Hird To End Successful Stay

Sam Hird is to leave his position as first-team coach with Wanderers to end a successful stay as part of the Whites’ backroom staff, writes Pete Oliver.

Hird has taken the decision to move on for personal reasons and will leave next month with the best wishes of everyone at Wanderers.

The 36-year-old joined the Whites from Barrow in June, 2021 to link up again with Wanderers’ boss Ian Evatt.

The pair were former team-mates at Chesterfield before Hird played under Evatt at Barrow as the Bluebirds won promotion back to the EFL in 2020.

Evatt was then appointed Bolton boss and after leading Wanderers to promotion from League Two in 2021, brought Hird to the Toughsheet Community Stadium to join his coaching staff alongside assistant manager Peter Atherton and goalkeeping coach Matt Gilks.

Hird played a key role as Wanderers finished ninth in League One in 2021/22 before reaching the League One play-offs and winning the EFL Trophy last season.

The former Doncaster Rovers and Chesterfield defender was in the dug-out as Wanderers won 1-0 at Port Vale to move up to fourth place in League One today, with Wanderers now beginning moves to bring in a replacement.

Manager Ian Evatt said: “Sam has been fantastic for me on a professional level. I played with him at Chesterfield and he then played for me at Barrow. I brought him here as a coach because I know his football intelligence and he sees the game very similar to as I do.

“He’s given us three years of brilliant service but with this job comes a lot of sacrifice. Time away from family and home. He’s now got the opportunity to go and work with the PFA, which is an organisation which gives you a lot of security, and we wish him well.

“We can’t thank Sam enough and we will do our best to replace him and bring someone in who will be additive to the staff.”