Training Ground Guru Podcast

Simon Wilson: Driving success with strategy at Man City & Stockport


Listen Later

Our guest on Episode #70 of the TGG Podcast, in association with Teamworks Intelligence, is Simon Wilson.

Simon is the Chief Executive of Stockport County and one of the most experienced football leaders in the UK.

At Southampton, he was only the second full-time performance analyst in the country, before joining Manchester City in 2006.

His time there coincided with the new ownership of Sheikh Mansour and a period of complete transformation. Simon played a key role in this, first as Head of Analysis, then Strategy and Performance Manager and finally as Director of Football Services for the entire City Football Group.

In this latter role, Simon designed, built and delivered the club's global multi-club operation. 

After a short spell as Chief Football Officer at Sunderland, Simon joined Stockport County in 2020 and has masterminded their climb through the divisions. In February 2025, he was promoted from Director of Football to Chief Executive.

In this Episode, Simon told us about his career journey, about his pivotal work at Manchester City and about Stockport's seven-year plan.

SHOW NOTES =>

02:27: Reflections on Stockport's summer transfer window.

03:21: Getting over last season's play-off semi-final defeat.

05:06: The club's seven-year plan.

07:45: What it's like working with Stockport owner Mark Stott.

08:53: How does the new squad compare to last season's?

09:45: The strength of this season's League One.

11:39: Simon discusses his time working at Sunderland.

16:24: How did Simon first get involved in football?

19:51: His first jobs with clubs - first at Preston and then Southampton.

21:19: Being only the second full-time Performance Analyst in the UK.

22:14: Working with Sir Clive Woodward.

23:25: Joining Manchester City.

25:27: Sheikh Mansour taking over at City.

29:08: Simon Pearce and Brian Marwood's involvement at the Etihad.

31:35: Becoming Director of Football Services for the City Football Group.

36:01: The difference between an entertainment club and a talent club in the multi-club model.

36:57: Are smaller clubs in a multi-club model servicing the bigger clubs?

39:44: Players moving between clubs in the group.

40:19: Economies of scale and sharing of data between the group's clubs.

41:47: Why Simon left Manchester City.

43:38: The current state of the game.

45:54: Moving from Sporting Director to CEO - how it's going.

47:13: What does the future hold for Simon?

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Training Ground Guru PodcastBy Training Ground Guru

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

17 ratings


More shows like Training Ground Guru Podcast

View all
Not The Top 20 Podcast by Not The Top 20 Podcast

Not The Top 20 Podcast

126 Listeners

Modern Soccer Coach Podcast by Gary Curneen

Modern Soccer Coach Podcast

265 Listeners

Undr The Cosh by Undr The Cosh

Undr The Cosh

274 Listeners

I Had Trials Once... by I Had Trials Once...

I Had Trials Once...

20 Listeners

The Price of Football by Dap Dip

The Price of Football

357 Listeners

The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast by The Athletic

The Athletic FC Tactics Podcast

225 Listeners

The High Performance Podcast by High Performance

The High Performance Podcast

617 Listeners

The Hard Truth - Inside the Football Industry with Darragh MacAnthony by Darragh MacAnthony

The Hard Truth - Inside the Football Industry with Darragh MacAnthony

27 Listeners

The Overlap by The Overlap

The Overlap

276 Listeners

Rio Ferdinand Presents by Rio Ferdinand Presents

Rio Ferdinand Presents

81 Listeners

No Tippy Tappy Football with Sam Allardyce by No Tippy Tappy Football with Sam Allardyce

No Tippy Tappy Football with Sam Allardyce

15 Listeners

Up Front by Folding Pocket and William Hill

Up Front

31 Listeners

Business of Sport by Charlie & Harry Stebbings

Business of Sport

16 Listeners

The Rest Is Football by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Football

753 Listeners

Stick to Football by The Overlap

Stick to Football

268 Listeners