BUTLER TO SERVE IRON AS DEAN IS OUSTED
SCUNTHORPE United’s new owner Michelle Harness says sacking Jimmy Dean and replacing him with first-team coach Andy Butler is the toughest decision of her short tenure so far, but was done to help the club become more sustainable.
The Iron were favourites to make an immediate return to the National League but were unable to live up to expectation and their promotion bid failed after crashing out on penalties in last Saturday’s play-off semi-final with Boston United.
Dean, 41, joined the Iron from Peterborough Sports in January 2023 and steered the club through a period of uncertainty, centred around the ownership of their Glanford Park stadium.
But now as they face up to a second season in National League North, the club say they are
re-structing to “bring expenditure in line with the level, and what the football club can afford”.
Dean left, alongside his management team of Chris Plummer and Ant Coombe, leaving Butler, 40, taking over the reins.
Harness, who took over the club in October, said: “To be saying goodbye to Jimmy, Chris and Ant is undoubtedly one of our toughest decisions since we took ownership of the club, and it is a decision we’ve made with a very heavy heart.
“We inherited significant debt, along with a budget and payroll which by far exceeds the level that we are currently operating at, and we need to work hard this summer to bring that back to a level where we can both compete at, but also remain sustainable, and this must start at football management level, and then focusing on the playing staff.”
Butler said: “It’s fantastic news for me, and I’m buzzing that Michelle and the board have offered me this position. “It’s all about starting again now, and we look at it with open arms.”