Adrian Paul Heath (born 11 January 1961) is an English football manager and former player. He most recently served as head coach of Major League Soccer club Minnesota United until October 2023. As a player, he is best known for his six seasons at Everton, where he won two First Division titles and an FA Cup. As a manager, Heath initially worked in his native England before moving abroad to Orlando City, an expansion side in the American second division. Orlando City had the best start of any newly founded team in the history of American soccer, winning multiple honours before joining MLS in 2015.
Playing career Born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, Heath started his playing career at Stoke City having joined the club from playing in the local Lads and dads League. He signed a professional contract at 17 and played in the reserves under the guidance of player coach Howard Kendall, Heath's impressive performances helped the second string to second place in the Central League and saw him win the club's young player of the year award. Known as "Inchy" due to his small stature, he burst on to the first team scene in 1979–80 displaying great maturity in the First Division and scoring two vital goals at the end of the season which ensured Stoke's survival. He scored seven goals in 41 matches in 1980–81 and five in 20 in 1981–82. With Heath fast becoming one of the most sought after midfielders in the country Richie Barker allowed him to join Everton, who were being managed by Kendall, in January 1982 for a then club record fee of £750,000.
He became Everton's top scorer in his second full season, scoring 18 in all competitions in the 1983–84 season. His goal against Third Division Oxford United in the League Cup quarter final is widely credited with changing Everton's fortunes in the 1983–84 season, in which they went on to reach the League Cup final (losing to Liverpool in the replay) and lift the FA Cup, their first silverware since 1970. Grabbing a poor Kevin Brock back-pass, Heath scored a goal away at Oxford to equalize the match and earn Everton a chance to turn things around.Pye, S How Howard Kendall saved his job at Everton and won the FA Cup in 1984 2015 [Accessed 2021]
Heath was a key member of the successful Everton side of the mid-1980s, winning two league titles in 1985 and 1987 and the FA Cup in 1984. However his participation in the 1984–85 title-winning season was cut short in December after a challenge from Sheffield Wednesday's Brian Marwood resulted in a cruciate ligament injury which kept him out for the rest of the season. It is thought that Heath was in line for a call-up to Bobby Robson's England squad at the time.Hart, S. Adrian Heath interview: Former Everton striker prepares his Orlando City side for the MLS 2014 [Accessed Jan 2022] The injury prevented Heath from playing in the final of the European Cup Winner's Cup in which Everton beat Rapid Vienna 3–1. In 2018, the Everton Heritage Society arranged for Heath to receive a replica of the Cup Winner's Cup medal which was presented to him at Goodison Park in November 2018 during halftime of a Premier League fixture against Cardiff City.Royden, M. Adrian Heath receives his 1985 European Cup Winner's Cup Medal from EFC Heritage Society 2021 [Accessed Jan 2022]
In the 1988–89 season, Heath had a spell in Spain with Espanyol. After a single season, he returned to England, where he spent the remainder of his career. In 1990, Manchester City manager Howard Kendall signed Heath from Aston Villa. Heath was one of a number of former Everton players signed by Kendall, and the transfer marked the third different club at which Heath had played under Kendall. His debut came as a substitute against Charlton Athletic in January 1990. During the 1990–91 season, Heath forged a strike partnership with Niall Quinn, the short and agile Heath contrasting with Quinn's aerial ability. The pair started 33 matches together, though Heath scored only one goal, in the second match of the season. Heath then had a barren run that lasted 46 matches and came to an end in November 1991, when Heath scored two goals in a League Cup tie at Queen's Park Rangers.James, Manchester City - The Complete Record, pp. 450–1 As the 1991–92 season progressed, Heath lost his place in the team to young striker Mike Sheron.
In March 1992, Heath briefly returned to his first club Stoke City, until the end of the 1991–92 season. In that brief spell back at the Victoria Ground, Heath played in six league matches a play-off match against Stockport County and also played in the 1992 Football League Trophy Final which saw Stoke beat Stockport 1–0. Heath also had a notable three-year stint at Burnley from 1992 to 1995, where he helped them lift the 1994 Second Division play-Off trophy. Following a brief period at Sheffield United, he returned to Burnley as player-manager before retiring at the end of the 1996–97 season which served him accolades.
Managerial career
England Heath began his managerial career as player-manager of Burnley in March 1996. He left after the 1996–97 season having finished ninth in the Second Division. He worked with former Everton teammate Peter Reid at Sunderland, managing Sunderland Reserves to a Pontins League championship in 1999. That summer, he was appointed manager of Sheffield United but he left the club after only five months. He later followed Reid to Leeds United and Coventry City. When Reid left Coventry in January 2005, Heath stepped in as caretaker. He remained at the club under Reid's successor Micky Adams, and again acted as caretaker in January 2007, before leaving the club after Iain Dowie was appointed.
United States Heath was appointed manager of USL-1 expansion team Austin Aztex in February 2008 after a meeting with owner Phil Rawlins in a pub in Newcastle Under Lyme. In 2010, the team relocated to Florida to become Orlando City, playing in the USL PRO division. In Orlando, Heath led the team to two regular season titles and the league championship in their first two years. Heath was named USL coach of the year both years.
After their successes in the USL, Orlando City was granted an expansion franchise in MLS for the 2015 season with Heath at the helm. On 21 November 2014, Heath signed a contract extension committing him to Orlando City through to the end of the 2017 MLS season. Heath was sacked by Orlando City on 7 July 2016 following a 4–0 defeat against FC Dallas.
In November 2016, Heath was hired as head coach for Minnesota United prior to their first season in MLS after a tenure in the North American Soccer League. The team struggled in its early games. Through the first four games Minnesota United conceded 18 goals, more than any other MLS team had allowed in the first six games of a season. Heath got his first win as United's manager with a 4–2 home victory over Real Salt Lake. On 6 October 2023, Heath and Minnesota United parted ways after seven seasons at the club.
Personal life Adrian Heath's son, Harrison, is also a footballer. In January 2026, Heath revealed that he had been kidnapped and held to ransom by criminals in Morocco posing as football powerbrokers.
Career statistics
Club career + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsStoke City1978–79Second Division20002000401979–80First Division3851040004351980–81First Division3862110004171981–82First Division175102000205Total951641900010817Everton1981–82First Division2260000002261982–83First Division381051400047111983–84First Division3612721140054181984–85First Division171100415126131985–86First Division261062315240151986–87First Division411130434252161987–88First Division29981722046121988–89First Division72002010102Total22671296351117530793Espanyol1988–89La Liga241000000241Aston Villa1989–90First Division90102000120Manchester City1989–90First Division1220000001221990–91First Division3512030204211991–92First Division281105210353Total754308230896Stoke City1991–92Third Division60000040100Burnley1992–93Second Division431953101050221993–94Second Division41941305053101994–95First Division2703240003421995–96Second Division4000101060Total11528126907014334Sheffield United1995–96First Division4010000050Burnley1995–96Second Division30000000301996–97Second Division2000000020Total5000000050Career total55912050136313315703151
A. The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the FA Charity Shield, Football League Trophy, Football League play-offs, Full Members Cup, Mercantile Credit Centenary Trophy, Screen Sport Super Cup, UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.
Managerial career
TeamFromToRecordGWDLWin %Burnley7 March 199627 June 1997Sheffield United15 June 199923 November 1999Coventry City6 January 200523 January 2005Coventry City17 January 200719 February 2007Austin Aztex1 July 200824 October 2010Orlando City (USL Pro)25 October 201031 December 2014Orlando City (MLS)1 January 20157 July 2016Minnesota United29 November 20166 October 2023Total
Honours As a player Everton Football League First Division: 1984–85, 1986–87 FA Cup: 1983–84; runner-up: 1985–86 FA Charity Shield: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 European Cup Winners' Cup: 1984–85 Football League Cup runner-up: 1983–84
Stoke City Associate Members' Cup: 1991–92
Burnley Football League Second Division play-offs: 1994
As a manager Individual USL Pro Coach of the Year: 2011, 2012
References
External links