Lincoln City have appointed former Republic of Ireland international Paul McShane as first-team coach ahead of the 2026/27 Championship campaign.
The 40-year-old will work alongside head coaches Chris Cohen and Tom Shaw after spending last season as assistant to Lee Grant at Huddersfield Town. He is also part of the Republic of Ireland Under-21 coaching staff, having previously worked within Manchester United’s academy.
Sporting director Jez George believes McShane’s qualities make him ideally suited to the position at Sincil Bank.
“Firstly, we are delighted to have secured the services of Paul McShane to work alongside and support Chris and Tom,” he said.
“His skillset fits the role perfectly; he is an elite coach, and his standards, work ethic and mentality dovetail with our existing staff.”
McShane began his coaching career at Manchester United after returning to Old Trafford as a player-coach in 2021. He was available as an over-age player for the club’s Under-23 side while also working within the academy, before retiring from playing at the end of the 2021/22 season and becoming a full-time Professional Development Phase coach.
He joined the Republic of Ireland Under-21 set-up as an assistant coach in 2023 and moved into senior club coaching with Huddersfield in June 2025.
The former central defender brings considerable playing experience to Lincoln, having made 369 league appearances during a career spanning almost two decades.
A graduate of Manchester United’s academy, McShane was part of the side that won the FA Youth Cup in 2003. He did not make a senior competitive appearance for United, but gained first-team experience during loan spells with Walsall and Brighton & Hove Albion.
McShane was named Brighton’s Player of the Season during the 2005/06 campaign before joining West Bromwich Albion permanently. He later played in the Premier League for Sunderland and Hull City, spending six years with the latter and helping them win promotion from the Championship in 2013.
He also appeared as a substitute when Hull faced Arsenal in the 2014 FA Cup final and had loan spells with Barnsley and Crystal Palace during his time at the club.
McShane subsequently spent four seasons with Reading, making more than 100 appearances in all competitions, before finishing his senior playing career with Rochdale and returning to Manchester United.
At international level, he represented the Republic of Ireland from youth level through to the senior side. McShane collected 33 senior caps between 2006 and 2016 and was included in Ireland’s squad for Euro 2012.
His arrival adds another experienced coach to the structure supporting Cohen and Shaw as Lincoln prepare for their first Championship season following promotion.
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