National League North club Southport appoint two experienced former Prem and EFL players as part of their new managerial team.
Neil Danns comes in as their first-team manager while Mark Duffy is his assistant manager, in preparation for the 2025/26 season.
Danns expressed excitement about the role, citing his familiarity with the club from watching games during his Tranmere tenure and his eagerness to build a competitive squad this summer.
Duffy, likes Danns, also coached at Macclesfield, taking over as head coach after Danns’ departure in 2023. He later managed Warrington Rylands briefly before joining Danns at Southport. The duo previously worked together at Macclesfield, where they secured promotion.
The appointments were announced amid Southport’s ongoing takeover and National League ratification process, with the club aiming to shift their recruitment strategy under Danns’ leadership.
Get to know our new First-Team Manager!
Watch our exclusive sit-down interview with Neil Danns as he shares his ambitions for SFC.
— Southport Football Club (@southport_fc) May 12, 2025
Southport FC are thrilled to announce the appointment of new First-Team Manager Neil Danns.
Danns will be joined in the dugout by former Sandgrounder Mark Duffy, who will take up the position of Assistant Manager.#UTP🟡⚫ pic.twitter.com/xHmzx7WCA5
— Southport Football Club (@southport_fc) May 12, 2025
CLUB STATEMENTS:
Tranmere Rovers can confirm that Neil Danns is leaving the Club to take up the manager’s position at Southport.
Neil returned to Prenton Park as assistant manager in 2023, having spent the 2019/20 season at Rovers as a player.
Chairman Mark Palios said: “I’d like to thank Neil for his hard work at the Club and wish him the very best of luck in his new role at Southport.”
Southport FC are thrilled to announce the appointment of new First-Team Manager Neil Danns.
Danns will be joined in the dugout by former Sandgrounder Mark Duffy, who will take up the position of Assistant Manager.
Mark Duffy is no stranger to Haig Avenue where he made 103 appearances in total scoring 19 goals in all competitions.
Mark was actually named as the head coach at Macclesfield following the departure of Neil Danns from Macc and after leaving The Silkmen he had a short spell as manager at Warrington Rylands.
We extend a very warm welcome to Haig Avenue to Neil and Mark and hope they enjoy a successful time at the club.
The first interview with Neil brought to you in association with our new Media Partner LeaseCar.Uk is now available to watch.
Danns said in an interview: “I’m really excited, grateful for the opportunity.
“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.
“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’ CAREER:
Youth career
Liverpool
–2000 – Blackburn Rovers
Senior career
2000–2004 – Blackburn Rovers – 7 games (0 goals)
2003 → Blackpool (loan) – 15 games (2 goals)
2004 → Hartlepool United (loan) – 11 games (1 goal)
2004–2008 – Colchester United – 87 games (28 goals)
2006–2008 – Birmingham City – 39 games (3 goals)
2008–2011 – Crystal Palace – 114 games (21 goals)
2011–2014 – Leicester City – 42 games (6 goals)
2012–2013 → Bristol City (loan) – 9 games (2 goals)
2013 → Huddersfield Town (loan) – 18 games (2 goals)
2013–2016 → Bolton Wanderers (loan) – 116 games (11 goals)
2016–2019 – Bury – 88 games (9 goals)
2017 → Blackpool (loan) – 16 games (2 goals)
2019–2020 – Tranmere Rovers – 24 games (0 goals)
2020 – Radcliffe – 3 games (0 goals)
2020–2021 – FC Halifax Town – 5 games (0 goals)
2021 – Connah’s Quay Nomads – 16 games (1 goal)
2021–2023 – Macclesfield – 66 games (28 goals)
Total – 676 games (116 goals)
International career
2015–2023 – Guyana – 25 games (11 goals)
Managerial career
2022–2023 – Macclesfield
2025- Southport
DUFFY’S CAREER:
Youth career
1993–2003 – Liverpool
2003–2004 – Wrexham
Senior career
2004–2005 – Vauxhall Motors – 9 games (1 goal)
2005–2007 – Prescot Cables
2007–2009 – Southport – 102 games (19 goals)
2009–2011 – Morecambe – 76 games (7 goals)
2011–2013 – Scunthorpe United – 112 games (10 goals)
2013–2014 – Doncaster Rovers – 39 games (2 goals)
2014–2016 – Birmingham City – 7 games (1 goal)
2015 → Chesterfield (loan) – 3 games (0 goals)
2015–2016 → Burton Albion (loan) – 47 games (8 goals)
2016–2020 – Sheffield United – 121 games (15 goals)
2019–2020 → Stoke City (loan) – 9 games (0 goals)
2020 → ADO Den Haag (loan) – 5 games (0 goals)
2020–2021 – Fleetwood Town – 31 games (2 goals)
2021–2022 – Tranmere Rovers – 7 games (0 goals)
2022–2023 – Macclesfield – 45 games (2 goals)
2024 – Warrington Rylands – 9 games (0 goals)
Managerial career
2023 – Macclesfield
2024 – Warrington Rylands
There was plenty of reaction on Twitter as Southport appoint the two experienced former Prem and EFL players as part of their new managerial team…
@Clarkeyy106: Good luck Neil! Bury don’t have any players so don’t bother looking there for signings 😉😂 what an appointment!
@tomhwilliams23: Super intriguing appointment this, Seems to be a lot of well wishes from Tranmere fans, tinged with a few question marks over coaching too. Hard to say how good he will be, but I think it’s an exciting appointment!
@shakerite66: And we ALL know where he fancies pushing his trolley around looking for a bargain #buryfc
@JosephR31: It would be amazing if we got his son on a loan 👌🏼
@kevanalyst: Great appointment.. All the best to Dannzy & Duffs 👏🙌⚽️👌🏻❤️
@TheGreyMonk63: As a Macclesfield fan I say you’ve made a good appointment there. Good luck and see you next season 👍
@WilloTRFC: Wasn’t even coaching towards the end was joining in with training 😂😂
@TomLordy1991: Dannsyyy!!! Gotta go to a match now 🤣👍🏼👏🏼
@lukejoelfish9: I love you Neil but don’t start rinsing us for players please x #buryfc
@DazMills1600301: What an underwhelming appointment this is, and how in the world does Mark Duffy get coaching jobs? Terrible at Macc and even worse at Rylands
@TheScunnyLad: Mark Duffy potentially back at GP next season
@RHVlogs_: Might have to make a visit to Southport next season!
@trfc2019: Best of luck to him. Hard to judge him as a coach while here as he ended up in the crazy ‘joint assistant’ situation. Best for him and for us that he has a fresh start elsewhere
@silkmenarmy:
Wait who? Are doing what?
Fair play they’re top lads 🔵⚪️
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