On Wednesday, March 26th, 2025, the League Managers Association (LMA) shared the unfortunate news on behalf of Aidy Boothroyd, announcing that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
In light of this news, we reflect on Boothroyd’s time with the Cobblers and his broader football career.
Playing Career
As a player, Boothroyd was a full-back who spent most of his career at Mansfield Town, making over 100 appearances. He made his debut for Mansfield in December 1993 during a 1-0 victory over Northampton Town.
Boothroyd began his football journey in the youth setup at Huddersfield Town before moving on to Bristol Rovers, Heart of Midlothian, and Peterborough United. Over his professional career, he made just under 200 appearances.
His playing career came to an unfortunate end in March 1997 while playing for Peterborough United, when he suffered a broken leg during a match against Notts County.
Coaching Beginnings
Following his injury, Boothroyd remained at Peterborough, working within their youth system and coaching the Under-17 and Under-19 teams while also assisting with the reserve side. His coaching talent caught the attention of Norwich City, where he was appointed as their Youth Team Coach.
Management Career
Boothroyd’s first senior managerial role came in 2005 when he took over at Watford with just seven games remaining in the Championship season. Despite the challenging circumstances, he secured two wins and a draw, ensuring the Hornets finished in 18th place and avoided relegation.
The following season (2005-06) was a remarkable one, as Boothroyd led Watford to promotion to the Premier League after finishing third and winning the play-offs. Although the club was relegated after one season, they reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Despite his efforts to secure an immediate return to the Premier League, Watford fell short in the play-offs against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Boothroyd left the club in November 2008.
In 2009, Boothroyd returned to management with Colchester United, where he enjoyed a strong start, remaining unbeaten in his first nine games. His tenure saw the arrival of key players, including future Cobbler John-Joe O’Toole. Despite an impressive first half of the season, a poor run of form saw Colchester finish in 8th place. Boothroyd departed the club in May 2010 to take charge of Coventry City.
Boothroyd’s time at Coventry was brief, lasting just 298 days. Despite an encouraging start with a 2-0 victory over Portsmouth on the opening day, a challenging run of just one win in sixteen games led to his dismissal in March 2011.
Time with Northampton Town
In November 2011, Boothroyd was appointed manager of Northampton Town, replacing Gary Johnson on a one-year rolling contract. The Cobblers were struggling near the bottom of the Football League, but under Boothroyd’s leadership, they finished the season in 20th place, securing their status in League Two.
The following season (2012-13) marked a turnaround as Boothroyd guided Northampton to a 6th-place finish with 73 points, earning a play-off spot. After defeating Cheltenham Town 2-0 in the semi-finals, the Cobblers reached Wembley Stadium for the first time in the new venue’s history. However, they fell short in the final, losing to Bradford City. Boothroyd was dismissed in December 2013 following a 4-1 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers that left the club at the bottom of the table.
England Youth Setup and Later Career
After leaving Northampton, Boothroyd joined the England youth system, managing the Under-19, Under-20, and Under-21 teams. His most notable achievement came in 2018 when he led England to victory in the Toulon Tournament, defeating Mexico 2-1 in the final.
Boothroyd’s most recent managerial role was with Indian Super League side Jamshedpur, where he took charge in 2022.