Currently Director of Football at Division Two side Bournemouth, Mel Machin was both a player and a coach at Norwich City. Mel began his career with Port Vale as a striker spending four years in the Potteries and making his debut in October 1962. After 30 appearances and six goals, Mel joined Gillingham in July 1966 for whom he made 156 league appearances scoring 11 times. Four years in Kent was followed with a move along the South Coast to Bournemouth where he first made the acquaintance of John Bond . 110 games for Bournemouth won him the attention of larger clubs such as Tottenham and Crystal Palace but instead he joined Norwich in December 1973. Converting to a midfield and full back's role, Mel made 117 appearances for the Canaries, scoring 4 goals, before a knee injury hastened his retirement. Within these 117 games were a League Cup final appearance at Wembley against Aston Villa in which he conceded a penalty which was the eventual decider between the two competing teams.

A brief spell in the USA with the Seattle Sounders in the summer of 1977 preceded roles as Youth Team Coach, Reserve Team Coach, Assistant Manager and Chief Coach with the Canaries. A successful partnership with Ken Brown finished in May 1987 when with no guarantees to his future, Mel accepted the poisoned chalice of the Manager's position at Manchester City; a post that had been held by his former mentor John Bond. Although he won promotion back to Division One, his achievements did not match those sought by the Maine Road board and he was sacked in November 1989.

The following month, he joined Barnsley as manager and had relative success until resigning in May 1993 disillusioned with Barnsley's need to sell their best players to survive. A period of scouting for West Ham and Tottenham preceded his appointment at Dean Court in August 1994. In three years at Bournemouth, he has developed a strong Division Two side that plays neat passing football in the Norwich style. In November 2000, Mel was strongly linked with the vacancy at Griffin Park caused when Brentford manager/chairman Ron Noades relinquished control of the first team. Mel since moved upstairs into a Director of Football position at Bournemouth but retired on Augusut 29th 2002. He will remain on the Board of Directors though..

BBC Ceefax reported on 18th October 2002 that it was expected that Swindon would name Mel as their new manager over the following weekend. This didn't materialise but on January 28th 2003, BBC Ceefax reported that Machin had been appointed to assist struggling Huddersfield manager Mick Wadsworth. On March 25th 2003, the Terriers came to the end of their tether with Wadsworth and sacked him with the club bottom of Division Two. Machin took over the management of the club for the remainder of the season. He failed to keep them in Division Two and his time with the club ended in May 2003.