Jolley Good Choice

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 02/03/2018 (Last updated: 08/03/2018)

MICHAEL Jolley will be the next Grimsby manager following an announcement by the club tonight. The former Burnley FC Under-23 coach has most recently been a manager in Sweden where he valiantly tried to save AFC Eskilstuna from relegation.

Although unsuccessful, the 40-year-old won plaudits for wins over IFK Gothenburg and runaway Champions Malmo. Jolley never played the professional game, instead choosing to get an Economics degree at Cambridge Uni and going on to be a fixed-income trader, in London and New York.

Jolley then went to the spend three years at the Crystal Palace Academy, starting in 2004, before being appointed head coach of the Scotland Universities Team. Two further spells at Crewe and Burnley at Youth level saw Jolley gain his first senior-level manager's job in Sweden in June 2017.

After just over six months, Jolley now finds himself in the position of Grimsby Town manager, with the immediate task of ending a 14-match winless streak and avoiding relegation back to the Conference.

It's a big challenge for an unusual manager, who has signed an undisclosed rolling contract.

Grim Rob Says: Michael definitely looked the pick of the candidates whose names appeared in the media and the board look to have made a good choice. Whoever they pick is going to be a gamble to some extent but we've only tasted success going for managers on their way up than on their way down. I have a feeling they could have struck gold with Michael Jolley, but at least the board have given themselves the chance to do so with this appointment.

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