Woking Football Club is pleased to confirm the appointment of Jermain Defoe as the club’s new Manager.
Defoe joins the club following a distinguished playing career at the highest levels of the game and has built coaching experience through his work within the academy structure at Tottenham Hotspur and in a player-coach role at Rangers FC as part of Steven Gerrard’s coaching staff.
Following a detailed recruitment process, the club identified Defoe as the candidate whose values, leadership style and footballing philosophy best aligned with its long-term vision.
Club Chairman Todd Johnson said:
“Jermain’s achievements as a player speak for themselves, but what stood out to us during the process was how he sees the game, how he drives standards, and his approach to leadership and player development.
“We have a clear plan for where we want to go as a club, and we believe Jermain is the right person to build on the strong foundations already in place and help take us forward in the next phase of that journey.”
Director of Football Jody Brown added:
“Jermain’s love of the game, his determination to succeed and his alignment with our preferred playing philosophy were important.
“These are shared values in terms of the working environment, player development, and high-performance culture.
“He has a real appreciation for the club, the staff, the players, and what we’re building here.”
Jermain Defoe:
“Woking is a historic club with huge potential, and I’m thrilled to be part of this exciting project. I can’t wait to get started.”
Coaching Team:
Defoe will be supported by Assistant Coach Paul Bracewell, who joins the club with extensive experience, including roles at Fulham FC, Sunderland AFC and Halifax Town AFC.
He also enjoyed a long and successful playing career, including winning a league title with Everton.
We are pleased to confirm that Craig Ross and Jake Hyde will continue to play important roles within the club’s coaching structure moving forward, following their outstanding work in the interim period.
Additional Background:
Off the pitch, Jermain Defoe is widely admired across the football world for his character and compassion, including the close bond he formed with Bradley Lowery that touched fans throughout the game.
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his charitable work through the Jermain Defoe Foundation, which supports vulnerable children in Saint Lucia, and dedicated the honour to Bradley.
The interim coaching team of Craig Ross, Jake Hyde and Dale Gorman will continue to take charge of the team through Tuesday night’s fixture against Altrincham FC.
The club would like to place on record its sincere thanks to Craig, Jake and Dale for the outstanding job they have done during this period and looks forward to their continued contribution moving forward.
Jermain Defoe will take part in an introductory media session at 10:30AM on Wednesday, 1st April in the Cardinal Bar at the Laithwaite Community Stadium, followed by further media interview opportunities.
