Lewis McGugan opens up on life in non-league dugout after retiring aged 29

Retiring from professional football before the age of 30 can be a daunting experience for some and a perfect break from the extreme daily pressures for others.

Lewis McGugan is someone who was forced to quit in 2018 after a succession of injuries and battles with mental health. Following a short spell at Northampton Town, he had unsuccessful trials at St Mirren, Port Vale and Bradford City where he failed to prove his fitness, and decided to end his playing career at just 29.

It all started for McGugan when he came through the ranks at Nottingham Forest, making his debut in 2006 in a League Cup win over Gillingham. He cemented his place in the Reds side, featuring over 150 times in the Championship before signing for Premier League chasing Watford.

The former midfielder spent two years with the Hornets and also had a stint with Sheffield Wednesday, where he was completely frozen out by Carlos Carvahal. However, after a couple of years away from the game, McGugan decided to return to football back in December as the assistant manager at eighth-tier Loughborough Dynamo.

He arrived at The Moes to assist first-team manager Brad Munn, who replaced Lee Attenborough following his departure in October. They are the youngest managerial duo in the Northern Premier League Midlands Division with a combined age of just 61 and guided the club to a 13th-place finish.

"I have loved every minute of it," McGugan said. "I have taken to it more than I expected I would. I knew I wanted to get involved in management and coaching, but I wasn’t really sure of the level that I was going in at.

"Obviously, the opportunity came about that I could get into Loughborough, and I have been quite surprised at the standard, the level and the