Simon Ireland

Simon Piers Ireland (born 23 November 1971, in Barnstaple) is a former professional footballer and coach. He played as a midfielder for Huddersfield Town, Wrexham, Blackburn Rovers, Doncaster Rovers and Boreham Wood.

Coaching career
In January 2008, Ireland was appointed as assistant director, with responsibility for the U9-U12 age groups at Blackburn Rovers. From 2010 to 2013, he worked as the U18 assistant academy manager. In August 2013, he then became the U21 manager of Brighton & Hove Albion. After 18 months, Ireland left to join Queens Park Rangers as the academy's new head of coaching and coach education on 14 February 2015. After almost three years, he left on 18 January and a few days later, he joined the staff of Aitor Karanka at Nottingham Forest as a first team coach. Ireland faced his first game as manager the following day against Reading which he lost 0–2. On 15 January 2019, Martin O'Neill was appointed as the new manager and Ireland therefore continued as a member of the staff.

On 6 August 2021, Ireland joined Darren Moore as a first-team coach at Sheffield Wednesday. He left Sheffield Wednesday on 19 June 2023, with manager Darren Moore and the rest of his backroom staff.

On 21 September 2023, he re-united with Moore once again as part of the new coaching staff at Championship side Huddersfield Town, re-joining the Terriers after a thirty-year absence, having previously spent three years at the club as a player in the early 1990s.

On 7 March 2024, he was appointed the first team coach at Plymouth Argyle.