12-05-2025
Former Wanderer gets first permanent manager's role at ex Football League club
FORMER Wanderers midfielder Neil Danns has been appointed as the new manager of Southport.
The Liverpudlian, who racked up more than 600 career appearances, including 116 in Bolton colours between 2013 and 2016, has accepted his first permanent role in the dugout at the National League North club.
Danns had been placed in temporary charge of Macclesfield in December 2022, taking the Silkmen to an unbeaten finish in the league at the time, and more recently he has been assistant manager at Tranmere Rovers in League Two.
He links up with ex-Macclesfield teammate Mark Duffy in his new role and is eager to get going with the former Football League club.
'I'm really excited, grateful for the opportunity,' he said. 'I managed to get to a lot of Southport games last year and obviously I was assistant manager at Tranmere Rovers and we had Josh Williams on loan here.
'I don't live far away, just down the road in Ormskirk. But there is no much potential here and I am looking forward bringing that potential out.
'One of the things people would have seen when I was at Macclesfield is that I expect a lot of energy, a lot of confidence, and it's up to us to bring that out of the players now.
'We know it won't be easy and doesn't necessarily happen straight away but we are confident we can get them playing the way we envision and bring some real spirit. There's a really god fanbase here and it's important we all get behind each other.'
Danns had a varied playing career spanning 16 different clubs, his longest stints being at Crystal Palace, Bolton and Bury.
He was signed on loan by his former Selhurst Park boss Dougie Freedman and after an impressive spell was handed a two-year contract.
He continued to be a fixture in the team after Freedman's departure and briefly served as vice-captain to Darren Pratley under Neil Lennon before being released after Bolton's relegation to League One in 2016.
'I was really proud of what I achieved in my career and played up to the age of 40, and that was one of things was probably most proud of. I'd always wondered as a youngster how long I would play on for,' Danns added.
'I am looking forward to the next phase of my career now.'
Danns is not the first former Wanderer to take charge of the Sandgrounders, with Kevin Davies performing an eight-month stint from October 2017.
Jimmy Meadows also managed both clubs, while Farnworth-born Alan Ball Senior also spent two years as manager of Southport in the late seventies.
