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The winner of Football’s Next Star has landed a new job in football, 14 years after winning the show landed him a short-term contract with Italian giants Inter Milan.
Ben Greenhalgh triumphed in the Sky show’s only season, which saw ten young footballers compete for a contract with the Nerazzurri in 2010.
Greenhalgh would spend 18 months on Inter’s books but never played a senior match for the club.
However, he was awarded a Champions League winner’s medal after being part of the traveling squad for the 2010 final victory over Bayern Munich.
The forward became something of a journeyman in non-league football, while also spending a campaign in Scotland with Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Margate have announced that Ben Greenhalgh will be player/manager next season
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And a move to Isthmian League South East Division Margate in 2021 has now resulted in Greenhalgh’s first foray into management.
The club announced on Wednesday that the fan favorite would take on the role of player-manager for the 2024/25 season.
A club statement said: ‘Margate FC are pleased to announce that Ben Greenhalgh will be player/manager for the 2024/2025 season.
‘Greenhalgh has been a Blue since the 2021/22 season, where he lifted the blue paper as a player, scoring 24 goals and assisting 28 times, becoming an instant fan favorite at Hartsdown Park.
‘Since then he has continued to play and give his all for Margate FC, making 100 appearances for the club in the 2022/2023 season and surpassing the 50-goal mark by the end of last season.
‘Greenhalgh also has experience as part of the coaching team, having been player/assistant manager, where he helped the club through an incredible Kent Senior Cup run that ended with the USA lifting the trophy at Priestfield Stadium.’