Williamson replaces former assistant to lead South Shields
He had previously been the club’s Director of Performance and Culture
Ex-MK Dons boss Mike Williamson has replaced his former assistant Ian Watson by taking up the reins at South Shields.
Williamson led Dons to the play-offs in 2023/24 after taking over from Graham Alexander, but made the move north to be closer to home again when Carlisle United came calling in the first few months of the following season.
After an unsuccessful spell at Brunton Park, Williamson joined another former Dons boss Russell Martin, who he played alongside at Wycombe Wanderers, at Rangers but the management team lasted barely 123-days, the shortest in Ibrox history.
Since then, Williamson has been acting as Director of Performance and Culture at South Shields, where he had been working under his former assistant head coach Watson at 1st Cloud Arena.
But with Watson taking his first head coaching role at newly promoted League Two side Rochdale, Williamson has been put into the Mariners’ hot-seat.
Chairman Geoff Thompson said: “Mike has quickly become a valued and influential figure within the football club. His leadership qualities, knowledge of the game, and understanding of what we are trying to achieve made him the outstanding candidate for the role.
“We are excited to see him lead the team into this next chapter and wish him every success.”