Michael Bryan King, born Bishop’s Stortford, England, April 18, 1947. Bryan King acumulated well over 500 outings for Chelmsford City, Millwall, and Coventry City before he went into management.
Bryan King began his footballing journey with Chelmsford City in the Southern League in 1964. While playing at a lower tier, his talent was unmistakable and his commanding frame, quick reflexes, and calmness under pressure soon caught the attention of bigger clubs. Impressed by his goalkeeping, he was signed by Second Division Millwall for a transfer fee of £5000 in 1967 and was given his first-team debut by manager Benny Fenton in a 0-0 League Cup Third Round draw with Northampton Town at County Ground on the 11th of October the same year. At The Den, his imposing presence would give confidence to Millwall’s defense, and his ability to marshal the backline was one of the reasons the club came close to achieving promotion to the First Division in the 1971-72 campaign, being pipped at the post by Birmingham City. In 1975, he made the step up to Division One side Coventry City, then managed by ex-Wigan Athletic boss Gordon Milne, to take on a new challenge and made his debut in a 4-1 victory against Everton at Goodison Park on the opening day of the 1975-76 season. Although his time with The Sky Blues was much shorter than his spell at Millwall, it was the peak of his career as he was playing at the highest level, and he adapted well, putting in a series of solid performances.
However, persistent injuries began to take their toll, and by the end of the 1976-77 campaign, it became clear that King´s active days as a player were nearing their final chapter. After hanging up his goalkeeping gloves, he transitioned to coaching and management and his first managerial opportunity came in Norway, a country that was not traditionally known as a football powerhouse, but was steadily growing in terms of both talent and football culture. In 1978, King took charge of Norwegian Third Division outfit Jerv of Grimstad, where his experience as a player in the English leagues allowed him to bring a new perspective to the club, and under his head-coaching guidance, the team improved its performances and discipline. Moreover, his success at Jerv opened doors to further opportunities in Scandinavia and he went on to manage Norwegian clubs Harstad, Tynset, and Kongsberg, as well as Swedish outfit Falkenberg. Following his managerial stints in Norway and Sweden, King would spend several years of his post-playing days working as a scout for Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur, and Everton. Bryan King Playing Career: Chelmsford City, Millwall, Coventry City.