Dennis Lawrence

Dennis William Lawrence (born 1 August 1974) is a Trinidadian professional football coach and former player who is currently assistant head coach of EFL Championship club West Bromwich Albion.

Prior to coaching, Lawrence had a successful playing career in England, Wales and Trinidad and Tobago. He lifted the Caribbean Cup with the Trinidad and Tobago national team and won several cup competitions with Wrexham before winning a league title with Swansea City.

Before moving to Everton in 2013, Lawrence had coached for three years at Wigan Athletic during which time he became the first Trinidadian to win the FA Cup. He was also the manager of the Soca Warriors from 2017 to 2019.

Prior to becoming a footballer, Lawrence worked as a supermarket attendant in Port of Spain. He later joined the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force and became eligible to play for their football team Defence Force.

Lawrence signed for Wrexham for a fee of £100,000 in 2001, joining from Defence Force of his native Trinidad, becoming the third Trinidadian at Wrexham along with Hector Sam and Carlos Edwards. Before signing for Wrexham, he had trials at Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers.

After some poor performances when he first joined the club, Lawrence went on to become a valued and popular player at the Welsh club, winning the 2003–04 Player of the Season award. He has also become the first Wrexham player to play at a World Cup, starting all three of his country's games.

He signed for Swansea City on 16 August 2006 after Swansea had lost central defender and skipper Garry Monk to injury. He made an impressive Swansea debut in a 2–0 win over Doncaster Rovers winning the Man of the Match award.

On 30 September 2008 it was announced he had joined Crewe Alexandra on a 4-month loan until January. On 30 December 2008, the loan was extended until the end of the 2008–09 campaign, but he returned to the Liberty Stadium at the end of his loan spell on 2 May.