Departing Liverpool U18s manager Marc Bridge-Wilkinson has now joined Huddersfield Town alongside another ex-Liverpool coach.
With change afoot in the academy, Bridge-Wilkinson left his role as under-18s boss at the end of the season after five years in the job and 10 years at the club.
The club “reluctantly accepted” his decision to step down, reported the Times‘ Paul Joyce, and he has now joined Huddersfield as an assistant to new manager Lee Grant.
He arrives as one of three new coaches, also including Paul McShane from Man United and Jonathan Robinson.
The latter’s most recent job was in Saudi Arabia, working with Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq, but before that, he had worked for Liverpool since 2014.
Robinson’s final position was as Barry Lewtas‘ assistant coach for the under-21s, but he also held a number of other roles during his time on Merseyside, including first-team analyst and under-16s coach.
Bridge-Wilkinson and Robinson are joining a club that was in the Premier League as recently as 2019, but since sacking manager and Jurgen Klopp‘s best man David Wagner, they have been on a downward trajectory, barring a third-place Championship finish in 2022.
In 2024, they were eventually relegated to the third division and came 10th in League One this season.
Michael Duff became manager upon their relegation but was sacked after just 10 months in charge, with the club deciding instead to hire Grant, who has been assistant coach at Ipswich since 2022.
Grant said: “I am thrilled to welcome Marc, Paul, and Jonathan to Huddersfield Town – three exceptional professionals who join us as Assistant Coaches.
“Their diverse backgrounds, dedication, and commitment to excellence will be invaluable to us as we continue to grow and build something special at this club. Each brings a unique outlook and energy that aligns with our values and future aspirations.
“Their leadership and character will play a major role in amplifying the work that we do on and off the pitch, as we work towards success together.
“I look forward to working alongside them and I am confident that they will make a significant and positive contribution to Huddersfield Town.”
Liverpool now face an overhaul of the academy coaching setup, as under-18s coach Lewtas also departs after 12 years at the club.
At this stage, there is no indication whether the club will look to promote from within – as they did with both Lewtas and Bridge-Wilkinson after Neil Critchley left five years ago – or seek outside appointments.
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