Jack Wilshere has bolstered his Luton Town coaching staff with the addition of David Bridges and Tim Corcoran as first team coaches, bringing two trusted and familiar figures into his setup at Kenilworth Road.
Wilshere’s appointments underline his commitment to surrounding himself with staff who share his footballing philosophy and character-driven approach, both bringing extensive experience and credibility.
Bridges, 43, played against Luton during spells with Cambridge United, Stevenage and Kettering Town. Since hanging up his boots, he has carved out a respected coaching career, including two stints at Lincoln City – first as head of coaching in the academy and later as assistant head coach. He has also worked for the Professional Footballers’ Association as a coach developer, mentoring several former Arsenal players, including Wilshere himself, through their UEFA Pro Licence qualifications.
Corcoran, 40, joins from Arsenal, where he has spent more than two decades rising through the ranks. Starting on the facilities team at 16, he earned opportunities under former Gunners boss Unai Emery and became part of Mikel Arteta’s first-team coaching group. His journey from kit and equipment manager to UEFA Pro Licence coach has been described by Wilshere as an inspiration.
Wilshere said: “I have known David for years and he supported me with my coaching qualifications through the PFA, so when I got my first opportunity at Arsenal I asked him to be with me for the first few weeks.
“In that time he met some good players, some good people, and we learned a lot of good things together.
“He knows this league, he knows players in this league, and he knows what it feels like. He’ll help me when I’m thinking about planning a game, and if we’re going away somewhere I’ve never been, he will be able to give me a little bit of something I don’t have.
“But most importantly, which I made it clear to everyone, we are coming to join this Luton family and he’s a good person. That’s the main thing that we want to keep in this club to help us progress, and he definitely ticks that box.”
Turning to Corcoran, who he has known since his Arsenal academy days, Wilshere added: “I trust Tim, and everyone will get to know that he is the nicest guy in the world and his story is inspirational.
“If you are going to survive and have a career in football, you have to have a real deep love for the game. He used to walk ten miles a day to get to Arsenal in the early days and he did every job, because he has the same love for the game as me.
“He’s someone that will help us again move forward and give the place a lift because of the type of person he is.
“I’m really happy to have both David and Tim as part of our staff and can only thank Gary and the board for backing me to bring them in.”
