Ex-Newcastle United and Southampton defender favourite for League One managerial role

Mike Williamson spent seven years as a player for Newcastle United and is impressing during his early years as a manager.

Former Newcastle United and Gateshead defender Mike Williamson is a strong favourite at the bookies to take over at League One Barnsley.

Williamson is currently manager of League Two outfit Milton Keynes Dons, who he led to a play-off place this season. The Dons finished fourth initially but will spend another season in the third-tier after suffering an 8-1 aggregate thumping at the hands of Crawley Town in the semi-finals.

Despite that humbling defeat, Williamson has emerged as a promising young coach and in leading MK Dons from 16th in League Two to a play-off semi-final in less than two full seasons, has attracted interest from higher up in the English Football League. Journalist Alan Nixon had previously reported on Barnsley's interest in the 40-year-old and now Betvictor has him as the strong favourite to take over at Oakdale.

Williamson is currently priced at 1/1 (odds correct at the time of writing), which puts him far beyond second-favourite Michael Duff at 8/1. Barnsley are thought to have had an agreement in place with Dominik Thalhammer but work permit issues mean an appointment is unlikely and he is now 12/1 alongside Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann and Damien Duff, the former Chelsea winger now in charge at Irish League outfit Shelbourne.

Barnsley have been on the hunt for a new manager since the surprise sacking of Neill Collins in April. The Tykes were in the play-off places at the time but a run of just two wins in 11 saw that spot under threat. Martin Devaney took caretaker charge but after securing a play-off place, they lost 5-4 on aggregate against promotion favourites Bolton Wanderers.

Having joined Gateshead as a player in 2018, Williamson became player-coach in January 2019 and then player-manager the following summer, following relegation to the National League North. The former defender led Gateshead to the National League North title three years later and had them in the National League play-offs when he left for MK Dons in October 2023 - they eventually finished 14th.

Overall, Williamson made 169 appearances for Newcastle across all competitions between 2009 and 2015, racking up a further 60 for Gateshead. The former defender also enjoyed spells at Wolves, Portsmouth, Southampton, Oxford United, Watford, Wycombe Wanderers, Doncaster Rovers and Torquay United.