Kieron Dyer – Probably my biggest achievement in football


 
 
 
 
 
 

Ruud Gullit signed Kieron Dyer for £6m from Ipswich Town in July 1999.

Less than two months later, Gullit had been sacked and Sir Bobby Robson took over at Newcastle United.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Kieron Dyer became a much talked about player for what he did both on and off the pitch.

When he and Craig Bellamy were on song together, their pace and ability could take apart any opposition.

Both played a full part in that Sir Bobby era and matches such as that Champions League night in Rotterdam against Feyenoord and that 4-3 at Leeds that sent United top of the Premier League at Christmas, great memories.

However, now Kieron Dyer says he has experienced a new high, his ‘biggest achievement’ in football.

In June 2023, the former NUFC midfielder announced (see below) as a first team coach at National League side Chesterfield.

Less than nine months later, promotion to League Two has been achieved and confirmed as champions of the National League, with five games left to play for Chesterfield and 21 points clear of the second placed club.

Kieron Dyer speaking to Talksport – 25 March 2024:

“I have had a decent career.

“I have played for my country and I have been to World Cups but this is probably my biggest achievement in football… winning the National League.

“Being a coach you have the responsibility of the whole team and you cherish these moments, they are like your family.

“The players deserve all the love, I think they have been disrespected this season.

“I heard numerous times before I came here, that the National League is the hardest league to get out of.

“But all of a sudden, because this season we are romping it, it is now the easiest league because Wrexham aren’t in it.

“I think that is disrespectful to the players.

“I always hear we have the biggest budget but we haven’t got the biggest budget, we are third or fourth in the league. So that is another slight against us.

“Then we hear that we have got the biggest squad, when in fact we have used the fewest players in the league.

“The players have been a real credit to this football club and as staff we are really proud of them.”

“When the final whistle went [on Saturday’s 3-0 win over Boreham Wood], I was sat on the bench and was probably crying for five minutes because I was thinking of my [liver transplant] donor.

“The family of the donor reached out to me.

“I have spoken to them.

“They know who I am.

“The family asked me to kind of continue the legacy of my donor, so that was for him today as well.

“When we were 18 points clear we had a meeting with the manager, the recruitment team and the owners.

“We started to plan for what league we were in and stuff like that. Players were identified. We have been planning month and months in advance and now we have officially got it confirmed.”

Chesterfield official announcement – 26 June 2023:

‘Former England international Kieron Dyer has officially joined the coaching staff after acting in a consultancy capacity last season.

Commenting on his new role, Dyer said: “I came in for the last two months of the season just to give the lads a different voice.

“It seemed to go really well, but I have unfinished business. I think all the staff have unfinished players, as do the players. I’m really excited for the coming season.”

Paul Cook is delighted to have been able to add Dyer to his backroom team.

He said: “I feel that the addition of Kieron will help us both at the top level and also on the training ground.

“He’s a real watcher of the game who loves working with players individually and collectively.”

Dyer was previously an academy coach at Ipswich Town and worked under Cook during his spell in charge at Portman Road.

The 44-year-old enjoyed a highly successful career which started at Ipswich and took in spells at Newcastle United and West Ham United. He won 33 full England caps.’