Former Plymouth Argyle assistant manager to make playing comeback
Mark Hughes was until recently the assistant to Steven Schumacher at Stoke City until the former Pilgrims’ boss was fired by the Potters
Former Plymouth Argyle assistant manager Mark Hughes has joined Lancashire non-league side Clitheroe as a player on non-contract terms.
The 37-year-old defender is making a playing comeback with Clitheroe, who are currently 13th in the Northern Premier League Division One West, after he lost his job as the No 2 at Stoke City when ex-Pilgrims’ boss Steven Schumacher was fired by the Potters at the start of last week.
Hughes joined Argyle as a first team coach under Schumacher in January 2022 and was promoted to the role of assistant manager that summer after the departure of Keith Downing.
Schumacher and Hughes remained at Home Park until last December 2023 when they left the Pilgrims for Stoke, along with coaches Darren Behcet and Peter Cavanagh.
Hughes gave up playing professionally when he moved to Argyle, after playing six games at the start of the 2021/22 season with Bristol Rovers. Prior to that, his career had taken him to a number of clubs, including Morecambe, Stevenage – where Schumacher was a team-mate – and Accrington Stanley.
Clitheroe’s manager is long-time former Accrington assistant boss Jimmy Bell, so there is a strong connection between him and Hughes. Bell’s side are at home to second-placed Trafford tonight and will then host leaders Bootle on Saturday.
