Sheedy joins Pools as Assistant Manager

By Albatross
December 16 2002

Not so much "Newell's Old Boys" as "Everton's Old Boys" as another former Toffee signs up at the Vic. Kevin Sheedy is the man who will be working alongside his former clubmate.

Pools have announced that Kevin Sheedy is joining the club as Assistant to Mike Newell. Sheedy and Newell were together at Everton, and were also both on the Coaching Staff at Tranmere where Sheedy had a brief spell in joint charge of the team with Ray Mathias at the end of 2000/1 after John Aldridge left.

Sheedy is of course best known from his playing days with Everton. After starting out at Hereford, he moved to Liverpool before switching to Goodison in time to become an integral part of Everton's Glory Years in the mid to late 80s. A midfielder, his left foot was regarded as one of the best in the game and he was particularly dangerous from Free Kicks. His time at Everton saw him make 338 appearances and score 92 goals - including a crucial one as Everton won the European Cup-Winners Cup - and win 41 caps for the Republic of Ireland.

He left Everton in 1992, playing briefly for Newcastle as Keegan managed to keep them in Div2, and then had a short spell at Blackpool. Sheedy hung up his boots in 1994 and looked for coaching roles.

Most of his experience comes from his time as assistant to Aldridge at Tranmere. He left Prenton Park in the summer of 2001, and had been linked with several jobs in the lower divisions - including rumours that he was in the frame for the Pools job.

This is very much a case of Newell bringing in a man he knows he can work with. The next question is what will happen to Martin Scott, who has been filling in as assistant boss since Turner's departure. Hopefully he will remain at the club and continue to work with the Youth Team, where he has been doing a great job and has seen names such as Jim Provett, Tony Sweeney, Steven Istead, and Matty Robson move into contention for places in the first team.

Whether this will be enough to lift the spirits at the club following the abject display at Rochdale remains to be seen, and many Poolies will be hoping this isn't the last signing at the club this week.