The Shrimpers have announced that Paul (Whitehead!) Sturrock will become their new first team manager where he has agreed to a three-year deal Monday morning.
Paul's assistant was named as Tommy Widdrington, who is also looking to sign a three-year contract.
Former Scottish international Sturrock, 53, has been in charge of clubs in all four divisions of the football league and in Scotland, where he started as boss of St. Johnstone in 1993, and after gaining them promotion, taking over at Dundee United.
It was after leaving Scotland the Aberdeenshire born Sturrock joined the then struggling Plymouth Argyle in 2000 that his stock started to rise.
After a bordroom shake-up, sadly not happening here at the moment so hope you know what your getting yourself involved in Paul, the Pilgrims romped home to the third tier title with a club record 102 points.
He soon had them topping the second tier as well where they eventually gained promotion to the old First Division but he had joined Southampton in the Premiership with 12 games left.
The Scottish accent didn't go down to well in leafy Hampshire, and he was off after only six months to Sheffield Wednesday where he gained them promotion via the League One play-off final and a 4-2 win over Hartlepool United.
Sturrock then went to Swindon Town in League Two, and this is what Ron was really looking at, gained them promotion at the first time of asking, though he could probably sign some decent players then!
Anyway, he upset a few Robins fans by going back to Plymouth for the 2007/08 season and they finished 10th, their highest league position in 20 years.
However, they just escaped the drop the year after, and with them deep in trouble last season was relieved of his post at Home Park, being pushed into a Business Support Role before leaving the club in April 2010.
Tommy Widdrington: Knows his way around League Two
Tommy Widdrington, who is joining as his assistant is a sprightly 38-year-old, and was the manager of Salisbury City.
The former Southampton midfielder played 75 times for the team, and did the rounds at Grimsby Town, Port Vale, Hartlepool United, and Macclesfield Town.
He did well in his five years at the Wiltshire-based club and if they had not gone into administration, blimey mate you live dangerously, Salisbury were deducted the obligatory 10 points, and then suffering a two division drop!
Had City not been punished with that loss they would have finished the Blue Square Premier season in sixth place.
On for the future then if Paul doesn't cut it in the basement division this time around!
For the record, good luck to them both, they're going to need it!
The Sturrock Files
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Whitehead Sturrock | ||
| Date of birth | 10 October 1956 (1956-10-10) | ||
| Place of birth | Ellon Aberdeenshire, Scotland | ||
| Height | 5ft 8in (1.72m) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Southend United | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Bankfoot Athletic | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps (Gls)† | |
| 1974-1989 | Dundee United | 385 (109) | |
| National team | |||
| 1977-1982 | Scotland under-21 | 9 (0) | |
| 1981-1987 | Scotland | 20 (3) | |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1993-1998 | St. Johnstone | ||
| 1998-2000 | Dundee United | ||
| 2000-2004 | Plymouth Argyle | ||
| 2004 | Southampton | ||
| 2004-2006 | Sheffield Wednesday | ||
| 2006-2007 | Swindon Town | ||
| 2007-2009 | Plymouth Argyle | ||
| 2010- | Southend United | ||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
(Manager information supplied by Wikipedia, for the full article go here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Sturrock)
The Widdrington Files
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas Widdrington | ||
| Date of birth | 1 October 1971 (1971-10-01) | ||
| Place of birth | Newcastle upon Tyne, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Southend United (assistant-manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1987-1990 | Southampton | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1990-1996 | Southampton | 75 | (3) |
| 1991 | → Wigan Athletic (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 1996-1999 | Grimsby Town | 89 | (8) |
| 1999-2001 | Port Vale | 82 | (8) |
| 2001-2003 | Hartlepool United | 56 | (5) |
| 2003-2005 | Macclesfield Town | 58 | (0) |
| 2005 | Port Vale | 6 | (0) |
| 2005-2010 | Salisbury City | 46 | (2) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2010 | Southend United (assistant-manager) | ||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
(Assistant Manager information supplied by Wikipedia, for the full article go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Widdrington)