St Andrews United are delighted to announce the appointment of Greg Shields as new first team manager. Greg started his football journey with Gairdoch United Boys Club before joining the youth system at Rangers. He made his debut for the senior team in the 1995/96 season, showcasing his defensive talents in a team packed with stars like Paul Gascoigne & Brian Laudrup. Greg made 11 appearances, appearing during the 9 in a row season and also featured in 2 champions league games. However, limited opportunities led him to pursue regular first-team football elsewhere.

In 1997, Shields left Rangers and joined Dunfermline Athletic for an undisclosed fee, where he established himself as a reliable defender, making around 200 league appearances across two spells. After two years, he moved to Charlton Athletic for £580,000, winning the English Championship in the 1999/00 season and also  competing in the English Premier League. He later returned to Scotland, playing for Kilmarnock before rejoining Dunfermline in 2004. Shields played in the 2006 League Cup Final and captained the team in the 2007 Scottish Cup Final, though his team finished runners-up in both. Shields played in the UEFA Cup for and also helped Dunfermline to their highest ever Premier League finish (4th) in the 2003/04 season.

In 2009, he signed with the Carolina RailHawks (now North Carolina FC) in the United States, where he  began his coaching career in an assistant mangers role after retiring from professional football in 2013, Shields filled every coaching role from youth to professional and is grateful for his coaching education he had in the USA.

Shields returned to Scotland in 2019 as an assistant coach at Dunfermline. He later served as interim manager before being promoted to head of the club’s youth academy in 2022, reflecting his commitment to developing the next generation of players. His coaching philosophy emphasises mental resilience and man-management, shaped by his experiences as a player.

Known for his strong tackling, work ethic, and leadership qualities, Shields had a career marked by both achievements and challenges. His later transition to coaching highlights his enduring influence on the game.

Greg holds a UEFA A license, US A license & UEFA Elite Youth A license.

Joining Greg will be another tremendous addition to the new management team with Stuart Milne joining as his number 2. Stuart is the current Director of Football at St Andrews University and has worked with Greg at Dunfermline Athletic. He will bring a wealth of experience in player development and along with Stevie Clark who we are delighted will stay on as Assistant coach, complete what we believe to be one of the best new management teams in Scotland’

Commenting on the appointment, Chairman Fraser Ogston said ‘This is a major coup for St Andrews United. I have known Greg for a number of years and I am delighted to have been able to bring him to the club. He has connections across many top clubs in Scotland so we are excited about the way he will be able to develop the team going forward. He will have full autonomy with support from the committee and we very much look forward to him joining the club this coming week’