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Exclusive: Grayson takes lower deal from Leeds to make quick return with Huddersfield - Have your say
Simon Grayson
SIMON GRAYSON took ‘a financial hit’ when agreeing a severance package with Leeds United to become the new manager of Huddersfield Town, the Yorkshire Post can reveal.
The 42-year-old last night signed a three-and-a-half year contract with the League One club to seal a return to management less than three weeks after being sacked at Elland Road.
Before being able to accept chairman Dean Hoyle’s offer to succeed Lee Clark, Grayson had to come to agreement with Leeds over the remainder of his deal with the Championship club.
Under the terms of the contract that was signed in the summer of 2010, he was entitled to hold out for a larger sum but instead decided the lure of Huddersfield meant financial sacrifice was worthwhile.
Grayson told the Yorkshire Post exclusively: “After receiving a call on Friday to say Huddersfield were interested, I then met the chairman on Sunday night and was immediately impressed by what he had to say.
“To be honest, I didn’t have much intention to come back into football as quickly and fancied some time off. But after speaking to Dean, I decided I wanted this job.
“So, I got in touch with Leeds as there were still a few things that needed sorting out before I could join another club. We came to an agreement as Leeds wanted it done and I just wanted to get on with the rest of my career.
“It meant I had to take a bit of a hit financially compared to what I was entitled. But I thought that was a price worth paying to take on a challenge that really excites me.”
Grayson will be assisted at Huddersfield by Glynn Snodin and Ian Miller, the same coaching staff who were by his side at Elland Road.
The trio look back with pride on their time at Leeds, who they led to promotion from League One in 2010 before securing a seventh-place finish last season.
Despite that, Grayson believes he became the victim of a smear campaign after leaving on February 1, including suggestions he had lost the dressing room.
He said: “I was really disappointed to lose my job at Leeds but I did leave the club in a better position than when I arrived. So I have been hurt by certain things that have been said and written.
“It has been way off the mark and I have been hugely disappointed that people have gone down that line. I left that club with dignity and I have not once bitten back so why others haven’t been able to do the same, I don’t know.”
Grayson inherits a squad sitting fourth in League One, seven points behind Sheffield United, who hold the second automatic promotion place.
The new Town chief, whose senior debut in League football came at the club’s old Leeds Road home when a teenager with Leeds, said: “I have seen Huddersfield a couple of times and they are a good team.
“As a manager, you don’t often get the chance to take on a club sitting in as promising a position as Huddersfield are right now and we are going to give it everything to go up.
“Seven points with 16 games to go in a division as unpredictable as League One does not mean automatic promotion is settled just yet.”
Grayson’s links with Town’s rivals have meant his appointment has not been met with universal acclaim among the club’s supporters.
Hoyle said: “I am not ignorant to the fact that some supporters may question Simon’s appointment given his history at Leeds United but I will tackle that head on.
“It was all about getting the best man for the job and Simon ticks all the boxes. He has a history of success at this level with both Blackpool and Leeds, he has a point to prove following his departure from Leeds, and having met him on Sunday night I know he has the fire in his belly to lead Huddersfield Town into the Championship.”
On his past affiliations, Grayson said: “Everyone knows who I support but taking Huddersfield up will mean just as much as it did at Leeds and just as much as it did at Blackpool.
“I wasn’t a Blackpool fan when we got promoted (in 2007) but I gave everything to the club as manager. I will be the same here as we chase the success this club deserves.”
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Comments
There are 8 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
LUFCQuej
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 08:21 PMModphil64, its you that is clueless m8. Grayson has worked miracles at ER considering what he has had to work with (a chairman that has done everything possible to undermine him and the team, moron fans like you that cant get to grips with the fact that if your chairman wont let you spend anything and is only willing to pay players £3.24 and a wham chew bar per week then you simply cant bring in players with ANY sort of quality). These things were not Graysons fault and yet he had to put up with idiots blaming him because the player he brings in who is free and willing to play for peanuts, suprisingly turns out not to Lionel Messi?? Huddersfield may just miss out this season but not through the fault of Grayson. However, with a chairman that is willing to back his manager Huddersfield WILL come up next season and then Grayson will be laughing when they are demolishing us 4-0. I hate saying it but thats the sad fact of the matter.
modphil64
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 07:15 PMsorry to say this to town fans but you now no chance of going up this season, be prepared to watch grayson play statues for 90mins....arms folded, no subs used till the 90th min, he's clueless & thank god he's now yours!
Terriers1
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 11:14 AMSo, drizzlybear......so you are trying to tell everyone that there is not ONE Leeds United supporter that does not despise Huddersfield Town.........No....thought not.......infact, you are the example that proves the fact. I am a Town supporter of 55 years, my Father was Leeds, born and bred and was a season ticket holder at Leeds since the days of Major Buckley.....John Charles was his favourite all time Leeds player, and when Leeds lost any game at all, it really upset him. However, we were both Yorkshiremen, first and foremost, and we wanted all Yorkshire teams to do well, especially when playing Lancashire teams, especially in Cricket, as it means something to be born in God's own county. The only time that he wanted Town to lose was if they were plaiying Leeds, and it was the same in reverse for me. I remember BOTH of us crying when Leeds were robbed in the European cup final.....but we were both immensley proud of the Mighty Whites that day.........We should all support any Yorkshire team in their efforts...and yes, that does include even Bradford City.
drizzlybear
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 09:51 AMi'd like to wish simon grayson all the best in his new job.........but i cant! i live in huddersfield and they despise us. hope you take them down! cheers for your efforts at leeds though, you did indeed leave us in a better position than when you came. MOT
ErniW
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 09:09 AMSimon did a good job at Leeds and will be fondly remembered by the vast majority of supporters.He left us with some of the best of memories with the FA Cup victory at Old Trafford and a remarkable last day vicory to win promotion to the Championship. Things have unravelled somewhat over the last few months with distasteful comments from the Leeds board undermining Simon and results reflecting the rift at the top. The end became inevitable under this regime.Simon was a passionate manager unlike the classless members of the board who went into print with unsubstantiated negative comments. Simon , unlike Peter Lorimer, came out of this with his dignity in tact and we all wish him well.
belfastwhite
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 08:56 AMUr being used as a scapegoat but dosent matter we know who's to blame so many happy memories of ur tenure beating man u forcing arsenal to a replay giving spurs a scare and promotion thank u :) all said think squad in end was too big with too much dead wood but if u pay peanuts u get monkeys good luck in future Leeds legend !!
Marti
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 08:37 AMI was not a big fan of Simon Grayson but was appalled at the cheap and distasteful way his departure was handled by the classless people running our club. He has handled himself with extreme dignity, and people like Peter Lorimer should be ashamed. There was no need for a smear campaign; he did a job, took us as far as he could and we then needed someone for the next level. He should have been thanked for his service and then the subject closed.
Bubionwhite
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 08:08 AMThank you SG for everything you achieved at Leeds United and the very best of luck for the future ... time for everybody to move on without recriminations, analysis paralysis.
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