About Don Shanks
Few people in the game have seen it from almost every angle — as a player, a coach, a scout, and a mentor. Don Shanks has.
Don Shanks played professionally for fifteen years in the English leagues and was coached by some of the best coaches in the game, such as Bobby Robson, Dave Sexton, Tommy Docherty, and Terry Venables. That difference matters.
1970–1985
Professional Playing Career
Don played football — or soccer, as it's referred to in America, Canada and Australia — professionally for fifteen years, from his apprenticeship at Fulham through to his final seasons at Brighton and Hove Albion.
Released by Fulham at eighteen — a story he tells in full on the Second Chance page — Don signed for Luton Town, playing in Division 2 (now called The Championship) and gaining promotion in 1974 to Division 1 (now the Premier League). During his time at Luton, Don was selected to represent England in the 1970 Under 19 World Cup in Czechoslovakia — playing every game in the tournament, scoring the equaliser with a minute to go in the semi-final to force extra time, and being voted Defender of the Tournament by the British press.
Don moved to Queens Park Rangers in 1974, where he was part of the iconic QPR side that finished second to Liverpool in the 1975–76 First Division season — still regarded as one of the finest club performances in QPR's history. During his time at Loftus Road, Don demonstrated a versatility that few players could match, playing in nine of the eleven positions on the field. He made 180 appearances for QPR, scoring 10 goals, before signing for Brighton and Hove Albion in 1981 and finishing his professional career there.
Throughout his playing career Don was coached and managed by some of the most respected figures in the game: Bobby Robson, Terry Venables, Dave Sexton and Tommy Docherty.
Playing Overseas
Australia (1974)
During the off-season, Don joined Balgownie FC in New South Wales — then in the Australian second division — where he played up front, scored 15 goals, and helped the club win the league.
Hong Kong (1983)
Don was signed by the late Bobby Moore — the only England captain to lift the World Cup — to join his team Eastern in Hong Kong, where Don played for a season and assisted with coaching.
USA (1984+)
Don followed many former playing colleagues to the United States in 1984. Exhibition matches for Tampa Bay Rowdies followed, as did involvement in the Indoor Soccer League, where Don played for Tampa Express and became a partner in the Indoor Soccer Group. He also served as player-coach of the St Petersburg Kickers, one of the strongest amateur sides in the country, who became state champions and cup winners.
Coaching Career
England — First Touch Soccer Academy
After retiring from playing, Don co-founded First Touch Soccer Academy with Alan Hudson - in Don's view, the greatest England midfielder of his generation. The academy attracted serious coaching talent, including Frank Worthington and Chris Garland.
England — Army Team
Don was invited to take charge of the English Army Team for a fourteen-week programme. He inherited a side sitting second from bottom and, by the end of the campaign — which included a cup final in Germany — the team had won the cup and topped the league.
UAE
Don served as assistant coach in Dubai under Jimmy Melia, working with the Coca-Cola-sponsored programme.
Nigeria
In 1993 Don travelled to Nigeria to assess a player with a view to taking him to an English club. While there, he was asked to take charge of Concorde FC, based an hour outside Lagos, who were second from bottom after twelve games. Don accepted. His first match ended in a 1–0 defeat — then the team won seven games in succession, a Nigerian record at the time. They finished the season third in the league and won the State Cup.
In 1994 Don worked alongside Nigeria's manager Clemens Westerhof in preparation for Nigeria's first FIFA World Cup finals, participating in a series of closed-doors preparation matches as part of the travelling squad.
Egypt
Don later took on the role of Sporting Director at Makadi FC in Egypt — a newly formed club — and took them through two divisions with successive promotions.
Personal
2018 New York Marathon
At 66, Don ran the New York Marathon to raise money for his great friend and former QPR teammate Stan Bowles, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Don completed the course in 4 hours 11 minutes — well inside the average of 4 hours 51 minutes for his age group.
2025 New York Marathon
At 73, Don ran the 2025 New York Marathon, raising a significant sum for the Alzheimer's Society. He completed the course in 5 hours 38 minutes — again, well inside the average of 6 hours 5 minutes for his age group.
Football Pro-Am
Don has played alongside, and against, some of the finest players of his era. He has been coached by men who shaped the modern game. As he puts it:
"You don't play with, against, or get coached by the highest and brightest minds in the game without picking up a few tricks."
That knowledge — built across fifty years and five continents — is what Don now brings to the game. He has a strong eye for talent. He is looking for the rough diamond. That could be you.