Watkiss Leaves Grimsby

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 09/05/2009

STUART Watkiss will be leaving Blundell Park, allowing Brian Stein to be re-instated as Mike Newell's No. 2. The Town assistant manager's contract is up in the summer, and the club will not be renewing it.

Brian Stein had been brought to Blundell Park last season in a rather vague "coaching" capacity, and it was apparent that he was the assistant manager in waiting while Watkiss saw out his contract.

Stein and Newell were a successful partnership at Luton between 2003 and 2007, when the club were a success in the Championship (finishing 10th in 2006) before financial problems hit the Hatters.

Town Chairman John Fenty told Mariners Net: "Mike Newell always made it clear he wanted Brian Stein around the club alongside him.

"We looked at how we could work that and brought him in to help with our scouting network.

"Initially, we contracted him with regard to purely a scouting role and that has proved beneficial. But he has been overseeing some of the training with Stuart Watkiss as well.

"When all said and done, it's unsustainable to have what has effectively been two assistant managers. With that in mind, sadly, we've had to release Stuart Watkiss and explain to him that we won't be renewing his contract which ends next month."

Fenty praised Watkiss, who he felt would stay within the game.

"Without question Stuart has given everything to the club. He has put in large numbers of hours, done scouting and watched games with the manager and recommended players.

"He has done all kinds of work and we can't thank him enough."

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