In memoriam: Craig Shakespeare

Scunthorpe United is saddened to learn of the passing of former player Craig Shakespeare, at the age of 60.

As a player, Shakespeare was an attacking midfielder and began his career with Walsall, spending over a decade with the club including two as an apprentice before eight as a professional, scoring 45 goals in 284 appearances. He would move to Sheffield Wednesday for a season before a three year stint at West Bromwich Albion and a four year spell at Grimsby Town. At both clubs, he would surpass 100 appearances.

He would spend 1997-98 with the Iron, making just four appearances before he featured for a couple of non-league clubs before retiring.

His move into coaching would first take him back to West Bromwich Albion, where he would first be a Football in the Community Officer before moving onto the academy and then reserve coach, taking care of the first team for a stint in 2006.

His next moves would be as assistant manager, firstly of Leicester City and Hull City before a move back to the Foxes in 2011. He would remain assistant in 2015 following Nigel Pearson's sacking, with Claudio Ranieri becoming the next boss. The side would win the Premier League in the season that followed.

He was briefly part of the England set-up alongside his role at the Foxes and he would eventually become manager of the Premier League side when Ranieri lost his job in 2017. He would have assistant management roles at Watford, Aston Villa and Norwich City in the years that followed before returning to Leicester in the summer of 2023 under Dean Smith.

Last October, Shakespeare was sadly diagnosed with cancer, and sadly passed away this morning.

The thoughts of everyone at Scunthorpe United is with Craig's family and friends.