Championship side Barnsley are on the lookout for a new manager after Paul Heckingbottom moved on.
Simon Grayson and Barnsley look like the perfect fit on paper: a proud Yorkshireman in charge of a proud Yorkshire club.
The Tykes were left reeling when Paul Heckingbottom upped and left for local rivals Leeds United just four days after signing a new rolling contract at Oakwell. As a result, a Barnsley side sitting 21st in the Championship and at genuine risk of relegation find themselves suddenly in need of a new manager to guide them away from danger.
And who better than Grayson? The 48-year-old is one of the most experienced Championship managers on the market and certainly fits the ‘safe pair of hands’ stereotype.
He did a very good job across four years at Leeds, led Huddersfield Town into the second tier and guided an overachieving Preston North End side into play-off contention last season.
Grayson’s reputation might have been hit by a record of three wins in 18 games at Sunderland, and his firing from the Stadium of Light after just four months, but the harsh reality is that the cash-strapped Black Cats simply look like a lost cause.
Barnsley, however, is a side with potential and a core group of talented young players that could thrive under Grayson’s hands-on approach.
As it stands, Sky Bet have Grayson as the 5/2 second favourite behind Lincoln Town boss Danny Cowley. And, in the eyes of the Oakwell faithful, there is only one man for the job.
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