Simon Grayson

Simon Grayson
Personal information
Full name Simon Nicholas Grayson
Date of birth 16 December 1969 (1969-12-16) (age 42)
Place of birth Ripon, England
Height 6 ft (1.83 m)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current club Leeds United (manager)
Youth career
1984–1988 Leeds United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1988–1992 Leeds United 2 (0)
1992–1997 Leicester City 188 (4)
1997–1999 Aston Villa 49 (0)
1999–2002 Blackburn Rovers 35 (0)
2000 → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 5 (0)
2001 → Stockport County (loan) 13 (0)
2001 → Notts County (loan) 10 (1)
2002 → Bradford City (loan) 7 (0)
2002–2006 Blackpool 126 (6)
Total 435 (11)
Teams managed
2005–2008 Blackpool
2008– Leeds United
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Simon Nicholas Grayson (born 16 December 1969) is a retired English footballer and current manager of Leeds United. He is the elder brother of cricketer Paul Grayson.

Throughout his playing career he primarily operated on the right side of defence, but he was also utilised in midfield.

Contents

Club career

He started playing football for Bedale FC after going through high school at Bedale High School.He supported Leeds as a youngster and is proud to be their manager. Grayson began his career at Leeds United in June 1988 as both a defender and a midfielder. However, he did not manage to make the big breakthrough at Leeds, playing just twice in four years. He signed for Leicester City in March 1992 and went on to make 229 appearances in five years. During his time at Filbert Street the team won the League Cup in 1997 and was voted the club's player of the season in the same year. Grayson moved to Aston Villa in 1997 and made another 49 FA Premier League appearances at Villa Park, scoring two goals, both of which came in Villa's 1997/98 FA Cup campaign against Portsmouth[1] and West Bromwich Albion.[2] He then signed for Blackburn Rovers in July 1999, where he made 34 appearances in his first season. He lost his place in the team the following season and spent most of the next two years on loan, with spells at Sheffield Wednesday, Stockport County, Notts County (where he scored once against Reading)[3] and Bradford City. Grayson signed for Blackpool on a free transfer on 19 July 2002.[4] He made more than 100 appearances for the Seasiders and captained the side. He started his career at Blackpool in the right-back berth, but was moved to midfield by former boss Colin Hendry to bolster an area of weakness.

Managerial career

Blackpool

Grayson moved into coaching in the 2004–05 season, managing the reserve squad at Bloomfield Road with some success before he was named caretaker manager of the first team in November 2005, following the departure of Colin Hendry. After diverting Blackpool away from relegation that season he was given the job on a permanent basis for the start of the 2006–07 season. Grayson retired from playing at the end of the 2005–06 season to focus purely on the managerial side of the game.

In late 2006, he led Blackpool to only one defeat in fourteen league games, a sequence that included five wins out of six, resulting in their appearance in the four play-off positions. The run also brought attendances of more than 7,000 to Bloomfield Road. This led to Grayson being awarded the Manager of the Month award for December.[5]

On 6 January 2007, he guided Blackpool to the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in 17 years, after beating Aldershot Town 4–2 at Bloomfield Road. They were knocked out by Norwich City, who beat them 3–2 after extra time, in a replay at Carrow Road on 13 February, narrowly missing out on a trip to London to face Chelsea in the last sixteen.[6]

Grayson received his second League One Manager of the Month award of the 2006–07 season in May 2007.[7] Two days later, on 5 May 2007, Grayson guided Blackpool to a final placing of third, and thus a place in the play-offs.[8] Blackpool beat Oldham Athletic 5–2 on aggregate over the two legs of the play-off semi-final. They met Yeovil Town in the final at the newly-renovated Wembley Stadium on 27 May and won 2–0, securing promotion to the Championship. It was their tenth consecutive victory, a new club record. This was extended in Blackpool's first game in the Championship with a league win over Leicester City[9] and a victory against Huddersfield Town in the League Cup.

In October 2007, Grayson guided Blackpool to the fourth round of the League Cup for the club's first time in 35 years. They were drawn against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, where Spurs won 2–0.[10] In December 2007 Grayson signed a two-and-a-half-year contract, following two years working without a formal contract.[11][12] In May 2008, Blackpool finished nineteenth in the Championship, their highest finish in the Football League since 1977–78.

Grayson was heavily linked with the vacant managerial post at Leeds United, with whom he started his playing career, following the sacking of Gary McAllister in December 2008,[13] but Blackpool refused permission for Leeds to speak to Grayson.[14][15] Despite this Grayson tendered his resignation, which the Blackpool board did not accept, and he was announced as Leeds United's new manager. The two clubs ultimately settled the dispute for an undisclosed fee.[16]

Leeds United

Grayson's first game in charge was at Elland Road on Boxing Day against one of his former clubs, Leicester City, who were top of the league. Leeds were sitting in 9th place, on the back of five straight defeats, but a late equaliser from Robert Snodgrass gave Grayson's new club a 1–1 draw.[17] He recorded his first victory, a crucial 3–1 win away at Stockport County two days later.[18] Leeds won their final eleven home games, matching a forty-year-old record from the Don Revie era. Leeds' away form did not match this, and Grayson guided the club into a fourth-place finish, earning them a two-legged play-off tie against fifth-place Millwall, which Leeds lost 2–1 on aggregate.

Grayson and Leeds started the 2009–10 season with an unbeaten run in all competitions, which included seven victories and a draw in League One and saw the club progress to the third round of the League Cup, before losing 1–0 to Liverpool. In that season's FA Cup, Grayson led Leeds to a 1–0 victory away to Manchester United, their first win at Old Trafford since 1981.[19] Grayson's side also earned Leeds a replay against Premiership opposition Tottenham Hotspur after a 2–2 draw at White Hart Lane.

Grayson's Leeds side was promoted on 8 May 2010 after beating Bristol Rovers 2–1. The win saw Leeds finish the season in second place, and earn automatic promotion to The Championship. Grayson reached his 100th game managing Leeds in the 2–1 win against Middlesbrough[20]

Grayson was rewarded with his first Manager of the Month award while in charge at Leeds United for the month of December 2010. During that month he oversaw his Leeds team unbeaten in the league, winning three games and drawing two, including a 2–0 home win over league leaders QPR.[21] After a dip in form Leeds dropped out of the playoffs and finished the season in 7th place.

Honours

Player

Leicester City

First Division Play Off Winner|First Division Play Off winner]|2|1993–94, 1995–96}}

1996–97
Blackpool
2003–04

Manager

Blackpool
2006–07

Leeds United

Career statistics

Club Season League
(Tier)		 Domestic League FA Cup League Cup Europe Others Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Leeds United 1987–88 Second Division 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0
1988–89 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1989–90 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1990–91 First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1991–92 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
Total   2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 4 0
Leicester City 1991–92 Second Division 13 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 20 0
1992–93 First Division 24 1 2 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 32 1
1993–94 40 1 1 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 47 1
1994–95 Premier League 34 0 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
1995–96 First Division 41 2 2 0 4 0 0 0 3 0 50 2
1996–97 Premier League 36 0 3 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 46 2
Total   188 4 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 229 6
Aston Villa 1997–98 Premier League 33 0 4 2 1 0 6 0 0 0 44 2
1998–99 15 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 20 0
Total   48 0 5 2 2 0 9 0 0 0 64 2
Blackburn Rovers 1999–2000 First Division 34 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 38 0
2000–01 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
→ Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
→ Stockport County (loan) 13 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14 0
→ Notts County (loan) 2001–02 Second Division 10 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 13 1
→ Bradford City (loan) First Division 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Blackburn Rovers Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total   34 (35) 0 (1) 3 (1) 0 (0) 2 (1) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (2) 0 (0) 39 (39) 0 (1)
Blackpool 2002–03 Second Division 45 3 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 50 3
2003–04 33 1 2 0 3 0 0 0 5 0 43 1
2004–05 36 2 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 43 2
2005–06 12 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 16 1
Total   126 6 10 0 7 1 0 0 9 0 152 7
Career Totals 431 11 27(?) 2(?) 29(?) 1(?) 9(?) 0(?) 25(?) 0(?) 527(?) 16(?)

Managerial

These statistics include all league and cup first-team fixtures.

As of 2 January 2012
Team Nat From To Record
G W D L Win %
Blackpool 10 November 2005 23 December 2008 &10000000000000160000000160 &1000000000000005900000059 &1000000000000005100000051 &1000000000000005000000050 &1000000000000003688000036.88
Leeds United 23 December 2008 Present &10000000000000165000000165 &1000000000000008300000083 &1000000000000003900000039 &1000000000000004300000043 &1000000000000005029999950.30
Total &10000000000000325000000325 &10000000000000142000000142 &1000000000000009000000090 &1000000000000009300000093 &1000000000000004368999943.69

References

  1. ^ Barton, Philip (3 January 1998). "Grayson saves blushing Villa". London: The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-grayson-saves-blushing-villa-1136775.html. Retrieved 2 February 2010. 
  2. ^ Callow, Nick (24 January 1998). "Yorke's derby delight". London: The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-yorkes-derby-delight-1140873.html. Retrieved 2 February 2010. 
  3. ^ "Notts County 3–4 Reading". BBC. 20 October 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/1606923.stm. Retrieved 2 February 2010. 
  4. ^ "Blackpool sign Grayson" – BBC Sport
  5. ^ Grayson collects monthly accolade – BBC Sport
  6. ^ Norwich 3–2 Blackpool, FA Cup 4R – BBC Sport
  7. ^ Blackpool boss lands April prize – BBC Sport
  8. ^ Swansea 3–6 Blackpool – BBC Sport
  9. ^ Leicester 0–1 Blackpool – BBC Sport
  10. ^ Tottenham 2–0 Blackpool – BBC Sport
  11. ^ "We speak to Simon Grayson" – Blackpool F.C.'s official website
  12. ^ "Grayson signs a contract – finally!" – BBC Lancashire
  13. ^ Hay, Phil (22 December 2008). "Blackpool reject Leeds United's Grayson approach". Yorkshire Evening Post. http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/leedsunited/Leeds-United-Grayson-in-line.4815752.jp. Retrieved 2008-12-22. 
  14. ^ "Club Statement". Blackpool. 22 December 2008. http://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10432~1497115,00.html. Retrieved 2008-12-22. 
  15. ^ "Blackpool snub Leeds Grayson move". bbc.co.uk. 22 December 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/leeds_united/7796182.stm. Retrieved 2008-12-22. 
  16. ^ "Leeds settle dispute over Grayson" BBC Sport. 2009-04-09. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
  17. ^ "Leeds United 1–1 Leicester City". BBC Sport. 2008-12-26. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/7787729.stm. Retrieved 2008-12-26. 
  18. ^ Sutcliffe, Richard (2008-12-28). "Stockport County 1 Leeds United 3: Delph underlines his value to Leeds with sublime skill". Yorkshire Post. http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/football/FT-Stockport-County-1-Leeds.4825982.jp. Retrieved 2008-12-29. 
  19. ^ "Man Utd 0 – 1 Leeds United" – BBC.co.uk
  20. ^ "Middlesbrough 1–2 Leeds". BBC News. 16 October 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/9085033.stm. 
  21. ^ http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20110113/grayson-named-manager-of-the-month_2247585_2265545

External links

Blackpool F.C. – managers
* as caretaker-manager
(c) caretaker
Leeds United A.F.C. – current squad