Rusk leaves for Stockport County

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Under-23s coach leaves after six years in charge of Premier League 2 side.

Paul Camillin

2021-01-27T23:30:00Z

Under-23s head coach Simon Rusk

Brighton & Hove Albion under-23s coach Simon Rusk has left the club to take up the role of first team manager at National League side Stockport County.

Andrew Crofts and Shannon Ruth will take interim charge of the squad until further notice, ahead of Friday’s trip to Chelsea in Premier League 2.

Technical director Dan Ashworth said, "It's mixed emotions for us, as on the one hand we don't want to lose Simon, but equally we are delighted for him personally to be making the next step as a manager.

"Simon has led the under-23s for six years and has played an important role in the success our academy has enjoyed in that time. That couldn't be better proved by the fact that in December, when we gave more Premier League minutes than any other club to homegrown players this season."

Chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber added, "Congratulations to Simon on securing his first opportunity to manage at first team level. It is one he has worked very hard for and while we are sad to see him leave our club we do wish him all the best on the next step in his career.

Andrew Crofts will take over as caretaker manager of the under-23s with Shannon Ruth

"He has worked under two different head coaches in Chris Hughton and Graham Potter during his time here, and I know both of them have been very impressed with the work that he has done in the academy."

Barber confirmed Albion will not rush into appointing a successor and has not ruled out an internal appointment.

"One of the benefits that we've had over the years is that when we've been investing at Lancing, we haven't just been developing talent in terms of the players, we've also invested in talent off the field in terms of coaching staff and support staff around them.

Shannon Ruth has been placed in interim charge of the under-23s with Andrew Crofts.

"In the short term we haven't got to rush, we've got fantastic coaches already embedded within the academy who are chomping at the bit to step up. Ultimately, Dan Ashworth and John Morling will make that decision, but at the moment it's not a decision the club needs to rush into."

As a player, Rusk played for Boston United, York City and Crawley Town during his playing career, before joining the Red Devils' academy as a coach. He initially joined Albion in 2012 as under-18s coach, before taking over the reins of the under-23s in 2015.

Under Hughton, in January 2016, he took on the interim role of first-team coach, after Nathan Jones left to take the role as manager of Luton Town, remaining in place until the end of that season.

The under-23s achieved promotion to Premier League 2 Division 1 under Rusk in 2017/18, before finishing third in the top-flight in their debut campaign at that level.