Club Statement: Dean gone!

[Apollo11]

Scunthorpe United can confirm that, following the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, Jimmy Dean, Chris Plummer and Ant Coombe will be leaving the club.

Planning for 2024-25 commenced immediately off the pitch following last weekend’s play-off semi-final defeat, with budgeting put in place and confirmed for a second year in Vanarama National League North. As the club look towards sustainability, and bringing expenditure in line with the level, and what the football club can afford, it became apparent that a reset was required moving forward into the new season.

Joining the club at the end of January 2023, first team manager Dean, and assistant manager Plummer arrived into a new regime, shortly following by Coombe as strength and conditioning coach, with the trio unable to steer the side away from relegation to Step 2 football.

Despite a positive season in 2023-24, United were unable to make an immediate return to the National League Premier Division, finishing second in the league and eventually falling short on penalties in the play-off semi-final last weekend.

The year had returned the club to winning matches regularly, and reinstalled a unity between the community, the supporters and Scunthorpe United following, and through, much adversity. All the while, in the background, the club has been battling significant inherited debts, with the new ownership working each month to fulfil the massive playing staff wage bill that had been inherited by the new Board, and installed at the start of the campaign.

The club would like to place on record their thanks for the hard work, commitment and dignity shown by Jimmy, Chris and Ant during some of the darkest days Scunthorpe United have been through in its 125-year history. All three leave with our very best wishes for the future.

Owner and chairperson Michelle Harness said: “To be saying goodbye to Jimmy, Chris and Ant is undoubtedly one of our toughest decisions since we took ownership of the club, and it is a decision we’ve made with a very heavy heart.

“We inherited significant debt, along with a budget and payroll which by far exceeds the level that we are currently operating at, and we need to work hard this summer to bring that back to a level where we can both compete at, but also remain sustainable, and this must start at football management level, and then focusing on the playing staff.

“We remain wholly committed to recruiting and retaining players for the 2024-25 season who fall within our budget, and will give us the best possible chance to see us competing at the top of the league again.

“Jimmy, Chris and Ant have conducted themselves brilliantly throughout our time at the club, and will always be welcome at the Attis Arena should they wish to visit us. I would like to personally thank each of them for their hard work and endeavours while they represented our Board, the badge, and most importantly, you as the fans of Scunthorpe United.”

[Iron-awe]

Now the club can crack on and prepare properly for next season, well done to Michelle and her board.

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Sanfran49, glanford, Rene Artois

[TheJuryeffsOut]

Wow, they really mean business don’t they. I was thinking from some of the posts on here and stuff relayed from Facebook and Twitter that they might keep actually keep him.
Big decision but from a football angle after the way the season went it had to be done.
Michelle Harness and the board have definitely made the right choice not renewing his contract.

7 users thanked author for this post.

glanford, Rene Artois, IronIronIron, Siderite, another fed up fan, Noster, Iron-awe

[Ferrite]

Good decision! 1.5 seasons that failed to meet expectations, the most uninspiring public speaker we’ve ever had in charge, and a style of football that found few fans.

Appreciate he had to deal with many challenges along the way but so did all the players and for some reason they seem to get a lot less sympathy for it.

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glanford, IronIronIron, inspector

[another fed up fan]

I wish him and his team the very best on their next appointment at Grimsby Town.

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inspector

[inspector]

It was the right decision in my opinion. The new Board inherited the Management Team which was, in the final analysis, found wanting.
I am sure that Jimmy did his best but his style of play didn’t always please the spectators and his substitutions on occasions defied supporters’ belief. Finally, he never looked comfortable physically under the mildest of interviews.
I am sure that the Board has already made contact with his successor, whoever it may be. Bishop would be an interesting choice.
Goodbye and thanks to Jimmy and his team and I hope that they will soon find another Club. (From the Inspector, an Iron supporter for 70+ years who witnessed the 9-0 slaughter of Boston some 70 years ago in the F. A. Cup and who has been exiled in the Deep South for well over 40 years).

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Iron-awe, glanford, lesgeo

[Ferrite]

another fed up fan wrote:

I wish him and his team the very best on their next appointment at Grimsby Town.

Joking aside, I can’t see him getting a job at a club anywhere near the size of Scunthorpe or Grimsby. Be very interesting to see where he ends up.

[Noster]

Inspector. The 9-0 against Boston was my first game as an Iron fan. Stood behind the goal at the Donny Road end.

[inspector]

It was one of my early games. I could hardly keep abreast of the goals! A shame history didn’t repeat itself last Saturday but I didn’t think it would.

[MK Iron]

Either Muzzy is on 10 bob a week or he really is made of Teflon.

[Ferrite]

MK Iron wrote:

Either Muzzy is on 10 bob a week or he really is made of Teflon.

Must be the former, since he clearly can’t afford a barber!

[Gurnelista]

Apollo11 wrote:

Owner and chairperson Michelle Harness said: “To be saying goodbye to Jimmy, Chris and Ant is undoubtedly one of our toughest decisions since we took ownership of the club, and it is a decision we’ve made with a very heavy heart.

“We inherited significant debt, along with a budget and payroll which by far exceeds the level that we are currently operating at, and we need to work hard this summer to bring that back to a level where we can both compete at, but also remain sustainable, and this must start at football management level… .

Reading between these lines, it sounds like his departure has nothing to do with the football, just that they couldn’t agree financials.

Sadly, we’re back in the precarious situation of a year ago, with a smaller squad and less to spend.

But hey ho, maybe we’ll find a manager who’ll build a team which scores more goals than anyone else, has a better goal difference, and can finish higher than second. Trebles all round??

[Ferrite]

Gurnelista wrote:

Sadly, we’re back in the precarious situation of a year ago, with a smaller squad and less to spend.

We’ve got more money to spend than this time last year, never forget that!

[ironfromafar]

Ferrite wrote:

MK Iron wrote:

Either Muzzy is on 10 bob a week or he really is made of Teflon.

Must be the former, since he clearly can’t afford a barber!

Looking like Muzzy may have dodged another bullet… unbelievable !! .. his Zimmer frame will one day have a place in the new SUFC Museum

[ironfromafar]

Ferrite wrote:

Gurnelista wrote:

Sadly, we’re back in the precarious situation of a year ago, with a smaller squad and less to spend.

We’ve got more money to spend than this time last year, never forget that!

Tha cos the season ticket money will actually go to the club this year .. not new tyres for the Rolla

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Ferrite

[Gurnelista]

Hmmm doesn’t sound like it when she says “the budget and payroll far exceed the level we are currently operating at” and need to be brought under control, starting with management and players.

Maybe we can also find someone who talks a good game even if we lose. A few posters think it important.

[Gurnelista]

New season ticket money will probably be servicing the debts.

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Awaywego

[Sanfran49]

Like Bish but not experienced enough.

Kevin Philips – experienced coach, then managed South Shields was recently doing a decent job at Hartlepool. Was due to extend but board suddenly appointed Darren Sarl.

[Deereyme66]

‘Maybe we can also find someone who talks a good game even if we lose. A few posters think it important.’

Way down my wish list but it would be nice.

[Deereyme66]

Good to see many of those advocating for Dean to stay respect the Board’s decision. As Alcy would have said, ‘muhahaha!’.

[Awaywego]

Honeymoon period Deerey it won’t last forever.

[Ferrite]

Gurnelista wrote:

Hmmm doesn’t sound like it when she says “the budget and payroll far exceed the level we are currently operating at” and need to be brought under control, starting with management and players.

Maybe we can also find someone who talks a good game even if we lose. A few posters think it important.

Ah but my point is that we actually have money this year, in stark contrast to last year when our owner was making commitments that would never be kept.

[premier iron]

Do you think the board already has a replacement but is not announcing yet?

[ironfromafar]

premier iron wrote:

Do you think the board already has a replacement but is not announcing yet?

More than likely yes

[cassidystash]

We’ve also the possibility of cash from the sale of shares which seems to be taking a bit of sorting. 1,000 supporters each buying £100 of shares would be a welcome addition.

[Apollo11]

cassidystash wrote:

We’ve also the possibility of cash from the sale of shares which seems to be taking a bit of sorting. 1,000 supporters each buying £100 of shares would be a welcome addition.

I’ve thought about this quite a bit as I myself have expressed an interest to Michelle for buying shares, but am yet to receive a reply. I imagine this lack of reply to actually mean that she’s compiling a list of interested parties and will be in touch with each person once the club’s debts are cleared (which she has said she wants to do prior to next season starting). A share issue at that point could be a nice little influx of cash for a debt-free club – but, if shares are issued right now and money taken, the money would probably have to disappear into the debt-pot.

[Northumbiron]

Thanks Jimmy and good luck in your next appointment. As long as it’s not in charge of the team that will beat us in next year’s playoffs!

In retrospect it was a bit like asking an EasyJet pilot to fly the Space Shuttle.

I think it is the right decision, but time will tell.

[BigLeftToe]

Regarding a share issue, I got a reply from Michelle saying that the process is being looked into at the solicitors and I’d receive more information once the final details have been ironed out. With how slow solicitors work we could be waiting a fair old while!

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Apollo11

[Author]

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