A Leeds United expert has revealed that Simon Grayson is "very, very well thought of" at Elland Road.
The new Pools boss began his playing career in West Yorkshire, coming through the ranks at Leeds, the club he had supported as a boy, before going on to make a handful of senior appearances. He left to sign for Leicester in 1992, playing more than 200 times for the Foxes and winning the League Cup in 1997. Grayson also turned out for the likes of Aston Villa, making a further 49 Premier League appearances, Blackburn, Sheffield Wednesday, Stockport and Notts County. He enjoyed a successful spell at Blackpool, a club he would go on to manage twice, at the end of his career; Grayson captained the Seasiders and made more than 100 appearances at Bloomfield Road.
Having turned his hand to management, Grayson led Blackpool to promotion to the Championship before taking charge at Leeds in 2008. During a successful four-year spell at the helm of the Lilywhites, Grayson steered Leeds back to the Championship thanks to a second placed finish in League One in the 2009/10 campaign. In their first season back in the second tier, Leeds finished a creditable seventh. Grayson was sacked in February 2012 following a run of poor results, culminating in a thumping 4-1 defeat by Birmingham.
BBC Radio Leeds presenter Katherine Hannah is well-placed to run the rule over the new Pools boss, who has taken charge of three West Yorkshire sides - Leeds, Huddersfield and Bradford. Grayson has also worked as a summariser on BBC Radio Leeds.
New Pools boss Simon Grayson led Leeds to promotion to the Championship as well as an historic FA Cup victory over Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United during a successful four-year spell. Picture by David Ashdown/Getty Images.placeholder image
New Pools boss Simon Grayson led Leeds to promotion to the Championship as well as an historic FA Cup victory over Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United during a successful four-year spell. Picture by David Ashdown/Getty Images.
Grayson wil need to use all his considerable experience to make a success out of his latest role. Pools have endured a challenging few months on and off the pitch and have lost ground on most of their National League rivals, while Grayson has never taken charge of a non-league side and hasn't managed in England since 2021; indeed, his last promotion was in 2015 while spells at the likes of Sunderland, Bradford and Fleetwood, as well as a second stint at Blackpool, all ended in disappointment.
Speaking to BBC Radio Tees presenter Rob Law, Hannah hailed Grayson as a hugely popular figure at Elland Road.
"He's very well thought of at Leeds," she said.
"For two very, very big reasons, he goes down in Leeds United history.
"Simon Grayson actually started his playing career at Leeds, he started off in the Leeds academy, he is a Leeds United fan - don't hold that against him! He's very, very well thought of at Leeds United.
"There are two big things that he will always be remembered for at Elland Road. Firstly, he got Leeds United promoted out of League One when the club was really in the doldrums. They'd slumped down, they'd been relegated from the Premier League and subsequently relegated from the Championship. They were schlepping around in League One.
"He was offered the job after the dismissal of Gary McAllister, who was a legend as a player but it didn't work out for him on the managerial front. Simon Grayson dropped down a division - he was managing Blackpool at the time, he'd done really well with them - because it was Leeds, to try and get them out of League One. Ultimately, he delivered it in the most dramatic fashion; he got them promoted on the final day of the season, he will go down in history for that.
"He will also go down in history as the manager of Leeds United who went to Old Trafford, home of Manchester United, in the FA Cup and knocked them out. Leeds were a League One side at the time; Manchester United, under Sir Alex Ferguson, were flying and played all their heavyweights. Leeds went to Old Trafford and beat them - it's still sung about on the terraces today, and it will be 100 years from now.
"He is a very, very popular manager at Leeds United, purely for delivering those two things. He will always go down in club folklore and is still incredibly well thought of at the club.
"He also managed Huddersfield Town, when he did, eventually, part company with Leeds. He took over from Lee Clark and got them promoted as well, at Wembley. It was an incredible play-off final against Sheffield United where no one could score a goal. It went all the way to penalties and, ultimately, the keepers decided it on the day and he got them promoted that way.
"I think, unfortunately, because of his connection with Leeds and everything that goes with that, he was never going to be quite as popular with the Huddersfield fans and, subsequently, with the Bradford City fans as well. It never kind of felt the same and he's not remembered with the same level of fondness.
"You talk to any Leeds United fan about Simon Grayson and you'll get nothing but glowing reports."
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