Club News

Burton rejoins Baggies as Technical Director

Former Albion First-Team Coach returns to The Hawthorns

ALBION are delighted to announce the appointment of Terry Burton as Technical Director.


The 61-year-old will leave his current post as Arsenal’s Head of Youth Coaching and officially rejoin the Club on June 1.


Burton’s arrival forms part of a realignment of duties. He will work alongside Richard Garlick, who has operated as Sporting & Technical Director for the past 14 months and will now continue as Director of Football Administration.


Burton enjoyed a successful four-month spell as First-Team Coach under now-England Manager Roy Hodgson at The Hawthorns during the 2011/12 season.


He will play an integral role in the search for a new Head Coach to succeed Pepe Mel and the signing of new players.


Chairman Jeremy Peace said: “It’s great to welcome Terry back to the Club. His knowledge and experience of the game is second to none.


“Terry made a lasting impression during his time here two seasons ago and comes highly-recommended for his new role.


“Richard has worked tirelessly as Sporting & Technical Director and remains a key member of the Board.


“However, with the responsibilities of the position becoming increasingly wide-ranging, we felt it would be wise to split the role.


“The appointment of Terry, who has vast experience of coaching, developing young players and identifying talent, can only strengthen the Club.”


Burton said: “I really enjoyed my previous spell at Albion and I’m delighted to be coming back.


“It’s a terrific football club and this is a new, exciting chapter in my career.”


The First Team and Academy set-ups will report into Burton. Garlick will retain responsibility for all football administration duties, including co-ordinating and supporting the Scouting/Recruitment and Performance/Medical staff and overseeing regulatory matters.


Burton will work with the Coaching and Recruitment staff in identifying the type and calibre of players that will improve the squad.


He will also join Garlick, the rest of the Board and the new Head Coach in the decision-making process regarding the signing of new players.


Peace added: “Terry knows the Club well from his previous time here and we believe he can provide invaluable assistance to the Board and Coaching staff on all footballing matters.”


Burton turned to coaching while playing non-league football, after being released by Arsenal aged 19.


By 24, he was named Gunners youth-team boss and five years later took the step up to first-team Coach at Highbury, working under manager Don Howe in the mid-80s. He proved instrumental in bringing through the hugely-successful generation of players that included Tony Adams, David Rocastle, Michael Thomas, Paul Merson and Martin Keown. 


A change of manager saw the arrival of George Graham and, after a year working as reserve-team boss under the Scot, Burton left Arsenal in the summer of 1987.


Within 12 months he was appointed as Wimbledon's youth-team coach, revamping the set-up before stepping up to become Joe Kinnear's assistant in 1992.


After a year working under Egil Olsen, Burton was handed the managerial reins in 2000. With the club in crisis, Wimbledon were forced to sell their best players – but he still guided his young team to the fringes of the play-offs in his two seasons in charge.


In 2002, he was appointed assistant manager to Ray Lewington at Watford and during the 2004/05 season he moved to Cardiff as No.2 to Dave Jones. He was credited for bringing current Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey through the Bluebirds ranks.


Burton left City in the summer of 2011 and started the following season as a scout for Arsenal before joining the Baggies in December.


Four months later, after helping Hodgson cement Albion’s place in the Premier League, he was released from his short-term contract to enable him to join Sheffield Wednesday as assistant manager, where he helped steer the South Yorkshire side to promotion to the Championship.


He returned to Arsenal in July 2012, where he has remained in his current role, bossing the Under-21s and the Gunners team that participated in the NextGen Series, the elite European Under-19s competition.