Craig Harrison returns as New Saints boss and Neil Gibson takes Connah's Quay Nomads job

Craig Harrison is a former Hartlepool manager

Craig Harrison has returned for a second spell as head coach of The New Saints with Neil Gibson replacing him as Connah's Quay Nomads manager.

Harrison, 44, rejoins TNS having won six straight Welsh titles during his previous stint at Park Hall, which ran from 2011 to 2017.

He leaves Connah's Quay having been at the helm since September 2021.

Gibson, 42, takes charge of Nomads having left his role as Flint Town United boss in June.

Connah's Quay host the Saints in a Nathaniel MG Cup game this Saturday.

TNS won the Cymru Premier title and JD Welsh Cup under Anthony Limbrick last season, but he was sacked after their Europa Conference League exit last month.

Former Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace defender Harrison is the most successful manager in the Saints' history, having won the Welsh Cup four times and the Nathaniel MG Cup three times as well as six league titles.

He had been on the staff at Nomads since 2018, before stepping up to the top job after Andy Morrison's departure 11 months ago.

"Craig is our most successful manager, not just with results and trophies but in his style of football too, which is appealing to our fans," said TNS chairman Mike Harris.

A Saints statement thanked Connah's Quay "for their help and assistance in enabling the deal to be completed swiftly" having re-appointed Harrison.

Nomads, who finished ninth in the Cymru Premier last season, have turned to ex-Prestatyn boss Gibson, who helped them to a second-placed finish in 2018-19 as assistant to Morrison.

Gibson steered Flint to fifth place last season.

"It's been a whirlwind 24 hours, where we've had to both deal with the exit of Craig, who was under contract with a buy-out clause, whilst at the same time fast-tracking an appointment ahead of the upcoming season, which if anyone needs reminding, starts in 10 days' time," said Nomads director of football Dave Norman.

"We are so fortunate to have secured such a high-calibre appointment at short notice, someone vastly experienced in the league and at the same time familiar with the club and the players, after his stint here in 2019."

Connah's Quay begin the new Cymru Premier season with a trip to Cardiff Met on 13 August, while TNS go to Newtown on the same day.