Ex-Hartlepool United boss emerges as one of the early favourites to land vacant League Two manager's job
Former Hartlepool United boss Simon Grayson has emerged as one of the favourites to land the vacant manager's job at League Two strugglers Bristol Rovers.
The Gas sacked Darrell Clarke, himself a former Pools player and a hugely popular figure at Victoria Park and throughout the footballing world, on Saturday after a run of 10 straight defeats saw them slide into the League Two relegation places.
Despite enjoying legendary status at The Memorial Stadium thanks to a hugely successful first spell in charge of Rovers that saw him lead them to back-to-back promotions, Clarke found things much more difficult this time around and leaves with the Gas 23rd in the table.
Bristol Rovers, who started the season as one of the favourites for the League Two title but will now surely be focusing on avoiding what would be a second successive relegation, told fans on Saturday that "the process to recruit a successor is already underway" in a statement posted on the official club website.
Among the names to have emerged as one of the early front-runners to replace Clarke in the South West is former Pools boss Grayson, who was sacked in October following a run of just one win in 11 matches.
The 55-year-old was appointed Pools manager in June with the club in the midst of a tumultuous summer but made a fine start to life at Victoria Park, winning all of his first four National League matches in charge without conceding a goal.
However, Grayson was dismissed after a downturn in both results and performances saw Pools slide out of the play-off places, with divisive chairman and owner Raj Singh, notorious for his lack of patience when it comes to hiring and firing managers, eventually appointing Nicky Featherstone as his permanent replacement following a successful eight-week spell in interim charge.
While things might not have worked out at Pools, Grayson still enjoys a stellar reputation in English football having led Blackpool, Leeds, Huddersfield and Preston to promotion, while he also achieved success during stints managing in India and Nepal before taking charge of Pools.
According to bettingodds.com, Grayson is rated as a 20/1 shot to land the Bristol Rovers job, with the likes of former Northampton boss Jon Brady, ex-Luton man Matt Bloomfield and Steve Evans, who has been out of work since being sacked by Rotherham in March, all also believed to be in the running.