Andy Scott

Sheffield United Along with his brother, Efan Ekoku and Paul Rogers, Scott was one of four Sutton United players to be plucked from non-League football by Sheffield United in the early 1990s. He joined the Bramall Lane club, then members of the Premier League, for a £50,000 fee in December 1992 and made the first professional appearance of his career as an injury time substitute for Brian Deane in a 1–1 Steel City derby draw on 21 April 1993.

Scott played a bit-part role during the 1993–94 season, Scott became a regular in the team during the 1994–95 season, making 40 appearances.

Brentford As one of new manager Micky Adams' first signings, Scott transferred to Second Division strugglers Brentford on 21 November 1997. Joining for a £75,000 fee, scoring just five goals in 27 appearances during the remainder of the 1996-97 season, Scott was played on the left wing by new manager Ron Noades during 1998–99, but despite suffering a serious leg injury in November 1998, he had the best season of his career so far, Scott made 143 appearances and scored 37 goals in just over three years at Griffin Park. though on a personal note he had had the best season of his career and finished the campaign with 20 goals scored for Brentford and Oxford United. Scott played on for a three further seasons with the Us, but fell out of favour due to injury troubles during the 2003–04 season. A 2005–06 pre-season friendly was played between Leyton Orient and Brentford to raise money for Scott after his premature retirement.

Managerial and coaching career

Leyton Orient After retiring from football in April 2005, Scott began coaching the Leyton Orient youth team, replacing Dean Smith, who moved up to assistant manager. He remained in the role until his departure at the end of the 2006–07 season. Following a poor run of results and with a relegation into non-League football a possibility, Butcher was sacked on 11 December 2007 and Scott was named caretaker manager. After three wins, one draw and one loss from his opening five games, Scott was named as the club's permanent manager on 4 January 2008. Seven wins and two draws from a 9-match spell between late December 2007 and mid-February 2008 raised the Bees to 11th position, but hopes of a playoff finish were thwarted by a run of just four wins from the final 15 matches of the season.

Scott signed a new five-year contract during the 2008 off-season and an overhaul of the squad and the shrewd loan signings of goalkeeper Ben Hamer, The title win made Scott the first person to win a league championship as both a player and manager of Brentford.

2009–2011 Scott again overhauled the squad for the 2009–10 season in League One and he again showed prowess in the loan market, signing young Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny, up-and-coming teenage attacker John Bostock and future stalwart Toumani Diagouraga. Just six defeats between early December and the end of the season led to a strong 9th-place finish.

Scott's Brentford had a torrid start to the 2010–11 season and sat bottom of the table after just two wins from the opening 11 matches. The early months of the season were notable for a run to the fourth round of the League Cup, which featured wins over Championship club Hull City and Premier League Everton on penalties at Griffin Park, before the run ended with a loss in a penalty shootout away to Premier League side Birmingham City. Scott also guided Brentford to the Southern Area finals of the Football League Trophy, but winless run in league matches in January 2011 saw Scott and his assistant Terry Bullivant sacked two days after a 4–1 away defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge on 1 February. In recognition of his achievements as a player and manager with Brentford, Scott was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in November 2024.

Rotherham United On 13 April 2011, Scott was named manager of League Two club Rotherham United on a three-year contract. He immediately made wholesale changes to the squad and instigated changes to the youth setup and the training ground. Four wins and one draw during the opening month of the 2011–12 season led to him winning the August 2011 League Two Manager of the Month award. With the club in 11th position in the table, Scott was sacked on 19 March 2012.

Aldershot Town On 22 February 2013, Scott took over as manager of League Two club Aldershot Town on a deal until the end of the 2012–13 season. Scott and his assistant Terry Bullivant were unable to save the Shots from relegation to the Conference Premier and the subsequent entry into administration. Despite Aldershot residing in the relegation places in October 2013, the pair signed new three-year contracts. but with the club six points above the relegation zone, Scott and Bullivant were sacked on 21 January 2015.

In August 2022, Scott revealed that he would not return to football management and that he had been "in management for a reason and that was to develop players, organise teams and get everyone playing the way I wanted to play. Realistically, where I was going to go after Aldershot was scrambling around at that level, I didn't want to be a journeyman manager applying for every job. Now I'm forging out a new career where I'm fortunate to be in the position I am in". On 1 July 2016, Scott officially returned to Brentford, as chief scout. He was promoted into the role of Sporting Director in November 2018 and stayed in the role until April 2019.

Swansea City On 24 July 2019, Scott was appointed Head of Recruitment at Championship club Swansea City. As a result of structural changes at the club, he departed the role by mutual consent on 6 December 2021.

Nottingham Forest In January 2022, Scott was appointed Head of Scouting at Championship club Nottingham Forest. The move reunited Scott with Steve Cooper, who served as head coach during Scott's tenure as Head of Recruitment at Swansea City.

Charlton Athletic On 20 December 2022, Scott was named technical director of League One club Charlton Athletic on an interim basis. The failure of a proposed takeover of the club led to Scott's departure on 10 February 2023, but he was reappointed to the role in July 2023.

Personal life Scott is the elder brother of Rob Scott. He attended Wilson's School in Wallington and studied Sports Studies at university.

Career statistics

Honours

As a player Brentford Football League Third Division: 1998–99

As a manager Brentford Football League Two: 2008–09

As an individual Football League One Manager of the Month: October 2010 Football League Two Manager of the Month: April 2009, August 2011 Brentford Hall of Fame