Greg Shields (born 21 August 1976) is a Scottish football player and coach, who is currently head of academy – football with Dunfermline Athletic. His playing career was most closely associated with Dunfermline Athletic, as he played for the club over 200 times across two spells and was their captain in two national cup finals. Shields also played for Rangers, Charlton Athletic, Walsall, Kilmarnock, Partick Thistle and the Carolina RailHawks. He represented Scotland in under-21 and B internationals.
Playing career
Early career
Shields started his career with Gairdoch United Boys Club before joining the youth system at Rangers. One of his first senior appearances was in October 1996 in a UEFA Champions League tie against Ajax.[4] He went on to play only 11 times for the Glasgow club[5] before a £200,000 move to Dunfermline Athletic in 1997.
England and Scotland
After 86 consecutive appearances for Dunfermline he swapped west Fife for south London in a £600,000 move to Alan Curbishley's Charlton Athletic in 1999.[6] After an impressive start at The Valley, Shields ran into some injury problems which eventually ruined his Charlton career.
After a brief spell on loan at Walsall, Jim Jefferies brought him back home to Scotland at SPL side Kilmarnock, initially on loan then permanently. He quickly established himself in the Rugby Park side,[7] becoming captain in season 2002–03. This alerted his former employers Dunfermline Athletic, who swooped to take him back to East End Park during the January 2004 transfer window (coincidentally, both his goals for Killie were scored against Dunfermline and they were also the last opponent he faced while at the Ayrshire club).[7]
On 26 May 2009, Shields was poised to join Carolina RailHawks in the United States, managed by Scotsman Martin Rennie.[6] Carolina RailHawks announced on 16 July 2009 that they had signed Shields.[10] He had a loan spell back in Scotland with Partick Thistle before returning to RailHawks where he finished his playing career in 2013.
Coaching career
Shields worked as an assistant coach with the RailHawks,[11] as well as being a head coach with Capital Area RailHawks, Carolina RailHawks' academy programme.[12] He was appointed assistant head coach at Dunfermline Athletic in January 2019.[13] After Peter Grant's tenure as Dunfermline manager ended, Shields and Steven Whittaker were appointed joint interim managers of the club.[14] Shields and Whittaker were in charge for two matches, before John Hughes was appointed on a permanent basis.[15]
The creation of Dunfermline's new youth academy as well as the change to the management team following relegation to League 1 saw Shields promoted to head of academy – football, working alongside Bill Hendry as head of academy – operations.[16]
