Grégory Vignal
Vignal playing for Southampton in 2007
Personal information
Full name Grégory Vignal
Date of birth (1981-07-19) 19 July 1981
Place of birth Montpellier, France
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Left back[2]
Youth career
Castelnau Le Crès FC[3]
1989–1999 Montpellier
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Montpellier 0 (0)
2000–2005 Liverpool[4][5] 11 (0)
2003 → Bastia (loan) 15 (0)
2003 → Rennes (loan) 5 (0)
2004 → Espanyol (loan) 8 (1)
2004–2005 → Rangers (loan)[4] 30 (3)
2005–2006 Portsmouth 14 (0)
2006–2009 Lens 22 (0)
2007 → 1. FC Kaiserslautern (loan) 9 (1)
2007–2008 → Southampton (loan) 20 (3)
2009–2010 Birmingham City 8 (0)
2010 Atromitos 4 (0)
2012 Dundee United 0 (0)
2013 AS Béziers 13 (1)
Total 159 (9)
International career
2001 France U20 9 (0)
2002–2003 France U21[6] 4 (0)
Managerial career
2019–2020 Rangers Women
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Grégory Vignal (born 19 July 1981) is a French football coach and former professional player.

A left back, Vignal played in the top division in five countries – England, France, Spain, Scotland and Greece – and in the second tier in a sixth, Germany.[7][4][8] At international level, he was a member of the France under-18 team that won the 2000 European Championships,[9] represented France at under-20 level in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship,[10] and was capped four times at under-21 level.[6][11]

He was head coach of Scottish Women's Premier League club Rangers from 2019 to 2020, and worked in Marseille's academy before returning to Scotland as a youth coach at Dundee.

Early life

Grégory Vignal[12] was born on 19 July 1981 in Montpellier, Hérault.[7]

Playing career

Liverpool and loans

Vignal began his career in the youth system of his home-town club, Montpellier. He soon established a reputation as a promising young player, and was signed by Liverpool in September 2000 for £500,000. He immediately impressed in his first reserve team outings and made his first team debut against Rotherham United in the FA Cup. He made a further six appearances during the 2000–01 season.[5]

Vignal returned for the following season having featured in the World Youth Championship with the France Under-18 squad,[10] and staked his claim for the left-back spot with some impressive performances at the start of the 2001–02 season. However, he found it hard to displace the reliable and experienced John Arne Riise. He made nine appearances that season.[5]

He made just four appearances during the first half of the 2002–03 season and was loaned to Bastia for the remainder of the campaign on 11 January 2003.[13][14]

During the 2003–04 campaign Vignal was again loaned out to Rennes for the first half of the season, and to Espanyol for the latter half.[15]

Vignal had a season in Scotland at Rangers as the club regained the Scottish Premier League title, playing 42 games in all competitions and picking up a Scottish League Cup winner's medal as well as the league title.[4][15]

Portsmouth

At the end of the 2004–05 season Vignal's Liverpool contract expired, and with him available on a free transfer Rangers wanted him to sign a permanent contract with them; however, he failed to agree terms, instead opting to move to Portsmouth. He was then released from Portsmouth after failing to impress Harry Redknapp on his return in the 2005–06 season.

RC Lens and loans

Vignal then moved to Lens on a free transfer and was loaned out to 1. FC Kaiserslautern for the second half of the season in January 2007.[16]

After a trial,[17] Vignal joined Southampton on a season-long loan on 27 July 2007.[18] He scored his first goal for Southampton with a free kick in a 2–0 win over Leicester City in the FA Cup,[19] and scored a penalty against Scunthorpe United in the Championship while playing with a broken arm in a cast.[20] He scored another penalty in a 2–2 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers before being sent off for an off-the-ball incident;[21] the red card was rescinded on appeal.[22] He scored four goals from 23 appearances in the 2007–08 season.[23]

Birmingham City and later career

A trial with another Championship club, Queens Park Rangers, in the summer of 2009 did not result in a contract,[24] but a strong performance for Birmingham City – newly promoted to the Premier League under the management of Alex McLeish, who had remained in contact with Vignal since they worked together at Rangers[25] – earned him a one-year contract with an option for a further year.[26] However, injuries and the return to fitness and form of Liam Ridgewell at left-back restricted Vignal to just nine first-team appearances, and Birmingham chose not to take up the option of a second year.[27][28][29]

In July 2010, Vignal had trials with Sheffield United[30] and Cardiff City.[31] In September, he joined Greek Super League club Atromitos, but left again after three months and four appearances.

In January 2011, while on trial with AC Arles-Avignon, Vignal injured a knee.[32][33] It still gave him trouble years later after three operations,[34] and despite a two-month spell with Scottish Premier League club Dundee United in late 2012[35][36] and a season with CFA (fourth-tier) club AS Béziers,[37] he never played again at professional level.

Later career

In June 2013, Vignal took over the presidency of amateur club CE Palavas, based in the seaside commune of Palavas-les-Flots where his parents lived.[38] Under his presidency, the team achieved three consecutive promotions[39] and reached the seventh round of the Coupe de France for the first time. He stood down as president in favour of his father in 2017 to concentrate on the role of technical director.[39]

Having spent the 2016–17 season as an assistant reserve coach at Montpellier,[40] Vignal returned to Rangers in January 2018 as an academy coach, initially working with the under-14s and under-17s,[41] and then with the under-18 team that won the 2018–19 SPFL Reserve League and Scottish Youth Cup.[42] He also formed part of new first-team manager Steven Gerrard's support staff,[40] and eventually left his academy role to scout for the first team.[42]

In July 2019, following Rangers' decision to aim for a fully professional women's team as part of a women's and girls' football programme integrated into a restructured club, Amy McDonald became women's section manager and Vignal took her place as head coach of Rangers women.[43][44] Malky Thomson came in to work alongside Vignal as joint head coach in January 2020, and Vignal left Rangers when his contract expired in June, having, according to the club, "played a pivotal role in the creation of the new full-time women's professional team ... [and] ensured a smooth transition for the Women's programme".[45]

Vignal spent seven months with Olympique Marseille's academy,[46][47] before returning to Scotland in 2021, initially as an assistant under-18s coach with Dundee under Gordon Strachan's management.[48] He went on to take charge of the under-18s,[49] and also worked with the reserves.[15] He left Dundee in June 2023.[50]

Vignal holds the UEFA A Licence, and in 2022 was accepted onto the UEFA Pro Licence programme run by the French Football Federation from their Clairefontaine Football Training Institute.[49][15]

Honours

Liverpool

Rangers

Lens

France U18

References

  1. ↑ "Grégory Vignal: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  2. ↑ "Gregory Vignal". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  3. ↑ "Portraits" (in French). Castelnau Le Crès FC. Archived from the original on 11 February 2009. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Gregory Vignal All time playing career". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Liverpool career stats for Gregory Vignal". lfchistory.net. Archived from the original on 10 October 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  6. 1 2 "Grégory Vignal". French Football Federation. Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 "Grégory Vignal". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  8. ↑ "G. Vignal". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  9. 1 2 "Bugnet strike adds to French summer of success". UEFA. 24 July 2000. Archived from the original on 5 January 2001.
  10. 1 2 "FIFA Player Statistics: Gregory Vignal". FIFA. Archived from the original on 25 October 2008. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  11. ↑ Garin, Erik (5 June 2006). "France – U-21 – International Results – Details". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (RSSSF). Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  12. ↑ "Gregory Vignal Management". Verif.com (in French). Retrieved 18 July 2022.
    "Gregory Vignal". Verif.com (in French). Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  13. ↑ "Vignal in Bastia link". Sky Sports. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  14. ↑ "Vignal returns to France | Inside UEFA". UEFA. 11 January 2003. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Pearce, James (12 October 2022). "Gregory Vignal: 'I feel very proud to have played for two of the biggest clubs in Britain'". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  16. ↑ "Vignal secures loan deal". Eurosport. 3 January 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  17. ↑ "Vignal on trial". Southampton F.C. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008.
  18. ↑ "Saints complete capture of Vignal". BBC Sport. 27 July 2007. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  19. ↑ "Southampton 2–0 Leicester". BBC Sport. 5 January 2008. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  20. ↑ "Vignal defies lack of experience". Daily Echo. Southampton. 25 February 2008. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  21. ↑ "Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Saints 2". Daily Echo. Southampton. 5 March 2008. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  22. ↑ Kerins, Dan (6 March 2008). "Vignal's red card appeal successful". Daily Echo. Southampton. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  23. ↑ "Games played by Grégory Vignal in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  24. ↑ "QPR decide against signing Vignal". BBC Sport. 31 July 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  25. ↑ Tattum, Colin (10 August 2009). "Gregory Vignal makes 'strong' case to fill Blues' problem left-back position". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  26. ↑ "Vignal signs in". Birmingham City F.C. 13 August 2009. Archived from the original on 16 August 2009.
  27. ↑ Tattum, Colin (1 May 2010). "Gregory Vignal backs Alex McLeish at Birmingham City – and reveals an uncertain future". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  28. ↑ Tattum, Colin (6 April 2010). "Liam Ridgewell has left an impression". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  29. ↑ "Quintet depart". Birmingham City F.C. 14 May 2010. Archived from the original on 17 May 2010. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  30. ↑ "Trio link up with Blades". Sky Sports. 20 July 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  31. ↑ "Deportivo edge it against City". Cardiff City F.C. 31 July 2010. Archived from the original on 3 November 2010. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  32. ↑ "Le journal du mercato" [Transfer diary]. Le Figaro (in French). Paris. 22 January 2011. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  33. ↑ "Grégory Vignal n'a pas convaincu l'ACA" [Grégory Vignal hasn't convinced ACA]. La Provence (in French). Marseille. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  34. ↑ Bernard, René (22 January 2011). "Grégory Vignal: "Mission accomplie avant l'heure, Palavas est en PH A"" [Grégory Vignal: "Mission accomplished with time to spare, Palavas are in the PH A"]. Midi Libre (in French). Montpellier. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  35. ↑ "Defender Gregory Vignal signs Dundee United deal". BBC Sport. 12 September 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  36. ↑ "Time up for Gregory Vignal and time out for Gary Mackay-Steven". Daily Record. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  37. ↑ Lauricella, Mathieu (13 August 2013). "Béziers: Grégory Vignal s'engage" [Béziers: Grégory Vignal signs up]. Foot-National.com (in French). Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  38. ↑ Bernard, René (6 February 2015). "Football: Grégory Vignal a mis le CE Palavas sur orbite haute". Midi Libre (in French). Montpellier. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  39. 1 2 Bernard, René (27 June 2017). "Palavas: Gil Vignal prend la barre du CEP Foot" [Palavas: Gil Vignal takes the helm at CEP Foot]. Midi Libre (in French). Montpellier. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  40. 1 2 Squires, Theo (30 March 2021). "Unseen side of Steven Gerrard the Rangers manager as ex-teammate outlines own Liverpool return plan". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  41. 1 2 Berry, Gavin (14 March 2018). "Gregory Vignal lifts lid on Rangers academy role and how he's using Liverpool experience to produce future Ibrox stars". Daily Record. Glasgow. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  42. 1 2 Berry, Gavin (12 June 2019). "Gregory Vignal lifts lid on Rangers scouting priorities and working with Steven Gerrard". Daily Record. Glasgow. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  43. ↑ "Rangers Women: Gregory Vignal made head coach as club aim to add pro players". BBC Sport. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  44. ↑ "Rangers Women's Programme investment increased". Rangers F.C. 8 July 2019. Archived from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  45. ↑ Thomson, Nick (24 June 2020). "Vignal to vacate role". Rangers F.C. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  46. ↑ "Grégory Vignal rejoint le centre de formation de l'OM" [Grégory Vignal joins OM's academy]. L'Équipe (in French). 9 August 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  47. ↑ "OM : Gregory Vignal mis à pied" [OM : Gregory Vignal laid off]. Le Figaro (in French). Paris. 9 March 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  48. ↑ Cran, George (16 November 2021). "Dundee academy: Gordon Strachan's 'nuggets', graduates shining and the former Rangers and Liverpool defender assisting U/18s coach Scott Robertson". The Courier. Dundee. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  49. 1 2 Lorimer, Scott (11 April 2021). "Dundee coach Gregory Vignal praises ex-Rangers bosses Alex McLeish and Steven Gerrard after Pro Licence selection". The Courier. Dundee. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  50. ↑ "Time to move on' - Rangers hero Vignal leaves Dundee youth role". Glasgow Times. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  51. ↑ "Owen shatters Arsenal in Cup final". BBC Sport. 12 May 2001. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  52. ↑ Biggs, Matt (16 May 2001). "Liverpool 5–4 Alavés". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  53. ↑ "Liverpool sink Bayern". BBC Sport. 24 August 2001. Archived from the original on 16 October 2018.
  54. ↑ "Rangers 5–1 Motherwell". BBC Sport. 20 March 2005. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
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