Mark Milligan has been appointed head coach of Newcastle Jets until the end of the 2026-27 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
A-Leagues great Milligan replaces Rob Stanton, who departed at the end of the club’s 2024-25 campaign following two years in the role, in what is the retired Socceroo’s first professional senior head coaching job.
Milligan returns to Newcastle, where he played for the Jets in 2008-09, after a brief stint as assistant under fellow Australian Peter Cklamovski with the Malaysia national team, having previously worked as Carl Veart’s number two at Adelaide United from 2022-25.
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A two-time Isuzu UTE A-League champion as a player to go with a Premiership, the 39-year-old said: “I am excited and thankful for the opportunity to be club’s new Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s head coach.
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“It is exciting times under the new ownership of the Newcastle Jets and it was clear very early on that their strategy is consistent with my vision for the Jets which will be built on player development and ultimately achieving team success.
“Having played for the club and spent time in Newcastle, I am acutely aware of the fans’ desire to see a certain brand of football based on a high energy attacking style of play.
“I look forward to working with this group of players and adding to the foundations that have begun to be put in place. We will continue building the relationships that the Maverick Sports Partners have been re-establishing.”
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Newcastle have managed to lure the former Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory midfielder back to the A-Leagues after he left Adelaide to join Cklamovski’s coaching staff in Malaysia.
Now, Milligan will look to build on Stanton’s work in Newcastle, where the Jets finished ninth in 2024-25.
The Jets have not featured in the Finals Series since reaching the 2017-18 Grand Final.
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“As we progressed through the process of identifying a new A-League Men’s head coach, it became clear that Mark was well placed to take the club into a new era,” said Maverick Sports Partners Executive Chairman Maurice Bisetto.
“Mark has made the transition to coaching seamlessly and we are excited to give have him onboard as a leader in our organisation.
“Having spent time here as a player, Mark knows what it means to connect to the community and the importance of establishing an identity for the Newcastle Jets.
“We are confident Mark will be able to instil a strong culture across all facets of the club, including building a winning team that the region can be proud of.”
