1958: Born December 21.
1985: Starts football career with non-league Barnet.
1986: Joins Scarborough on November 1 helping the club reach the Football League that season under Neil Warnock.
1989: Moves to Notts County after being signed by Warnock for £15k, although fails to make a first-team appearance.
1993: Joins Torquay United on a free. Later that year is again signed by Warnock for Huddersfield Town making just ten appearances. Embarks on a coaching career by taking charge of the youth team.
1995: Joins Plymouth Argyle on a free in August, following Warnock to Home Park.
1998: Moves on to Bury and again works under Warnock leaving in the summer of 1999.
2000: Links up with Warnock again, this time at Sheffield United. Eventually becoming first-team coach.
2003: Despite never having met Peter Reid, Blackwell is appointed head coach at Elland Road.
2004: In May, takes caretaker duties for the final match in the Premiership defeat away to Chelsea after Eddie Gray’s departure.