Tranmere Rovers assistant manager Neil Danns has left the club to take charge of National League North side Southport FC.
The 42-year-old has been appointed Southport’s new manager, with former Tranmere player Mark Duffy named as his assistant.
Danns returned to Prenton Park in 2023 in a coaching role, having previously played for the club during the 2019/20 season. He now steps into his first permanent managerial role, following a successful interim spell at Macclesfield where he guided the club to back-to-back promotions from the ninth to the seventh tier of English football.
Danns Keen To Embrace “Great Project”
Speaking after his appointment, Danns expressed excitement at the opportunity to lead Southport and build on his early success in management.
“I can’t wait to get going. I’m really excited and grateful for the opportunity,” he said. “I live just down the road in Ormskirk and I’m really excited about the potential Southport have. I’m massively ambitious and this is a great project.”
Tranmere chairman Mark Palios paid tribute to Danns’ contribution at the club during his time on the coaching staff.
“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.”
Danns’ new assistant, Mark Duffy, is also a familiar face to Tranmere fans. The duo will now look to rejuvenate Southport, who compete in the sixth tier of English football and have been without a permanent manager since the end of the 2024–25 season.
A Career Built On Experience
Danns brings with him a vast amount of playing and coaching experience. As a player, he represented clubs including Blackburn Rovers, Colchester United, Birmingham City, Crystal Palace, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers. He also earned 12 international caps for Guyana.
His managerial journey began in earnest at Macclesfield, where he took over as interim player-manager in December 2022 and helped secure consecutive league titles in the North West Counties and Northern Premier League Division One West.
Following his departure from Macclesfield in 2023, he joined Tranmere’s backroom staff before taking this latest step into full-time management.
Writer’s View
This feels like a smart and timely move for Neil Danns. His work at Macclesfield showed he’s ready for the next stage of his managerial career, and Southport provides a good platform for further growth. His connection to the local area, coupled with a strong playing résumé, gives him immediate credibility.
From Tranmere’s point of view, it’s a loss — but also a sign of the quality of staff being developed at Prenton Park. If Danns can replicate even a portion of the success he had at Macclesfield, Southport could quickly become a team to watch in the National League North.
