RUSK’S SO PROUD TO TAKE REIGN AT HATTERS
HUMBLE Simon Rusk believes it is “an honour and a privilege” to manage Stockport County after being handed his first senior managerial role.
The 39-year-old has earned himself a reputation as one of the game’s top young coaches having worked with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Under 23s for the last six years.
Now he has been given the nod to succeed long-standing Jim Gannon at Edgeley Park, flanked by experienced former Reading, Wolves, Brighton, Morthwell and Scotland national team coach Mark McGhee and Gannon’s former assistant Dave Conlon.
Rusk is no stranger to Non-League’s top-flight having twice won promotion from the Conference as a player, with Boston United and Crawley Town. The midfielder also turned out for the likes of Northwich Victoria, Rushden & Diamonds and York City.
Rusk joins on a threeand-a-half year contract but has incredibly big shoes to fill having replaced a man in Gannon, whose name will forever be etched in Stockport County folklore.
Gannon celebrated 500 matches in charge of the club – over three spells – before he was surprisingly sacked just days after Stockport’s crunch FA Cup clash with West Ham.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to be the manager of such a great football club,” Rusk said.
“Stockport County has rich tradition and an incredibly loyal fanbase, I’m looking to continue the great work that’s been done and can reassure fans I will devote everything to the role.
“We have a fantastic squad with great infrastructure and can’t wait to start working with the players. Stockport County need to be back in the EFL and I believe together with Mark and Dave we can steer the club to success.”
Rusk’s only previous experience of senior football management was two spells as first-team coach at Brighton under Chris Hughton.
But he has plenty of clout behind him in shape of McGhee, a former Scotland international striker with over 1,000 games in management, spanning 30 years, behind him.
Director of Football Simon Wilson said: “Simon is a young talent, very highly regarded in the industry and supported by Mark and Dave, we think we have found the best of all worlds.
“Simon follows the recent successful trend of highly regarded and hungry U23 team coaches coming into first-team management. His education, time in the trenches and experience across the divisions give him the perfect background for success.
“I appreciate recent events will have come as a shock but I’d like to thank fans for their continued support and hope everyone can get behind our new management team as we continue to progress the club back towards League status.”