 Rusk after playing forYork City in the2009 FA Trophy Final | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Simon Edward Rusk[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1981-12-17)17 December 1981 (age 43)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Peterborough, England | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–2000 | Peterborough United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2001 | Peterborough United | 0 | (0) |
| 2000 | →Cambridge City (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2001–2007 | Boston United | 140 | (12) |
| 2007–2008 | Northwich Victoria | 16 | (2) |
| 2007 | →Rushden & Diamonds (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | York City | 51 | (0) |
| 2009–2011 | Crawley Town | 54 | (0) |
| Total | 267 | (14) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2021 | Stockport County | ||
| 2022–2023 | England U19 | ||
| 2024 | Southampton (interim) | ||
| 2025 | Southampton (interim) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Simon Edward Rusk (born 17 December 1981) is an English professionalfootball manager and former professional player who most recently was interim head coach atSouthampton.
He holds a UEFA pro licence. Previously manager ofBrighton & Hove Albion Under 23s, Rusk was responsible for the progression of many young talents to the Brighton first-team in recent years, includingAaron Connolly,Steven Alzate,Solly March andBen White.[2] As a player, he played as amidfielder, notably forBoston United.
Rusk was born inPeterborough, Cambridgeshire, and grew up in the suburb ofBretton.[3] He joined thePeterborough Unitedyouth system in 1995 and had a spell onloan in theSouthern Football League Premier Division withCambridge City during the1999–2000 season.[4][5] He was signed on afree transfer byBoston United in March 2001 after being released by Peterborough.[6] His Boston debut came in March 2001 in a match atDoncaster Rovers. He was fined bymanagerSteve Evans for receiving a red card againstShrewsbury Town in December 2005.[7] He had surgery on a knee injury in December 2006, which ruled him out until after Christmas.[8]
He left Boston to joinNorthwich Victoria on a free transfer on 2 July 2007, being signed by former Boston teammateNeil Redfearn.[9][10] Rusk scored on his debut for Northwich, in the 2–1 loss againstEbbsfleet United, which was the first game for Ebbsfleet under this name, having previously been known as Gravesend & Northfleet.[11] In September 2007, Rusk was placed on the club's transfer list and joinedRushden & Diamonds on a one-month loan later that month.[10][12]
ManagerDino Maamria confirmed in January 2008 he was to move, withWeymouth believed to be his next destination.[10] However, he signed a one-and-a-half-year contract withYork City on a free transfer on 8 January.[13] He made his debut in the team's 2–0 win againstAldershot Town in January and finished the season with 14 appearances for the club.[14][15] He suffered a medial knee ligament injury during York's 1–1 draw withTorquay United on 28 August,[16] which saw himsubstituted forNiall Henderson in the 73rd minute.[17] He made his return on 20 September in a 1–1 withSalisbury City.[18] He scored the winning penalty for York in a 4–2penalty shoot-out victory againstMansfield Town in theConference League Cupthird round on 4 November, which finished 1–1 afterextra time.[19] He started in theFA TrophyFinal atWembley Stadium on 9 May 2009, which York lost 2–0 toStevenage Borough.[20] He was released by York following the end of the2008–09 season,[21] during which he made 47 appearances and scored one goal.[22]
Rusk joinedConference Premier teamCrawley Town on 27 May 2009.[23] He made his debut as a 22nd-minute substitute in a 4–0 defeat againstMansfield Town.[24] Rusk went on to feature regularly during his first season for the club, making 42 appearances, many of which were at right-back. He was offered a new one-year contract in April 2010, which he signed in May.[25][26] In February 2011, Rusk was an 81st minute substitute in Crawley Town's 1–0FA Cup defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.[27]
Due to a number of serious injuries, he retired following the end of the2010–11 to take a role with Crawley's Centre of Excellence ahead of their first season in theFootball League.[28] He was appointed a youth team coach atBrighton & Hove Albion on 6 March 2012, a role involving overseeing the development of the club's scholars and managing the under-18 team.[29]
Rusk was appointed U23s Head coach in March 2015, stepping up from his role as U18s coach.[30]
In February 2016, he was promoted to first-team coach byChris Hughton until the end of the season, replacing the outgoingNathan Jones. In the sixteen remaining games of the season, they lost just once as they sealed third-place inThe Championship, missing out on automatic promotion by goal difference.[31]
In the first year of Premier League 2's current format - he guided the Seagulls to an 8th-placed finish and reached the last sixteen of the EFL Trophy.[30]
The following year, his side finished third in the league and won promotion to Premier League 2 Division 1 - the highest level for U23s football - for the first time ever, following a 2–0 victory over Aston Villa in the play-offs.[32]
The 2018–2019 season saw a string of impressive results, including a 5–0 win over Manchester City[33], as they went unbeaten in their first six games. Rusk's side finished the season in third-place, higher than a number of established academies, includingChelsea,Liverpool,Tottenham andWest Ham United.[34]
Despite losing a number of key players to the senior squad in 2019–20, the side continued their good form and reached the knockout stages of the EFL Trophy for a second time under Rusk's management.[35]
On 27 January 2021, Rusk became the manager ofNational League sideStockport County.[36] On 27 October 2021, the club confirmed they had parted ways with Rusk.[37]
On 17 February 2022, Rusk was announced as assistant manager ofScottish Premiership sideDundee under his assistant manager at Stockport,Mark McGhee until the end of the season.[38] After the side was relegated with just one win in the duo's time there, it was confirmed in May 2022 that Rusk would take up a role with theEnglish FA.[39][40]
On 13 May 2022, Rusk was appointed a national coach withEngland men's teams.[41] On 16 August 2022, it was confirmed that Rusk would take charge of theEngland U19s.[42]
On 13 December 2023, it was revealed that Rusk had been hired as a specialist set-piece coach atPremier League sideNottingham Forest.[43]
On 1 July 2024, he was announced as head coach ofSouthampton U21s.[44] Following the sacking ofRussell Martin on 15 December 2024, Rusk was appointed interim manager ofSouthampton.[45][46] Rusk took charge of two matches for the club before the appointment of new managerIvan Jurić, a 2–1 home defeat againstLiverpool in theEFL Cup on 18 December and a 0–0 draw againstFulham in thePremier League on 22 December.[47][48] On 24 February 2025, Rusk joined Jurić's backroom staff as a first team coach.[49]
Following the departure of Jurić on 7 April, Rusk agreed to become interim manager for the remainder of the season withAdam Lallana joining him as assistant.[50] On 19 April, Rusk led Southampton to a 1–1 draw against West Ham United which saw them reach 11 points, and thus avoid breakingDerby County's record for the lowest points tally in Premier League history.[51] On 25 June, Southampton confirmed that Rusk had left the club.[52]
| Club | Season | League[A] | FA Cup | League Cup | Other[B] | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Boston United | 2000–01[53] | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
| 2001–02[54] | 27 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 2 | |
| 2002–03[55] | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 2 | |
| 2003–04[56] | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| 2004–05[57] | 31 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 3 | |
| 2005–06[58] | 34 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 4 | |
| 2006–07[59] | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 140 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 158 | 13 | |
| Northwich Victoria | 2007–08[60] | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 2 |
| Rushden & Diamonds (loan) | 2007–08[60] | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| York City | 2007–08[15] | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| 2008–09[22] | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 47 | 1 | |
| Total | 51 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 61 | 1 | |
| Crawley Town | 2009–10[61] | 38 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 42 | 0 |
| 2010–11[62] | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| Total | 54 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 59 | 0 | |
| Career total | 267 | 14 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 303 | 16 | |
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Stockport County | 27 January 2021 | 27 October 2021 | 42 | 21 | 12 | 9 | 050.0 |
| Southampton (caretaker) | 15 December 2024 | 22 December 2024 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 000.0 |
| Southampton (caretaker) | 7 April 2025 | 25 May 2025 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 000.0 |
| Career Total | 51 | 21 | 15 | 15 | 041.2 | ||
Boston United
Crawley Town
Brighton & Hove Albion U23s
