Paul Simpson handed fresh start in Portugal

Ex-Shrewsbury Town boss Paul Simpson will open a fresh chapter in his football career next week – in Portugal.

Simpson has been named as the new head coach of the Vision Pro Sports Institute based in Rio Maior, a centre for young players released from Premier and Football League Academies and Centres of Excellence seeking a route back into the professional game.

And Simpson, who spent two years at Shrewsbury before being sacked in April 2010, is relishing the opportunity at the footballing head of a system which runs along similar lines to the Glenn Hoddle Academy.

"I'm really looking forward to it," said Simpson, who has been managing Northwich Victoria in the Evo-Stik League premier division on a short-term basis.

"I wanted to get a youth coaching or development role and me and my wife (Jacqui) have always talked about living abroad so this ticks all the boxes.

"The facilities are fantastic. We have got a 6,500 all-seater stadium, training pitches, a 3G pitch an Olympic size 50m swimming pool and another 25m pool.

"We will have a team playing in an under-19 league in Portugal next season and literally two minutes walk from our base is a university where the lads will do a sports science course and learn a language.

"At the moment, we have got 14 English lads, five Spanish and one Hungarian and I can't wait to get started."

Simpson, who will retain his base in Stockport, jets out to Portugal to begin in his new role on Wednesday.

This afternoon, he was taking charge of Northwich – who he has been in charge of for less than a month – for the final time in their FA Trophy quarter-final against Newport County at Macclesfield.