By Albatross
June 13 2006

The job advert asked for experience, and Pools have certainly got someone with that: Danny Wilson, a manager for over 10 years in Premiership, Division 1 and Division 2 is the new man at the helm at Victoria Park. Danny Wilson's managerial career is one that has had ups and downs; Pools will be hoping that it's time for an up after his most recent managerial stint.

After a playing career that included spells at Luton, Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley, Wilson became player-boss at the Tykes in 1994. The undoubted high spot came as they won an unlikely promotion to the Premiership in 1997. It was no surprise that they came straight back down again, although it's probably fair to say that they won a lot of friends in the top flight. It didn't do Wilson's reputation any harm, and soon after he took over at his former club Sheffield Wednesday. As it was for a number of years though the Hillsbrough hotseat proved to be a poisoned chalice; one season of survival and then a car crash season the next saw him depart under something of a cloud.

It was next stop Ashton Gate though, as three months later Wilson took over the reins at Bristol City. After finishing 9th and 7th, his third season saw them finish 3rd in Division 2, not far behind Crewe, but miss out in the playoffs; the following season he repeated the trick, finishing just one point behind QPR, before of course beating Pools with a late show at Ashton Gate to make the playoff final. Defeat to Brighton followed however, and the directors at City decided to let him go.

It was something of a surprise when he joined the club that many see as the pariahs of football a few months later; MK Franchise appointed him, and he kept them up against the odds before relegation along with Pools followed in this last season.

Wilson's record therefore has positives and negatives. He did very well at Barnsley and had a good record at Bristol City; on the other hand at the Owls and Franchise he struggled. At Barnsley he didn't exactly have a huge budget when he earned them promotion; however at Bristol he had more money than pretty much any club in the division (signings included Lee Miller for 300K and Luke Wilkshire for 250K) but failed to win the promotion the board and fans demanded Then again, he also gained big money from developing and selling players there - Scott Murray (650K) being the prime example, but he also started to bring Leroy Lita through (although some would argue he should have played him more). At Franchise he had to try and make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, and almost succeeded two years running.

The 46 year old was apparently in demand - Lincoln fans seemed to want him as their new boss - but he's chosen Pools. Apparently he's off on holiday now, so don't expect any signings just yet - but the interregnum is over, the man is in place, and Pools fans can now start rehearsing "Danny Wilson's Blue and White Army" in plenty of time for the new season. Will this be the Second Summer of Love?