Southampton have acquired the services of assistant manager Colin Calderwood from Northampton Town, both clubs have officially announced.
The experienced coach has been brought on to Russell Martin’s coaching staff for the rest of the season as the Saints continue their push for promotion at the first time of asking, having been relegated from the Premier League last term.
The former Mansfield Town, Swindon Town and Tottenham Hotspur defender has a wealth of experience, having managed the likes of Northampton, Nottingham Forest and Cambridge United but has now made the jump to the St. Mary’s Stadium.
In an official statement released by Southampton, Director of Football Jason Wilcox expressed his delight that the club have made such an ‘invaluable’ capture:
On the flip side, Northampton Town chairman Kelvin Thomas admitted his disappointment in losing Calderwood but understands the offer was too good for the 58-year-old to refuse [quotes via BBC]:
“It is a real shame that Colin has decided to move on, but he certainly goes with our best wishes and as a friend.
“He has been made a very good offer from a club who are pushing for a return to the Premier League and we understand the attraction for him.
“We part on excellent terms and we thank Colin for the significant role he has played at the club over the last two and a half years.”
The Cobblers’ academy head Ian Sampson will step in as Calderwood’s replacement for the time being and Jon Brady has revealed that there is no rush to find a new assistant manager [quotes via BBC]:
“We’ll let the dust settle. It’s a bit fresh about Col, but this is football. At times, you’ve got to adjust and adjust quickly.”
Calderwood is a massive loss to Northampton Town and to head coach Brady as the club looks to avoid relegation back down to League One after promotion last season.
However, for Southampton, it’s a smart appointment. Calderwood brings a wealth of experience across all levels of the English football pyramid and has coached some top players in his post-playing career. His knowledge can only be a benefit for the Saints.