Elliott Dickman is in contention to succeed Simon Grayson at Hartlepool United
Former Sunderland youth coach Elliott Dickman is one of three names in contention to replace Simon Grayson as Hartlepool United manager, according to reports.
The non-league outfit hired the ex-Sunderland and Leeds United chief in June, but saw fit to relieve him of his duties last week after a downturn in form. Justifying the decision to oust Grayson, an official statement read: “Hartlepool United Football Club has today parted company with manager Simon Grayson.
“Following discussions yesterday evening and a board meeting this morning, it became clear that expectations with performances and results have not been met. Obtaining one win in the last 11 games falls short of the required standard; therefore, the Board of Directors have collectively made the extremely difficult decision to relieve Simon of his duties. The Board wishes to thank Simon for his efforts and wish him the very best in his future endeavours.”
Grayson’s dismissal means that of the 13 permanent appointments made by current chairman Raj Singh, who took over in 2018, only promotion-winning boss Dave Challinor has survived more than a year in the role. Indeed, none of the last five permanent bosses has lasted more than 17 games in the Pools hot seat - albeit veteran Lennie Lawrence stepped down of his own accord.
But with the search for a new boss now underway, the Hartlepool Mail report that Dickman is one of a handful of names under consideration for the vacancy. Alongside the 47-year-old, Pools are also said to be weighing up Nicky Featherstone and Paul Hartley, with the former working alongside Dickman and Adam Smith to lead the team in the aftermath of Grayson’s sacking. For his part, Hartley previously managed Hartlepool for a spell in 2022.
As for Dickman, he worked in various academy coaching roles with Sunderland until 2021, when he left to work with Newcastle United. From there, he spent a stint with South Shields, and managed the Mariners up until May of this year. He arrived at Hartlepool earlier this month, taking a first team coaching role following the departure of assistant manager Neil McDonald.
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What did Elliott Dickman say about joining Hartlepool United?
Following his arrival at Hartlepool, Dickman said: “I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to work with Simon [Grayson] and everyone at the club. The chance to get back into senior football is exciting. This club has a great set of players with excellent potential, so I look forward to working with them. I’d like to thank everyone at Hartlepool United for the opportunity to get back on the grass.”
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