal Sam Collins to return to football". York Press. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
46. Richardson, Joe (28 October 2021). "Micky Cummins to be absent "indefinitely" from games and training following betting breaches charge". York Press. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
47. "Out! Steve Watson has left his role as York City manager 'with immediate effect'". YorkMix. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
48. "Profile". grimsby-townfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 31 May 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
49. Pope, Tom (8 March 2019). "Happy memories of the Port Vale team that won in the LDV at Stoke City". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 9 March 2019.
50. "Gateshead sign Michael Cummins on one-year deal". BBC Sport. 20 May 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
51. "Quakers complete double signing". BBC Sport. 27 May 2006. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
52. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 1996/1997". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
53. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 1997/1998". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
54. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 1998/1999". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
55. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
56. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
57. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
58. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
59. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
60. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
61. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
62. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
63. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
64. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
65. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
66. Appearances and goals for this season are taken from:
    "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
    "Tamworth vs Grimsby Town". Grimsby Town F.C. 23 October 2010. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
    "Grimsby Town vs Tamworth". Grimsby Town F.C. 26 October 2010. Archived from the original on 1 November 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
    "Grimsby Town vs Redditch Utd". Grimsby Town F.C. 11 December 2010. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
    "Chasetown vs Grimsby Town". Grimsby Town F.C. 15 January 2011. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
67. Appearances and goals for this season are taken from:
    "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
    "AFC Telford Utd 1–2 Gateshead". Gateshead FC. 23 October 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
    "Gateshead 2–2 Braintree Town". Gateshead FC. 15 January 2012. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
    "Braintree Town 1–1 Gateshead (Gateshead won 4–3 on penalties aet)". Gateshead FC. 18 January 2012. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
    "Gateshead 2–1 Alfreton Town". Gateshead FC. 15 February 2012. Archived from the original on 7 April 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
    "Luton Town 2–0 Gateshead". Gateshead FC. 26 February 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2012.^[permanent dead link‍]
68. Appearances and goals for this season are taken from:
    "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
    "Alfreton Town 2–0 Gateshead". Gateshead FC. 21 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2012.^[permanent dead link‍]
    "Gateshead 2–0 Macclesfield Town". Gateshead FC. 24 November 2012. Archived from the original on 1 December 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2012.
    "Barrow 3–2 Gateshead". Gateshead FC. 30 January 2013. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
69. "Games played by Micky Cummins in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
70. Micky Cummins management career statistics at Soccerbase
71. "Vale vault Brentford to lift Vans trophy". BBC Sport. 22 April 2001. Retrieved 19 January 2016.

External links

• Micky Cummins at Soccerbase