{{Short description|English footballer}} {{for-multi|the Chester City footballer|Paul Raynor (footballer, born 1957)|the English-New Zealand ceramicist|Paul Rayner}} {{Use British English|date=July 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Paul Raynor | image = Raynor, Paul.jpg | caption = Raynor in 2014 | fullname = Paul James Raynor | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|4|29|df=y}} | birth_place = Nottingham, England | height = 6 ft 0 in<ref>{{cite book |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 |editor-first=Peter |editor-last=Dunk |publisher=Queen Anne Press |location=London |date=1987 |page=356 |isbn=978-0-356-14354-5}}</ref> | position = Midfielder | currentclub = Bristol Rovers (assistant head coach) | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Nottingham Forest | years1 = 1984–1985 | clubs1 = Nottingham Forest | caps1 = 3 | goals1 = 1 | years2 = 1984 | clubs2 = → Bristol Rovers (loan) | caps2 = 8 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 1985–1987 | clubs3 = Huddersfield Town | caps3 = 50 | goals3 = 9 | years4 = 1987–1992 | clubs4 = Swansea City | caps4 = 191 | goals4 = 27 | years5 = 1988 | clubs5 = → Wrexham (loan) | caps5 = 6 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 1992–1993 | clubs6 = Cambridge United | caps6 = 49 | goals6 = 2 | years7 = 1993–1995 | clubs7 = Preston North End | caps7 = 80 | goals7 = 9 | years8 = 1995–1997 | clubs8 = Cambridge United | caps8 = 79 | goals8 = 7 | years9 = 1997 | clubs9 = Guangdong Hongyuan | caps9 = 10 | goals9 = 1 | years10 = 1998 | clubs10 = Leyton Orient | caps10 = 15 | goals10 = 0 | years11 = 1998–1999 | clubs11 = Kettering Town | caps11 = | goals11 = | years12 = 1999–2000 | clubs12 = Ilkeston Town | caps12 = | goals12 = | years13 = 2000–2001 | clubs13 = Boston United | caps13 = | goals13 = | years14 = 2001 | clubs14 = King's Lynn | caps14 = 5 | goals14 = 0 | years15 = 2001 | clubs15 = Hednesford Town | caps15 = 11 | goals15 = 0 | years16 = 2001 | clubs16 = Gainsborough Trinity | caps16 = | goals16 = | years17 = 2002 | clubs17 = Ossett Albion | caps17 = | goals17 = | years18 = 2002–2004 | clubs18 = King's Lynn | caps18 = 68 | goals18 = 1 | years19 = 2007–2009 | clubs19 = Crawley Town | caps19 = 4 | goals19 = 1 | manageryears1 = 2001 | managerclubs1 = Hednesford Town | manageryears2 = 2004–2006 | managerclubs2 = Boston United (assistant manager) | manageryears3 = 2006–2007 | managerclubs3 = Boston United | manageryears4 = 2007–2012 | managerclubs4 = Crawley Town (assistant manager) | manageryears5 = 2012–2015 | managerclubs5 = Rotherham United (assistant manager) | manageryears6 = 2015–2016 | managerclubs6 = Leeds United (assistant head coach) | manageryears9 = 2016–2018 | managerclubs9 = Mansfield Town (assistant head coach) | manageryears10 = 2018–2019 | managerclubs10 = Peterborough United (assistant manager) | manageryears11 = 2019–2022 | managerclubs11 = Gillingham (assistant manager) | manageryears12 = 2022–2024 | managerclubs12 = Stevenage (assistant manager) | manageryears13 = 2024–2025 | managerclubs13 = Rotherham United (assistant manager) | manageryears14 = 2025– | managerclubs14 = Bristol Rovers (assistant head coach) }} '''Paul James Raynor''' (born 29 April 1966) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He has worked as assistant manager under Steve Evans at Rotherham United, Leeds United, Mansfield Town, Peterborough United, Gillingham and Stevenage. He is currently assistant head coach at Bristol Rovers.
==Career== He played in the Football League for Nottingham Forest, Bristol Rovers,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/nottmfor/nottmfor.html |title=Nottingham Forest : 1946/47–2008/09 |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=20 October 2009}}</ref> Huddersfield Town,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/huddersfield/huddersfield.html |title=Huddersfield Town : 1946/47–2008/09 |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=20 October 2009}}</ref> Swansea City, Wrexham,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/swansea/swansea.html |title=Swansea City : 1946/47–2008/09 |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=20 October 2009}}</ref> Cambridge United,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/cambridge/cambridge.html |title=Cambridge United : 1970/71–2004/05 |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=20 October 2009}}</ref> Preston North End<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/preston/preston.html |title=Preston North End : 1946/47–2008/09 |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=20 October 2009}}</ref> (where he briefly played alongside a young David Beckham), and Leyton Orient.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/leyton/leyton.html |title=Leyton Orient : 1946/47–2008/09 |work=UK A–Z Transfers |publisher=Neil Brown |accessdate=20 October 2009}}</ref> He also spent a year in the Chinese Jia-A League with Guangdong Hongyuan.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-sheffield-united-rate-kendalls-loss-at-pounds-1m-1258112.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-sheffield-united-rate-kendalls-loss-at-pounds-1m-1258112.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Sheffield United rate Kendall's loss at £1m |first=Alan |last=Nixon |newspaper=The Independent |date=26 June 1997 |accessdate=20 October 2009}}</ref>
After leaving Leyton Orient, Raynor moved into non-League football with clubs including Kettering Town, Ilkeston Town, Boston United,<ref name=SB>{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=6602 |title=Paul Raynor All-time playing career |work=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |access-date=20 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050910210351/http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=6602 |archive-date=10 September 2005 |url-status=live }}</ref> King's Lynn, Hednesford Town, where he spent a few months as player-manager,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/birmingham-post-england-the/mi_7996/is_2001_May_26/raynor-vow-rescue-pitmen-dr/ai_n36332568/ |format=reprint |via=FindArticles |title=Raynor vow to rescue Pitmen |first=Colin |last=Stoner |newspaper=Birmingham Post |date=26 May 2001 |accessdate=20 October 2009}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/birmingham-post-england-the/mi_7996/is_2001_Oct_12/pitmen-move-raynor-sacked-fa/ai_n36424417/ |format=reprint |via=FindArticles |title=Pitmen to move fast as Raynor is sacked |first=Colin |last=Stoner |newspaper=Birmingham Post |date=12 October 2001 |accessdate=20 October 2009}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> Gainsborough Trinity,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2001/player_details.php?playerid=2846 |title=Player Details: Season 2001–2002 |publisher=SoccerFacts UK |accessdate=20 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304174147/http://www.soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2001/player_details.php?playerid=2846 |archive-date=4 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Ossett Albion, and then King's Lynn again, to be released at the end of the 2002–03 season, only to rejoin for the next.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=3525 |work=NonLeague Daily |title=Morris Influence Easy To See at the Walks |date=5 April 2002 |url-status=usurped |access-date=27 October 2009 |archive-date=25 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925140214/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=3525 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thelinnets.co.uk/archivednews04-0803.shtml |title=News Archive May–August 2003 |publisher=King's Lynn F.C |accessdate=20 October 2009}}</ref>
==Coaching career== Raynor has coached at clubs Sheffield United and Boston United, where he was assistant manager for a time to Steve Evans.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bufc.co.uk/article/27286/Paul-Raynor-Assistant-Manager |title=Paul Raynor (First Team Coach) |publisher=Boston United F.C |accessdate=20 October 2009 |archive-date=23 February 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060223173000/http://www.bufc.co.uk/article/27286/Paul-Raynor-Assistant-Manager |url-status=dead }}</ref> In May 2007 Evans and Raynor left Boston to take over as manager and assistant at Crawley Town,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/crawley_town/6700235.stm |title=Crawley appoint Evans as new boss |publisher=BBC Sport |date=29 May 2007 |access-date=20 October 2009}}</ref> where he occasionally appeared as a player in the Conference.<ref name=SB/> The pair subsequently moved to Rotherham United. On 28 September 2015, Raynor left Rotherham.<ref name=SB/> On 19 October 2015, Raynor joined fellow Championship side Leeds United, once again as assistant to Evans.<ref>{{Cite news | title = Steve Evans Appointed United Head Coach | url = http://www.leedsunited.com/news/article/lm93yhyyeu4216fh9qrmospzg/title/steve-evans-appointed-united-head-coach | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151019201054/http://www.leedsunited.com/news/article/lm93yhyyeu4216fh9qrmospzg/title/steve-evans-appointed-united-head-coach | url-status = dead | archive-date = 19 October 2015 | publisher = Leeds United F.C. | date = 19 October 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | title = Steve Evans: Leeds appoint new boss as Massimo Cellino banned | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34570202 | publisher = BBC Sport | date = 19 October 2015}}</ref> On 31 May 2016, Evans and Raynor were both sacked by Leeds owner Massimo Cellino, with Evans becoming the sixth manager sacked by Cellino in two years.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=BBC Sport| date= 31 May 2016 | accessdate= 31 May 2016 | title= Steve Evans: Leeds United sack head coach| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36420398}}</ref>
In June 2019 Raynor linked up with Evans once again at Gillingham.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34380186|title = Rotherham part company with Evans|publisher = BBC Sport}}</ref> Both departed the club on 9 January 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2022/january/club-statement---09.01.22/|title=Club Statement|website=gillinghamfootballclub.com|date=9 January 2022|accessdate=9 January 2022}}</ref>
In December 2025, Raynor followed Evans to League Two club Bristol Rovers as assistant head coach on a short-term deal until the end of the season.<ref> {{cite web|url=https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/bristol-rovers-appoint-steve-evans-mens-head-coach|title=Bristol Rovers appoint Steve Evans as Men's Head Coach|website=www.bristolrovers.co.uk|date=16 December 2025|accessdate=17 December 2025}}</ref> Having guided the club to safety, the duo signed a new two-year deal in April 2026.<ref> {{cite web|url=https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/steve-evans-appointed-mens-first-team-manager|title=Steve Evans appointed Men's First Team Manager|website=www.bristolrovers.co.uk|date=11 April 2026|accessdate=11 April 2026}}</ref>
==Honours== '''Swansea City''' *Football League Fourth Division play-offs: 1988<ref>{{cite news |url=https://theguardian.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/79317632/ |title=Sorrow at the seaside as the Swans soar |first=David |last=Foot |page=18 |publisher=The Guardian |via=Newspapers.com |date=30 May 1988 |access-date=27 August 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Paul Raynor}} * {{Soccerbase}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raynor, Paul}} Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Nottingham Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Nottingham Forest F.C. players Category:Bristol Rovers F.C. players Category:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players Category:Swansea City A.F.C. players Category:Wrexham A.F.C. players Category:Cambridge United F.C. players Category:Preston North End F.C. players Category:Leyton Orient F.C. players Category:Guangdong Winnerway F.C. players Category:Kettering Town F.C. players Category:Ilkeston Town F.C. (1945) players Category:Boston United F.C. players Category:King's Lynn F.C. players Category:Hednesford Town F.C. players Category:Gainsborough Trinity F.C. players Category:Ossett Albion A.F.C. players Category:Crawley Town F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:China League One players Category:National League (English football) players Category:English football managers Category:Hednesford Town F.C. managers Category:Sheffield United F.C. non-playing staff Category:Boston United F.C. non-playing staff Category:Crawley Town F.C. non-playing staff Category:Rotherham United F.C. non-playing staff Category:Leeds United F.C. non-playing staff Category:Mansfield Town F.C. non-playing staff Category:Peterborough United F.C. non-playing staff Category:Gillingham F.C. non-playing staff Category:Bristol Rovers F.C. non-playing staff Category:English expatriates in China Category:Expatriate men's footballers in China