FORMER IRISH U21 international Gary Dicker has been named as coach of Brighton’s U18s. 

Dicker brought an end to a 17-year playing career by announcing his retirement last week, and now steps into a full-time coaching role at the Premier League club. Having played more than 150 times for Brighton in England’s second and third tiers, he returned to the club at the start of this season in a player-coach role with the club’s U23s. 

Dicker was designated as one of the overage players, competing in the Premier League’s U23s league. He trained and played with the U23s – with Irish talents including Evan Ferguson, James Furlong and Andrew Moran – and also ran set pieces and sessions on the days he didn’t play. 

Having announced the end of his playing career last week, Dicker has now taken a full-time coaching role with the club’s U18s alongside James Baxter. 

“Gary follows in the footsteps of Liam Rosenior – who is now at Derby County – Steve Sidwell, and Andrew Crofts in past Brighton players completing the player to coach scheme we have”, said Brighton’s Academy manager John Morling, who was once the Head of the Emerging Talent Programme at the FAI. 

“We were proud that another top professional chose to come into our environment when Gary joined and this change in role will be hugely beneficial at the start of a new chapter for him.

“We’re excited to see him develop as a coach with the U18s, working jointly with James Baxter.”