Town Granted Permission to Speak to Hurst
Monday, 28th May 2018 21:51 Town have been given permission to speak to Shrewsbury manager Paul Hurst about the vacancy at Portman Road, the two clubs have announced. We understand Hurst could be confirmed as Blues boss as soon as tomorrow.
A compensation package has been agreed with the Shrews, who were beaten 2-1 by Rotherham in yesterday’s League One play-off final.
As TWTD reported last week, Town will now hold formal talks regarding personal terms with Hurst with the appointment likely to be confirmed in the next few days, perhaps as quickly as tomorrow.
While the Blues kept their distance during the Shropshire side’s play-off endeavours it’s long been understood that they have been given a strong indication that talks with the 43-year-old former Ilkeston, Boston and Grimsby boss would progress positively.
Those discussions with Blues owner Marcus Evans seem unlikely to take place face to face with Hurst having been due to fly to Dubai for a delayed family holiday earlier today.
It's expected that Hurst will be joined at Portman Road by his assistant Chris Doig - who played alongside Blues skipper Luke Chambers at Northampton - while Town are also currently short of a goalkeeper-coach and a fitness-coach with Malcolm Webster retiring and Andy Liddell opting to move on. Those positions at Shrewsbury are held by former Wales international Danny Coyne and Marc Lindsey.
Sheffield-born Hurst spent virtually his entire playing career as a left-back with Rotherham, where he was a team-mate of Blues academy coach Alan Lee, making 438 starts and 59 sub appearances, scoring 16 goals.
He spent a 17-game spell on loan with then-Conference Burton Albion in the second half of 2007/08 before hanging up his boots at the end of that season.
Hurst jointly took charge of Northern Premier League outfit Ilkeston Town alongside his Millers team-mate Rob Scott in January 2009 and the duo took the Robins from ninth to second and into the Conference North via the play-offs - beating Nantwich Town 2-1 in the final - in only five months in charge at the New Manor Ground.
The pair moved on to Boston United that summer and again won promotion from the Northern Premier League to the Conference North via the play-offs at the first attempt, the Pilgrims defeating Bradford Park Avenue 2-1 in the final. They also carried off the Northern Premier League Challenge Cup and Lincolnshire Senior Shield that season.
In March 2011 Hurst and Scott left Boston to take charge at then-Conference Grimsby Town following the sacking of Blues old boy Neil Woods.
After finishing 11th in the pair's first part-season at Blundell Park, the Mariners ended 2011/12 in the same position having slipped out of play-off contention.
The following season they were fourth having fallen away after leading the division earlier in the campaign and were beaten by Newport County in the play-off semi-finals 2-0 on aggregate, having lost the FA Trophy final on penalties to Wrexham.
Hurst took charge of the Lincolnshire club on his own from September 2013 after Scott was suspended and then subsequently sacked for gross misconduct.
In 2013/14 Grimsby finished third in the Conference but were beaten 5-3 on penalties by Bristol Rovers in the play-off final after a 1-1 draw.
However, the following campaign Hurst took the Mariners back into the EFL after six years away via a 3-1 play-off final victory over Forest Green Rovers having finished fourth.
Hurst began the following season with Grimsby in League Two but in October 2016 he and assistant Doig were recruited by League One Shrewsbury.
They successfully avoided relegation in 2016/17, then masterminded a hugely impressive 2017/18 in which they finished third having been pre-season favourites for the drop before losing yesterday's play-off final to Hurst's former club Rotherham, managed by his old team-mate Paul Warne.
The completion of Hurst's sixth play-off campaign in nine years had long been expected to trigger the patient Blues' formal approach as their two-month search for a new boss draws to a close.
According to some Shrews, the players Hurst is most likely to be keen to recruit from his old club once his appointment at Town is confirmed are midfielder Jon Nolan, who perhaps notably was linked with the Blues in April, and defender Aristote Nsiala.
However, a number of other Championship clubs, including Leeds, Norwich and Sheffield United, are all thought to be eyeing Nolan, who is contracted to Shrewsbury until the summer of 2020, and the 26-year-old is likely to cost a substantial fee.
Centre-half Nsiala, whose contract runs to the end of June 2019, is also understood to have been watched by a number of Championship sides during 2017/18.
Like Nolan, the 26-year-old DR Congo international was initially recruited by Hurst when Grimsby manager from elsewhere in non-league, the pair having previously been with the Everton academy.
Keeper Dean Henderson may be an even more likely target if Bartosz Bialkowski moves on this summer with Crystal Palace expected to renew their interest in Town's Polish number one.
The 21-year-old England U16, U17, U20 and U21 international, who has been offered new terms by his parent club Manchester United but is interesting a number of other clubs including Arsenal, has spent the season on loan with the Shrews and may well be sent out for a further spell in a higher division next season having previously played for Hurst at Grimsby in addition to a stint at Stockport.
Photo: Action Images
Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
parkinshair added 23:24 - May 28
Happy with this. Hurst has worked his way up the managerial ladder and has got the job on past achievements rather than "Do you know who I am?" Lampard. We wanted a young, hungry manager, wanting to make a name for himself,well hopefully we've got him. Now let's unite as fans and get behind him and the boys. We've got our Ipswich back. COYB!! |  | |
jpring89 added 23:27 - May 28
This in my opinion will be the best thing to happen since our relegation from prem all those years ago.give this guy time and I think we have a great chance of getting back to the prem. |  | |
bobble added 23:50 - May 28
sure to be better than the previous 3 stooges.... |  | |
RobITFC added 00:36 - May 29
Great news, hope this is sorted asap, really exciting appointment and ALL fans need to get behind him and look forward to next season, I strongly believe it is going to be our best one for a long time. |  | |
hopefulblue added 00:47 - May 29
I think hurst has earn't this chance at town and deserves all our backing, completely over achieved at shrews and hopefully does the same for us! Good luck gaffer, look foward to preason! | | |
Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 05:23 - May 29
It looks even more clear now that Hurst was indeed M. E.'s nr. 1 choice from early on in the process. He has had plenty of opportunities to get someone else in, but for some reason he waited for Hurst. This must surely mean he had information and some contact (via a third party?) that we have been unaware of. Feels encouraging that Hurst has been deemed so worth waiting for. Welcome to PR! |  | |
Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 05:24 - May 29
OK, that last bit was a little premature, but I think it will happen now. | | |
bobble added 05:50 - May 29
now we only need the fans and the owner to support the new manager.... | | |
allezlesbleus added 06:33 - May 29
Hope it happens........we might even manage to win a cup match. He does seem to have done very well in cup competitions, as well as league suucess. |  | |
Bildestoned added 06:58 - May 29
Let's hope he doesn't say "How much????" to ME! |  | |
dirtydingusmagee added 07:55 - May 29
well it looks like its finally going to happen.I for one will be glad to see the end of the speculation , the arguments for and against.We can focus on the team ,and move on. The careful what you wish for brigade will be spitting feathers and waiting to pounce at first opportunity lets hope they have a long long wait. COYB |  | |
Karlosfandangal added 08:22 - May 29
I know Evans has had a lot of stick for taking so long to get a manager in.
But it looks as if Hurst was his target all along and the rest that were interviewed were in case there were a hitch in the negotiations and making sure he was what he was looking for.
Let's hope he can become a successful manager or within six months he will be turned on by the real fans | | |
martin587 added 08:36 - May 29
Steve,I agree with your thoughts.It does Appears Mr.Evans sights were set on Paul Hurst from the start but he just wanted to iliminate any other possible candidates first.
Let's just hope he agrees to become our next manager so we can draw a line through this and prepare for a good successful coming season and with everybody returning from injury things can only get better. |  | |
BobbyBell added 08:56 - May 29
Great news. Now let us be patient and let the man do his job and build a side. Remember he needs to learn and absorb knowledge at Championship level so don't expect too much too soon. Let's get behind the guy and the players. | | |
Bergholtblue added 09:06 - May 29
I hope I am not being premature, after all he hasn't agreed personal terms yet, but I am pleased with this choice of manager.
What he needs now is out 100 % backing even if things don't go our way this season. Looking at the bookies predictions for next season, they put us 4th from bottom!
Even so, I would be happy with that position as long as the football is entertaining and that there are signs that we can move on in the right direction as a football club.
Finally, massive credit needs to go to ME. He has taken some stick on here (Methinks that now MIck has gone 'Les Miserables' have chosen ME for the man to hate), but he has done the club proud by the way we have conducted this deal.
I am sure that some Shrewsbury fans will say that the speculation about his future undermined their preparation for the play offs, but this hasn't come from our club but purely from press speculation. This wouldn't have been the approach by some teams I could name.
Looking forward to the future and its a long while since I said that. |  | |
Barty added 09:14 - May 29
Excellent - I hope he is appointed in the next day or so. Lets hope he gets a reasonable budget from ME. Looking forward to next season where we all need to pull together to support the new manager and the team | | |
brittaniaman added 09:21 - May 29
Blimey that was quick !! The Bookies are out there suggesting new Managers for Shrewsbury already with Rossier , Holloway, and Hasselbank todays Favourites ??? | | |
Seasider added 09:39 - May 29
Think Marcus Evans should take some credit for this.He has conducted himself in the correct manner,unlike some,and looks like he could end up with the man he wanted,bearing in mind the dateline he set in his address on club website.
Reading Paul Hursts CV above seems certainly better than any of the other possibles to me and I was also impressed with his post match interview,following defeat,and the way he conducted himself towards the press and fans,just like Bryan Klug,unlike Mr McCarthy.
Now I hope we can all unite on this site in support of Ipswich Town,and stop the personal petty sniping. | | |
brittaniaman added 09:43 - May 29
McCarthy has not been mentioned in any of the Vacancies ???? | | |
SuperBlue67 added 09:47 - May 29
And note for Sunderland and Mr Ross. This is how you go about getting a new manager. Honest and through the proper channels no dodgy dealings. The way ME has dealt with this has just shown what a decent owner we have. Upwards and Onwards COYB!!!! | | |
brittaniaman added 09:48 - May 29
McCarthy As a front Runner I was going to say !! | | |
Northstandveteran added 09:54 - May 29
As usual the club has conducted itself in the finest of manner, which it always has and just one of the reasons we are proud to support Ipswich and why we are so widely respected amongst others in the football community.
It would appear that Hurst was always Evans choice but he was shrewd enough to cover himself by giving himself and the club options should this not ( and it isn't done yet) happen.
My opinion is Hurst, as in any appointment, could go either way in terms of success, but as a feline poster wrote on another thread, do we want an experienced Pardew like manager or do we want to take a chance on an up and coming new manager?
He who dares wins hey Rodders? |  | |
You need to login in order to post your comments
| 
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
