Richie Wellens, English footballer
Richard Paul Wellens (born 26 March 1980) is an English professional football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He is currently head coach of EFL League Two club Leyton Orient.
Wellens began his career at Manchester United before signing for Blackpool in 2000, where he went on to win promotion from League Two via the playoffs in 2001. In 2005, he left to join Oldham Athletic, where he made 87 appearances in two seasons at the club, before moving to Doncaster in 2007, becoming an instant fans' favourite by helping get the club promoted to the Championship for the first time in 50 years. After helping the club stay in the division, he moved to Leicester City, and during his time he won the club's Player of the Year in 2011. After a short loan spell with Ipswich Town, Wellens rejoined Doncaster in 2013, where he spent a further three years. Towards the end of his career, he had a short return to Oldham, before playing for Shrewsbury Town, and non-league clubs Salford City and Macclesfield Town, his final club before retiring in 2017.
Wellens' first role in management came when he returned to Oldham as first team manager from September 2017 to June 2018, when he was sacked following the club's relegation to League Two. Wellens then took over the vacant managerial position at Swindon Town in the summer of 2018, eventually leading the club to the 2019–20 League Two title on PPG during the COVID-19 pandemic. He left Swindon to manage League Two team Salford City in November 2020, but lasted less than six months in charge before being sacked, having won the rearranged 2019–20 EFL Trophy. In May 2021 Wellens became manager of Doncaster.