Dixon takes the reigns as Nugent departs
- Phillip Farrell
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
Former captain to serve as interim head coach
CHATTANOOGA, TN —- Former Chattanooga Football Club captain Richard Dixon was appointed as the team’s interim head coach on Monday afternoon after the sudden departure of Chris Nugent. Nugent’s exit comes just five days ahead of the side’s opening pre-season game (vs. Birmingham Legion, Feb 7) and a month out from the opening of the MLS Next Pro season.
The club has been clear that Nugent’s departure came from a ‘shared understanding that the club requires a different leadership profile’. Regardless of the inner workings of the organization and the specific reasons for this decision, it certainly doesn’t appear to be an acrimonious split, given the kind parting words offered by both Nugent and club officials.
The 35-year-old Dixon steps into his maiden stint as a head coach. The Jamaican was Chattanooga’s first ever professional player signed when the club brought him on board in 2020. A former protege of former CFC head coach Bill Elliott at the University of West Florida, Dixon enjoyed pro spells with Saint Louis FC (2015-17) and Oklahoma City (2017-19) of the USL. He also spent a year with the nearby Red Wolves in their first USL League One campaign in 2019. He retired from playing in 2024 and has been part of the club’s coaching ticket since.
It is unclear how long Dixon will be in charge. The club did say in a press release that they would begin a global search for a new head coach immediately. The status of other members of CFC backroom staff remains unclear.
Nugent leaves the club with a competitive record of 14W-10D-7L. He joined CFC in 2022 and served as assistant coach under Rod Underwood for three seasons before becoming interim head coach himself toward the end of the 2024 campaign. He led the club to fourth place in the MLS Next Pro Eastern Conference in 2025, his only full season in the hot-seat.
Nugent was CFC’s fifth full-time head coach. His predecessors were Brian Crossman (2009-11), Elliott (2012-19), Peter Fuller (2019-21), and Underwood (2022-24).
Chattanooga FC begins its pre-season on Saturday when it hosts Birmingham Legion at Finley Stadium. The event is only open to season ticket holders. The league season kicks off on Sunday March 7th with the visit of Crown Legacy FC.
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