Former Blues boss Paul Cook has rejoined his former club Chesterfield, who are currently second in the National League.

Cook, who was sacked by Town in December after nine months at Portman Road, was previously in charge at Chesterfield between 2012 and 2015 during which time he saw them to the League Two title and League One play-offs.

The Spireites were managerless after their Ipswich-born boss James Rowe departed by mutual consent on Friday having been suspended on January 24th.

Cook will be assisted by Danny Webb, the son of former Chelsea and QPR full-back David, first-team coach under Rowe and then caretaker-manager.

Chief executive John Croot told his club’s official site: “We are delighted to welcome Paul back to the club. He enjoyed great success here previously and to secure someone with his impressive track record is a real coup.

“Paul was our number one target when we began our search for a new manager and we are sure that our supporters will share our delight that he has agreed to take the role.

“Danny Webb is looking forward to working with Paul as part of the new management team.”

Elsewhere, another ex-Town boss, Roy Keane, is reported to have turned down the chance to return to Sunderland.

According to The Athletic, Keane was offered the job yesterday but has opted against a return to the Stadium of Light where he was in charge between 2009 and 2011.

Photo: TWTD

hoppy added 10:54 - Feb 10 Is this where we're supposed to say 'Found his level!'?
-7

Smithy added 10:54 - Feb 10 Good luck to him, fair play to him for not having an ego to think he deserves a higher job, hope he enjoys and gets success there, proper footballing man I'm sure he'll work his way back up
45

Blocker123 added 11:08 - Feb 10 Be interesting to see if he brings the same back room staff? Anyway shame it didn't work out here for him. Hope it does there.😡 Up The Towen!!!⚽️🚜⚽️🚜
10

Suffolkboy added 11:08 - Feb 10 Only the best of wishes : enjoy, find your feet again ! COYB
22

ChrisR added 11:12 - Feb 10 Well at least was right to get rid of players , now struggling in L2 , and his new signings overall have been positive ! But carries some blame for very poor start to the season.
14

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 11:17 - Feb 10 No doubt he'll get them promoted since they're already second in the table.
3

Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 11:18 - Feb 10 Sunderland dodged a bullet there - pity as we would have liked their place in the top six.
7

Bert added 11:45 - Feb 10 It was clearly a very difficult experience for him at Town. He made a number of poor judgements and failed to turn decent players into a team but I wish him well.
9

Cakeman added 11:49 - Feb 10 Well said Smithy.
4

runningout added 11:55 - Feb 10 Hope PC does really well at Chesterfield fc
6

Europablue added 11:56 - Feb 10 Steve_ITFC_Sweden There is still hope that Sunderland make a bad appointment. They really should have had someone lined up, because it is looking like a bad decision to sack their manager the way they did.
6

Europablue added 12:01 - Feb 10 It's interesting that PC would drop down quite so far, I suppose he will see it as a very good chance to get promoted, so would only really be a drop of one league, and it's a club that he has a fondness for. Football management is a funny game. There are so many managers that only ever do well at one job and sink without a trace, and there are others that stick around like a bad smell and seem to find successive jobs that they perform badly at. I can only imagine that there is a financial imperative to live well within you means, and rather when you land a really well-paying job, it should subsidize the rest of your career where you might not be earning so much. I suppose the answer is that most managers make money as players.

6

MickMillsTash added 12:02 - Feb 10 Wow This is 3 steps down from Wigan where he seemed to be a success 2 seasons ago. Does that mean we have to pay him less in Gardening leave? Anyway Good Luck obviously a true football addict, although I never took to him.
4

CraigEdwards added 12:57 - Feb 10 Really nice bloke and a good manager but unfortunately didn't happen here. Good luck Paul
3

JewellintheTown added 13:01 - Feb 10 Nice bloke, wore his heart on his sleeve & gave the best to the club, players and fans. Wasn't quite cutting it for us, but cant say he didn't give it 100%. Got us set up nicely with the players we've got for McKenna to work with but just couldn't get up and running quick enough. Wish him all the best & hope he find success again there.
8

NorthLondonBlue2 added 13:16 - Feb 10 Was very surprised and somewhat sad to see PC go when he did. I thought he'd be given more time to turn it around and he is clearly a very talented manager. In hindsight, however, it was clearly the right decision. That said, he's a thoroughly decent guy and I wish him every success at Chesterfield.
3

Linkboy13 added 13:34 - Feb 10 Admire him for dropping down to National league level. Might be a good destination for some of our youngsters to go out on loan.
2

johnwarksshorts added 13:36 - Feb 10 Didn't work out for him here, but hope he has more success at Chesterfield.
3

terryf added 13:48 - Feb 10 Good luck to him and I would like to think that most on TWTD will wish him every success. His problem here was he was like a kid with a big chocolate box and didn't ever know his best eleven. He often tried shoehorning players into the side just to accommodate them. Fraser was a clear example putting him out wide left when everyone else knew that he was best suited to the number 10 role. He was also never flexible with his system, which the new Manager has proved is the way forward. The players now seem a lot fitter under McKenna. The one thing I will say though, although he brought in to many players most of them were good ones, so thanks for that Paul. As for Roy Keane don't get me started...in my opinion one of the worst Managers we've ever had. Awful man mangement skills and erratic Team selection. As Steve ITFC Sweden said Sunderland definetely dodged a bullet.

3

Europablue added 14:11 - Feb 10 terryf There are quite some parallels between Paul Cook and Roy Keane, they both shipped out some very talented homegrown players who really should have been given a chance in the team, but at least Paul Cook replaced them with some good players. I have no animosity to Paul Cook though really. I can't say the same for Roy Keane!
2

dangerous30 added 14:15 - Feb 10 Good luck Paul in your next adventure
1

ringwoodblue added 14:17 - Feb 10 Good luck Paul. Hope we draw Chesterfield in the FA Cup next season so we can show you how far we've progressed since you left.
1

Arnie added 14:32 - Feb 10 Good Luck Mr. Cook. hope you you don't sack the team you inherit at Chesterfield if they don't respond. You may think you were badly treated at Ipswich but it was you own fault for not pushing into the playoffs after picking up a team within close proximity of the top six. Shame we couldn't get the Wigan boss when you joined but where did you pickup those amateur coaches, Liverpool dole office? However believe or not, I do wish you well, hope you learn from your mistakes and progress to L2.

3

supasmiler71 added 14:38 - Feb 10 Does anyone else feel the same as me. I was perfectly happy with the appointment of Cook, he seemed to work well initially but then couldn't kick on, but with KM now it just feels like we have a manager on a whole different level potentially, somebody who is going to be a top class manager (hopefully with us!)
5

Monkey_Blue added 15:23 - Feb 10 He must see this as a chance to puff out his CV. It's his level but then he's always been smart to join clubs where the odds are in his favour.
1

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