Simon Nicholas Grayson (born 16 December 1969 in Ripon, North Yorkshire) is an English former footballer and now a manager. Throughout his playing career he primarily operated on the right side of defence however, he was also utilised in midfield. He is currently the manager of Blackpool and guided them to promotion to the Championship in 2007. He is nicknamed "Larry", after his namesake Larry Grayson. December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... Statistics Population: 15,922 (parish); 16,468 (urban area) (2001 census figures) Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SE3112271296 Administration Borough: Harrogate Shire county: North Yorkshire Region: Yorkshire and the Humber Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: North Yorkshire Historic county: Yorkshire (West Riding) Services Police force... North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county, located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county in that region and also partly in North East England. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 967 AD  Area  -  Total 130,395 km²  50,346 sq mi  Population  -  2007 estimate... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Blackpool Football Club is an English football club from the Lancashire seaside resort of Blackpool, who will be playing in The Championship next season, the second tier of professional football in England, after winning the 2006-07 League One play-off final. ... Larry Grayson (21 August 1923 in Banbury - 7 January 1995) was an English much loved camp comedian and gameshow host of the late 1970s. ...

Early career

Grayson began his career at Leeds United in June 1988 as a midfielder/defender. He didn't manage to make the big breakthrough at Leeds, playing just twice in four years. He signed for Leicester City in March 1992, and went on to make 229 appearances in five years, enjoying some silverware along the way, winning the League Cup in 1997, and was voted the club's player of the season in the same year. Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional football club based in Leeds. ... Leicester City Football Club, (also known as The Foxes) are an English professional football club based in the city of Leicester. ... The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup, is an English football competition. ... The 1996-1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England. ...

Aston Villa and beyond

He moved to Aston Villa in 1997, and made another 49 Premier League appearances at Villa Park. He signed for Blackburn Rovers in July 1999, where he made 34 appearances in his first season. He lost his place the following season, and spent most of the next two years on loan, with spells at Sheffield Wednesday, Stockport County, Notts County and Bradford City. Aston Villa Football Club (also known as The Villa or The Villans) are an English professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, who currently play in the Premier League. ... For the Scottish equivalent see Scottish Premier League The FA Premier League (often referred to as the Barclays Premiership in England and the Barclays English Premier League or just simply The EPL internationally) is a league competition for football clubs located at the top of the English football league system... Villa Park is a football stadium in the district of Aston, in Birmingham, England. ... Blackburn Rovers Football Club are an English Premier League football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. ... Sheffield Wednesday Football Club (abbreviated as SWFC, nicknamed The Owls) are one of the oldest football clubs in England and play in The Football League. ... Stockport County Football Club are an English football club based in Stockport, Cheshire, currently playing in League Two, after dramatically avoiding relegation to the Conference in the 2005-06 season. ... Notts County Football Club are a football club based in Nottingham, England and is the oldest professional football team in the world. ... Bradford City Association Football Club are an English football team based at Valley Parade, otherwise known as The Intersonic Stadium (previously Bradford & Bingley Stadium), due to stadium sponsorship in Bradford. ...

Winding down

Grayson signed for Blackpool on a free transfer in July 2002. He made more than 100 appearances for the Seasiders, and captained the side. He started his career at Blackpool in the right-back berth, but was moved to midfield by former boss Colin Hendry to bolster an area of weakness. In football (soccer), a free transfer involves a team releasing a player once their contract has expired or made available just before the end of the contract. ... Edward Colin Hendry (born December 7, 1965 in Keith) is a former Scottish professional football defender. ...

Management

Blackpool

Grayson moved into coaching in 2004-05, managing the reserve squad at Bloomfield Road with some success. The fact the reserve side were winning and playing passing football didn't go unnoticed, and he was named caretaker manager of the first team in November 2005 following Colin Hendry's departure. After successfully preventing Blackpool from relegation that season he was given the job on a permanent basis for the start of the 2006-07 season where he has steered a Blackpool side battling against relegation last season to promotion contenders. Bloomfield Road is the home of English football club Blackpool Football Club. ... Edward Colin Hendry (born December 7, 1965 in Keith) is a former Scottish professional football defender. ...

Grayson retired from playing at the end of the 2005-06 season to focus purely on the managerial side of the game.

In late 2006, he led Blackpool to only one defeat in fourteen league games, a sequence that included five wins out of six, resulting in their appearance in the four play-off positions. The run also brought attendances of 7,000+ to Bloomfield Road. This led to his being awarded the League One "Manager of the Month" award for December.^[1] Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Coca-Cola Football League 1 for sponsorship reasons) is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system. ...

On January 6, 2007, he guided Blackpool to the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time in seventeen years after beating Aldershot Town 4-2 at Bloomfield Road. They were knocked out by Norwich City, 3-2, after extra time, in a replay at Carrow Road on February 13, narrowly missing out on a trip to London to face Chelsea in the last sixteen.^[2] January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 359 days (360 in leap years) remaining. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Note: for the full results of all FA Cup finals, see FA Cup Final The FA Cup — this is the fourth trophy, in use since 1992, and identical in design to the third trophy introduced in 1911. ... Aldershot Town Football Club was founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden fourth division club Aldershot F.C., who had been founded in 1926 and had been league members since 1932. ... Norwich City Football Club (also known as The Canaries or City) is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. ... Carrow Road is the football stadium of Norwich City Football Club who currently play in the Football League Championship. ... February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Chelsea Football Club (also known as The Blues or previously The Pensioners) are an English professional football club based in west London. ...

On May 1, 2007, Grayson was fined £250 by the FA for remarks made to an official during a match at Rotherham United back on March 27.^[3] May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... The Football Association (The FA) is the governing body of football in England (and the Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man). ... Rotherham United F.C. is an English football club from Rotherham, South Yorkshire, that plays in Football Leagues fourth tier, League Two. ... March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (87th in leap years). ...

Grayson received his second League One "Manager of the Month" award of the 2006-07 season in May 2007.^[4] Two days later, on May 5, 2007, Grayson guided Blackpool to a third-place finishing position in League One and a place in the end-of-season play-offs.^[5] May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (126th in leap years). ...

Blackpool beat Oldham Athletic 5-2 on aggregate over the two legs of the play-off semi-final. They met Yeovil Town in the final at the newly-renovated Wembley Stadium on May 27 and won 2-0, securing promotion to the Championship. It was their tenth-consecutive victory, a new club record. Rochdale Road stand Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane, Oldham. ... Yeovil Town F.C. are an English football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. ... Wembley Stadium (often called Wembley or New Wembley) is a football stadium in Wembley, London, England. ... May 27 is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Football League Championship (often referred to as The Championship for short, the Coca-Cola Football League Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League. ...

Honours

As a player

Leicester City

• First Division play-off winner: 1993-94
• First Division play-off winner: 1995-96
• League Cup winner: 1996-97

Blackpool From 1889 until 1992, this was the highest division overall of organized football in England. ... The 1993-1994 season was the 114th season of competitive football in England. ... From 1889 until 1992, this was the highest division overall of organized football in England. ... The 1995-1996 season was the 116th season of competitive football in England. ... The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup, is an English football competition. ... The 1996-1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England. ...

• League Trophy winner: 2003-04

The Football League Trophy is the generic name of an English football competition for clubs in the two lower divisions of The Football League and, in some seasons, the leading sides in the Conference National. ... The 2003-2004 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England. ...

As a manager

Blackpool

• League One play-off winner: 2006-07
• League One Manager of the Month: December 2006^[1]
• League One Manager of the Month: April 2007^[4]

Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Coca-Cola Football League 1 for sponsorship reasons) is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system. ... The new Wembley Stadium has been completed in time for this seasons FA Cup Final. ... Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Coca-Cola Football League 1 for sponsorship reasons) is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system. ... Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Coca-Cola Football League 1 for sponsorship reasons) is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system. ...

Trivia

• His brother is the cricketer Paul Grayson.

Paul Grayson (born March 31, 1971, Ripon, Yorkshire) is a cricketer for Essex. ...

Managerial stats

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
				G	W	D	L	Win %
Blackpool		November 24, 2005	Present	84	38	24	22	45.23

Blackpool Football Club is an English football club from the Lancashire seaside resort of Blackpool, who will be playing in The Championship next season, the second tier of professional football in England, after winning the 2006-07 League One play-off final. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England_(bordered). ... November 24 is the 328th day (329th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Edward Colin Hendry (born December 7, 1965 in Keith) is a former Scottish professional football defender. ... Blackpool Football Club is an English football club from the Lancashire seaside resort of Blackpool, who will be playing in The Championship next season, the second tier of professional football in England, after winning the 2006-07 League One play-off final. ...

References

External links

• Simon Grayson's playing career stats at Soccerbase
• Simon Grayson's management career stats at Soccerbase