Football’s Next Star winner who signed for Inter Milan lands first supervisor job

Football’s Next Star winner Ben Greenhalgh has been given his first managerial job.

In 2010, Greenhalgh shot to fame on the Sky One series which saw young footballers compete for a contract with Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan. There were 2,000 applicants, but it was the then-17-year-old who triumphed and was soon training with superstars as Mourinho’s side won the Champions League.

Fast forward 14 years, Greenhalgh carved out the majority of his playing career in Non-League and has stepped into a coaching role. After flourishing at Maidstone United for three seasons as a playmaker, Greenhalgh has been named player-manager and been tasked with the job of returning the club to the Isthmian Premier.

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“It’s a privilege to, not only be part of this club as a player, but to join some great managers in the history books of Margate FC,” Greenhalgh told the club website on Wednesday following his appointment. “It’s not something I take for granted. I thank the club for this opportunity and look forward to steering us back to winning ways.”

During the 2021/22 season with the Gate, Greenhalgh showcased the talent that quickly won over host Jamie Redknapp during Football’s Next Star series, scoring 24 goals and providing 28 assists. After winning the show, the teenager was soon training with elite players in Italy, but it was revealed that Redknapp had prepared a Premier League move for Greenhalgh if he had not landed a deal with Inter.

“Early on, we were watching the first-team train when they needed another body. I got the call over, and I remember receiving the ball from [Ricardo] Quaresma,” he told the Daily Mail. “I started running at Lucio and my legs turned to jelly. I looked up and realised who I was trying to dribble past.

“Jamie said if I hadn’t won, I could’ve had a two-year deal at Tottenham. I never look back on it. Football can take you on so many different journeys.”

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Greenhalgh signed a six-month deal with Inter and, incredibly, was presented with a Champions League winners’ medal after being part of the travelling squad for the final. He signed a one-year extension and enjoyed a fruitful loan spell at third-tier side Como, though a permanent move never materialised as the club became embroiled in a match-fixing scandal.

Instead, he returned to England, playing for Welling, Ebbsfleet and Concord Rangers, among others. Greenhalgh has previously described Inverness Caledonian Thistle as his “best time in football”, being managed by England legend Terry Butcher during the 2013/14 season.

It seems that Greenhalgh’s life has been punctuated with pinch-yourself moments. As a youngster, he worked as a body double for Cristiano Ronaldo, as well as witnessing former Chelsea striker Diego Costa live up to his wild reputation.

“As I was growing up, I moved more like Ronaldo. I was a winger, who liked to do skills. Admittedly I based myself on him and ended up looking a little bit like him.” Greenhalgh explained to the Daily Mail.

“Back then at Manchester United, he was probably more willing than he is now. He hung about for three hours, did keepy-ups with me, showing skills, that’s what he was like.

“They got me to double for Diego Costa which I wasn’t too happy about! Anyway, as they tried to film he kept slide tackling the camera,” he added. “I’ve never seen anything like it, he was like a little kid in a man’s body. I think that’s why Chelsea got rid of him simply because [Antonio] Conte couldn’t handle him!”

Now, Greenhalgh faces a different type of challenge. He has replaced Mark Stimson as Margate manager, having worked as academy manager at Dartford. Greenhalgh was part of the Margate coaching staff that won the Kent Senior Cup in 2023 and will be responsible for leading his team-mates back to the Isthmian Premier.