Ex-Sunderland and Leeds United boss appointed manager of National League club
Simon Grayson has secured a new job in the National League
Former Sunderland boss Simon Grayson has been unveiled as Hartlepool United’s new manager.
The 55-year-old took charge of the Black Cats during an ill-fated stint in the Championship back in 2017, and lasted just 18 matches on Wearside before being relieved of his duties in the dugout.
Since then, Grayson - who also boasts spells with the likes of Leeds United and Preston North End on his CV - has split his time between media work and managing in the lower reaches of the EFL, and most recently made an unexpected move to Asia to take up posts with Indian side Bengaluru FC and Nepalese outfit Lalitpur City.
On Thursday evening, however, it was announced that Grayson will be replacing ex-Hartlepool head coach Anthony Limbrick with immediate effect. The former New Saints boss took over from Lennie Lawrence in February and guided Pools to an 11th-placed finish in the National League this season.
What has Simon Grayson said about joining Hartlepool United?
Speaking upon his arrival at the Suit Direct Stadium, Grayson said: “I am really happy to join Hartlepool United FC . The club has gone through some tough times recently but by working hard together as a staff and fanbase we can bring back the good times which this football club deserves. Hartlepool is a club with real potential and I’m excited by the prospect of what we can achieve here. I can’t wait to get started.”
Club chairman Raj Singh added :“I’m delighted that Simon has accepted the role. Simon is someone who has been on our radar for a while and he’s been my preferred candidate in the past when we’ve looked for managers, but for one reason or the other it didn’t come off. He comes with vast experience including promotions in EFL. The board unanimously decided to go for Simon and it’s great that we’ve been able to secure him for an initial two-year period. We’re all looking forward to the working with him. That work starts immediately as we look to build a squad that pushes for promotion next season.”
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What else has Simon Grayson said recently?
Speaking from Nepal in a recent interview with The Echo, Grayson said: “Since I’ve been back [to England], I’ve had a few opportunities to go back to work but not ones that interested me really - and I’ve been doing media work for Sky, Leeds and Leicester TV and this came about around three or four months ago.
“An agent rang me and said would I fancy taking charge of a franchise team out in Nepal and it wasn’t something I’d thought of straightaway, I thought I’d been to India, I wasn’t sure on Nepal. Then he explained it was a franchise team, only two months maximum, three weeks pre-season, five if you get to the final. So I thought time-wise, it worked not being away from home too long and to get into another part of the world and get out of my comfort zone coaching abroad in a different environment and a country that was far less developed than India.”
He added: “Going to India and here makes you realise you don’t just have to work in the EFL. Maybe closer to home might work in Europe if it wasn’t in the UK because I don’t want to be away from home too much - but since I’ve been here I’ve had offers to go to South East Asia, clubs in different parts of Asia from my time in India. I still think I have a lot of time and effort to give to the game. I’m just short of 800 games now in 40 years playing and managing. If I didn’t have the passion and desire to do it I’d be concentrating on my media career.”
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