Jimmy Dean quits Peterborough Sports amid rumours he is heading for a National League side

Dean informed his players he was leaving after Thursday’s training session and the news was confirmed after the club’s 2-1 home defeat to Kidderminster in the National League North on Saturday.

Dean is set to take charge of a higher level club, believed to be Scunthorpe United, a Championship club as recently as 2011, but who started Saturday next-to-bottom of the National League after suffering relegation from the Football League last season.

Dean (40) did not attend Sports’ game with Kidderminster. He is understood to have watched Scunthorpe draw 1-1 with Bromley at Glanford Park.

Scunthorpe had a change of ownership earlier this week with former Ilkeston Town chairman David Hilton now in charge. He must have been impressed by Dean’s impressive record in seven-and-a-half seasons at Sports.

Dean has engineered four promotions for the club in five completed seasons (Covid scuppered a couple of promising campaigns) and they are odds-on to survive at National League North level which possibly trumps any other of the manager’s achivements given the comparative size of many opponents and the need to operate within a transfer embargo.

Dean has also steered Sports to three titles and 11 trophies in total since taking over at the former Peterborough League club in time for the 2015-16 season.

“It’s a wrench to leave Sports,” Dean said. “They have been a big part of my life, but I have been given the chance to join a club at a higher level and it’s an opportunity I can’t turn down.

"I’ve turned down several clubs in the past, but this one is different. If I want to move upwards the time to do it is was when my stock was high.

"It was an emotional farewell and I wish them all the best.”

Scunthorpe are a full-time professional club. They are five points from safety at National League level having played more games than all their relegation rivals. The appointment is expected to be rubber-stamped on Monday.

Dean’s assistant at Sports, former Posh defender Chris Plummer, has also left the Bee Arena. A couple of current Sports players are also expected to follow the pair to Scunthorpe.

Player-coach Michael Gash will take over as interim Sports manager, probably until the end of the season.

Sporst chairman Grant Biddle issued the following statement: “The club can confirm that Jimmy Dean has left the club to take up another role. This role is a full time job. Jimmy was at their game today and his appointment will be announced shortly. Chris Plummer will be joining him as well.

“Jimmy has been so crucial to the club's progress from step 6 and that rise was bound to attract attention far and wide. He has been the subject of approaches in the past, but has remained loyal to Sports. He is a Peterborough man at heart and it needed a special opportunity to tempt him.

“We had a long discussion on Thursday when he remained torn, but I advised him this was just too good a chance to turn down and that he should accept it with my, and the whole club's, blessing.

“As you will have seen today Michael Gash has taken charge of the team on an interim basis ably assisted by Dan Ruscillo and the club will consider its plans for the longer term when we get the chance to discuss further.

“This has been a fantastic era for the club which we should cherish, but we need to look forward. After a long period in charge a change may cause some uncertainty, but I ask you Turbines to back the team more than ever.

“Jimmy remains a true friend and I wish him all the very best and it remains without saying he will always be welcome at The Bee Arena.”