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Harris Applies For Town Job
Friday, 10th Dec 2021 13:51

TWTD understands former Millwall and Cardiff manager Neil Harris has applied for the management vacancy at Town, while a number of the other reported contenders are not in the running for the role.

The Blues’ recruitment process is still in its early stages following Paul Cook’s sacking last Saturday with Town’s new ownership in no rush to make an appointment while at the same time keen that the process shouldn’t drag on for too long. Contrary to some reports, no formal shortlist has been drawn up.

Harris, 44, moved to favouritism with the bookies yesterday morning and, following reports that he was keen on the role and under consideration later in the day, moved in to 5-4 on.

In January, TWTD revealed that Harris was among the managers under consideration by former owner Marcus Evans - who, as we reported last night, is currently in talks regarding a move for Championship club Huddersfield - prior to Paul Lambert’s tenure coming to an end.

Harris, who is from Orsett in Essex but is understood to have family in Suffolk, was a striker in his playing days most notably with Millwall, while also featuring for Nottingham Forest and latterly Southend.

He was named the Lions’ permanent boss in 2015 having had previous stints as their caretaker boss while in charge of their U21s.

Harris remained at the Den for five years, taking them into the League One play-offs twice, winning at Wembley in 2016/17, having been beaten in the final the previous year.

He spent only 14 months at Cardiff but saw them to fifth in the Championship before losing to Fulham in the semi-finals.

Harris's application is only one of plenty of applications received with CEO Mark Ashton's team having begun to sift through them earlier in the week.

Meanwhile, we understand there is little likelihood of former Norwich and Preston boss Alex Neil getting the Portman Road job despite reports that he is keen in the Scottish press last night. Similarly, former Celtic boss Neil Lennon would appear unlikely to be the successful candidate despite reportedly being interested.

Ex-Blues skipper and coach Tony Mowbray has also been linked but it’s understood there is no chance he will be leaving Blackburn Rovers, with the Lancastrians currently fourth in the Championship.

Former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard was mentioned in connection with the job earlier in the week and while he might have considered Town if they were in the Championship, it’s believed the one-time Derby boss would not want to drop into League One.

Lampard’s Chelsea and England team-mate John Terry is looking for his first club as a manager having left Aston Villa where he was assistant boss but we understand won't be under consideration for the position at Town.

Lincoln boss Michael Appleton was believed have been eyed by the Blues’ owners ahead of the takeover, Ashton and chairman Mike O'Leary having previously worked with him at West Brom and Oxford, but TWTD has learned is not presently being looked at as part of the current process.

Sunderland’s Lee Johnson, who worked for Ashton at Bristol City, is also not under consideration.

One-time Blues academy player and coach Liam Manning, who took charge at the MK Dons earlier in the season, is also not currently a contender.

Speculation that ex-Blues defender Frank Yallop and former Waterford boss Marc Bircham, who was at the Charlton game the other night, might be in the running is also wide of the mark, despite the pair having worked at Arizona United, who became Phoenix Rising, the club in which the Blues’ American investors are among the co-owners.


Photo: Action Images



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midastouch added 13:53 - Dec 10
Hopefully that's one that will get lost in the post.
17

iaintaylorx added 13:53 - Dec 10
No, please no!! This would be so boring. Best mate is a Cardiff fan and said the football was awful, and even said Mick's style was sometimes better!! Would not make any sense at all to sack Cook and appoint Harris!!
20

blueconscience added 13:57 - Dec 10
2

DaGremloid added 14:00 - Dec 10
So in one article we get the impression that Ipswich would be a fabulous job, with even manager's from higher up the food chain willing to drop into League 1 to take us on, whereas in reality we get this...
5

blueconscience added 14:03 - Dec 10
If we appoint a nothing manager like Harris, Evans may as well not have sold. As it shows the new owners are no more ambitious
3

dyersdream added 14:04 - Dec 10
God no
6

TimmyH added 14:04 - Dec 10
Please no...a lack of eye catching candidates so far.
7

spanishblue added 14:10 - Dec 10
The last 20 years we've a Scot good one, an English good one, an Irish one ok, another Irish disaster,another Anglo Irish never given enough backing should of left 2 years earlier, then an English disaster another Scot clueless, followed by an English backed to the hilt hopelessly lost with to many goodies, where to go next can see the Yanks fingers being burnt
1

ian_marshall added 14:11 - Dec 10
Sack cook and install Harris. Wtf
8

DavoIPB added 14:11 - Dec 10
Okay looks like we are replacing a manager who at least tried to play decent football with a manager who has very little experience and plays a terrible style.

Paul cook was more the Ipswich way than this bloke.
11

blues1 added 14:12 - Dec 10
Dagremloid. What the hell are u on about? Talking rubbish as usual. How does harris supplying for the job mean there are no other names from higher up in the frame? The club haven't even started the interviewing process as yet, having only started sieving through the list on Wednesday. Why do you just take every story phil puts on here regarding the new manager as meaning there's no1 else in the frame.
3

cromwellblue added 14:16 - Dec 10
I for one am very concerned about what may be coming. Felt the sacking was to early and the list of candidates is very underwhelming making it hard to see where we are going

What's done is done but I hope that once a decision is made my reaction is surprise not disappointment and it will be a name the supporters will unite behind.🤞

7

jas0999 added 14:17 - Dec 10
Harris is not the answer. Good news that Alex Neil isn't in the running though.
8

Nobbysnuts added 14:18 - Dec 10
No thanks...the first word starts with F and the 2nd word is off...
4

Gcon added 14:19 - Dec 10
How very underwhelming.

I cant help feeling that the trigger was pulled too early and PC should have been given at least another month.

I have four kids, all town fans but with undulating interest in going to games over the last few years. However, all four have attended most games this season and have been enjoying games more than they have for many years. It's been far from perfect but the football has been generally far more exciting to watch and we've seen some good goals. You only have to look at attendance figures to sense that town were finally heading in the right direction under Cook.
13

Rimsy added 14:20 - Dec 10
No thanks, what would be he point. All these names are just a smokescreen anyway. Not telling me the board hav'nt picked their man already, but keeping under wraps til contracts are sorted.
5

martin587 added 14:20 - Dec 10
Speculation maybe but PLEASE not this bloke.This is not an improvement on PC sounds more like desperation to me.IT'S A BIG NO FROM ME.
4

JackSted added 14:21 - Dec 10
May as well have kept Cook LOL. Also, how can we sack a manager without any plan on who to hire next??
5

churchmans added 14:22 - Dec 10
So in otherwords only neil harris is in the running for the job
3

evansblue added 14:23 - Dec 10
Harris did well at Millwall and Cardiff. The Cardiff lads I know say he was a top bloke who bought in some excellent players, Kieffer Moore for one, and got them Playing decent football after Warnock. They had a small squad and when Kieffer was out they struggled and he lost his job. Let's be honest after the on field shambles of the last 9 months the only way is up. Whoever gets the job needs all the fans on board from day one.
5

blues1 added 14:23 - Dec 10
David. How has Harris got mo experience? Was at millwall a few years then cardiff. And sorry, have we appointed him? He's applied for the job. As undoubtedly, have several others. Let's just wait and see shall we. And if it is him, lets just get behind him. All the comments on here go to prove, is that no manager will be given the chance to succeed here. Never known in all my time supporting this club, such a bunch of pathetic fans with no idea. We are a lge1 club. We aren't gonna be attracting players managers. What we need is some1 who can take us to the next level. And frankly, I don't care who it is, as long as he gets us where we want to be. Whoever gets the job, may not be the person I would like, but I will back him. Clearly from these comments on here, whoever it is will have their work cut out, and will no doubt be slagged off and hounded out within a few months.
3

markchips added 14:25 - Dec 10
Harris a shoe in then based on this. All the others with reasonable odds are not in the running.

0

thecheek added 14:28 - Dec 10
No thanks

If there really isn't anyone else interested or available then give the job to Kieron Dyer
2

blues1 added 14:30 - Dec 10
What is it with you lot and this underwhelming rubbish. Who were u expecting? Klopp, Guardiola? We are a lge1 club and we will attract managers of either lge1 or championship status. Can imagine what ud have been like I 1969 when bobby robson was appointed. A manager whos only previous job had lasted 44 days. My god, ud have been up in arms no doubt. Whoever we appoint, let's give the guy a chance shall we? Give him time to put his stamp on the side. Not start whinging that he needs to go after a few defeats.
8

Help added 14:31 - Dec 10
so if the ins are outs, and the outs are not ins, who the hell is there?
2


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