at ease in charge of the Saints so after two games in charge, Paul Sturrock was brought in from Plymouth Argyle. During the rumoured player disputes with Sturrock, Wigley stepped in as an intermediary and helped solve differences at the club. When Sturrock left the club in August 2004 only two games into the new season, chairman Rupert Lowe confirmed that Wigley had been appointed full-time manager and not just caretaker. Opponents of Wigley claimed that, with only three years in charge of Aldershot, a non-league club, he was not yet ready for Premier League management. However, some fans were happy with the appointment as it meant that Glenn Hoddle, widely reviled by many Saints fans could not return. Wigley's first tenure in the Premiership ended prematurely: he was dismissed by Southampton on 8 December after just 14 matches, the only win coming in the local derby against arch-rivals and former club Portsmouth. Wigley resumed duties with the club's young players but finally left the club later in the season. Manchester City After leaving Southampton, Wigley joined up with former Nottingham Forest teammate Stuart Pearce at Manchester City as assistant manager/first team coach. During his first season at City, he guided City's reserve team to third place in the Premiership North Reserve League. Wigley left City after Pearce was sacked in May 2007. England Under-21 Wigley teamed up with Pearce again, this time as England Under-21 coach, after Pearce was appointed to this role in 2007. In August 2007 the Football Association appointed Wigley as a national coach, assuming responsibility for the 17–21 age groups to help develop young players. When Pearce was made caretaker manager of the full England team in February 2012, Wigley accompanied him as his assistant. Bolton Wanderers On 8 July 2008, Wigley joined the Bolton Wanderers backroom staff as head coach following a decision by Gary Megson to restructure the club's coaching staff. On 30 December 2009, he and Chris Evans were appointed joint caretaker managers of Bolton following Megson's sacking, but he left the club a few days later after Owen Coyle's appointment. Hull City On 17 March 2010, he was appointed as coach at Premier League club, Hull City, under new manager, Iain Dowie. Bristol City On 18 August 2010, Wigley became assistant manager to Keith Millen at Bristol City on a one-year rolling contract. Millen stated: "Steve was the man I wanted.