Shirtliff retired from the game in 1997, shortly after helping Barnsley reach the Premier League,[9] after 18 years as a professional footballer. He has since been youth team coach at Barnsley and Leicester City. In 2005, he was appointed assistant manager at Mansfield Town. He became the manager of Mansfield following the dismissal of Carlton Palmer in September 2005,[5] and lasted 15 months in the job before getting sacked in December 2006 following a poor run of results.[10]
In 2007, he was appointed assistant manager at Tranmere Rovers,[11] and two years later took up the equivalent post at Swindon Town.[12] He was also assistant manager and caretaker manager of Bury before departing in 2013.
Personal life
His younger brother Paul was also a professional footballer.[13]