Peterborough United stars are the new management team at Crawley Town

The pair have left their roles with the Posh under 21 team to take up their first senior management posts. Etherington and Davies are two of the greatest players to emerge from the Posh Academy.

Etherington was named the under 18s boss at the Weston Homes Stadium in July 2018 with Davies joining him as assistant several months later. The pair secured the Youth Alliance League title in their first season and backed it up the following campaign, becoming the first management duo in the club’s history to secure back-to-back titles at that age group.

Both then played key roles in the progression of the academy programme to Category 2, becoming U21 manager and assistant respectively while continuing to develop a large number of players who have gone onto receive professional contracts and to become regular first team players.

Following the departure of Mark Robson as assistant manager last season, Etherington and Davies stepped up to support to first-team boss Darren Ferguson. They reverted to their age group roles when Ferguson resigned and Grant McCann became Posh boss last February. Etherington and Davies took charge of Posh’s 2-1 defeat at Fulham before McCann officially took charge.

Posh Academy director Kieran Scarff said “Both Matthew and Simon have provided outstanding support for me personally, the wider group of staff and most importantly the players they have worked with and developed. The quality of their work has continuously shone through and it is no surprise that their knowledge, experience and potential has attracted the interest of other clubs.

"I am delighted for them both that they now have the opportunity to progress into first-team management. It is another example of the importance we give to the development of our staff. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them both and to wish them all the very best in the next chapter of their careers.

Posh director of Football Barry Fry added: “I want to thank Matthew and Simon for their work both on and off the pitch at the football club and wish them every success in their new adventure at Crawley Town.”

Crawley are currently 19th in League Two, four points above the drop zone.

Crawley sacked Kevin Betsy as manager in October and have since been looked after in a caretaker capacity by Lewis Young.