Former Gillingham managers Neil Harris and Mark Bonner have united in a managerial partnership.
The duo have returned to League 1 Cambridge United, with Harris back as head coach and Bonner taking on a director of football role.
It’s Bonner’s first job back in football since he was axed by Gillingham at the start of January.
Returning to Cambridge is an emotional move for Bonner. Cambridge are his boyhood club, whom he served as head coach between 2020 and 2023. During his time in charge United enjoyed some of the best moments of its recent history, including promotion from League 2 and a famous FA Cup victory at Premier League Newcastle United.
However, after a dip in results Bonner was relieved of his duties and subsequently replaced in the hotseat by Harris. But after just 14 games, the 47-year-old accepted a call from his former club Millwall, leading the U’s to appoint Garry Monk.
Following less than a year at the helm – and with a return of nine wins from 49 matches – Monk was sacked on Sunday and he has now been replaced by the man that he succeeded on a deal until the summer of 2027.
Bonner, meanwhile, will take over many of the responsibilities recently vacated by Ben Strang, who left the club by mutual consent last week.
Cambridge’s majority owner Paul Barry said: “This has been a challenging season which has not gone as any of us would have hoped. There have been lessons for all of us to learn.
“The first part of our football review over the last month has highlighted three key things:
“First – the need to adjust how the football side of the club is overseen and governed from owners and board down. We have done this.
“Second – the requirement to appoint someone to review all parts of our football operations as director of football over the coming months and lead the potential change that might follow.
“Third – the need to deepen our culture, continue to modernise every area of the club and at the same time have a relentless focus on what it takes to win on and off the pitch.
“Mark Bonner will be returning as our new director of football. He knows the club inside out – ts strengths, its culture and values, and also the areas that we must seek to improve.
“He is an exceptional individual and we believe his leadership, strategic thinking and deep understanding of the game can make him an outstanding director of football for us over the long term.
“He will undertake the second part of the football review as the planning starts now to get ready for next season – alongside fighting to stay up.
“Neil Harris is returning as head coach on a contract until June 2027. He made a significant impact at the club over a short period last season. He is a winner and his track record as a head coach speaks for itself. He will obviously work very closely with Mark, who has been leading conversations with him over the last 48 hours.
“Clearly, Neil left us in a unique set of circumstances last season, and we all feel there is unfinished business for him at Cambridge United.
“Finally, a word for our fans. We are hugely grateful for all your support this season when there has often not been a lot to cheer about.
“We believe this new leadership on the football side will put is in a better position to attack the challenges in front of us as we look to create a new positive chapter for the club – United in Endeavour.”
Harris and Bonner will be looking to hit the ground running as they bid to overturn a situation that currently sees Cambridge rooted to the foot of League 1 with an eight-point gap to safety. Harris and Bonner are due to speak to the media for the first time on Thursday afternoon.
