The news brings to an end a fortnight of uncertainty during which Simpson has been negotiating with chairman John Courtenay. The final issue that was holding up the final signing was resolved yesterday and the former Manchester City, Wolves and Derby player was formally installed this afternoon. However the 37-year-old midfielder is already looking for a new assistant after John Ward resigned yesterday. Ward had been doing the assistant's job for three weeks following the sacking of John Cunningham. He had made it clear he wanted a manager's job and he was expected to be installed at Northampton Town today. However a planned press conference at Sixfields was postponed. Simpson now has a difficult task to try and lift a team who have won just one of their 12 games this season and currently lie four points adrift at the bottom of the Football League. United have made their worst start to a season for 18 years and face a daunting visit to leaders Hull City this Sunday. Simpson still has plenty of injury worries and his own thigh muscle problem is unlikely to heal sufficiently in time for him to play until the next home game with Macclesfield on October 18. Simpson might even be struggling to make that game and he also has injury worries over Paul Raven, Mark Summerbell, Peter Keen, Steve Livingstone, Craig Russell and loan signing Kevin Henderson. Henderson has missed the last two games due to injury. His loan period is due to end after the Hull game and the Cumbrians will be keen to extend it, although his injury will have to be assessed first. Meanwhile owner and chairman John Courtenay is confident the club will finally come out of the CVA (Company Voluntary Arrangement) by the end of this month. The club have twice asked for an extension to the arrangement in order to ensure that correct amounts are repaid to creditors. Several debts are known to be in dispute, including two sizeable amounts owed to Manchester-based legal firm Wacks Caller and accountants Baker Tilly. Administrator David Elliott of BKR Haines Watts said earlier this month that he foresaw no problems and all the money to pay the remaining debts was sitting in a special account which comes under his supervision. Picture from News & Star |
