Lee Cattermole has been appointed Gateshead FC first-team manager with immediate effect, landing his first senior management role at the age of 38. He signed a two-year contract that keeps him at the club until 2028 and will take charge ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Gateshead Hands Cattermole Control
Graham Wood said the club made the appointment after meeting with Cattermole and his agent, and described him as the standout candidate among the applicants already assembled. Wood also said appointing a first-team manager was his immediate priority after returning to the chairman’s role.
“I am delighted that Lee will begin his managerial career at Gateshead,” Wood said. “On returning to the role of Chairman, it was clear that my immediate priority was to appoint a First-Team Manager.” He added: “Of the applicants already assembled, Lee was the standout candidate and I decided there was no need to look further.”
Cattermole's Coaching Path
The move gives Gateshead a manager with coaching experience already built up across Bristol Rovers, Burnley, Middlesbrough and The Northern Irish FA. Cattermole has also gained his UEFA A licence, adding formal coaching credentials before his first senior appointment.
He arrives with a playing background that includes 272 Premier League games and spells in the top flight for Middlesbrough, Wigan Athletic and Sunderland. Wood pointed to that record in saying Cattermole brings experience from “over 250 games in the Premier League,” where he worked with Gareth Southgate and Martin O’Neill.
First Senior Job At Gateshead
Cattermole said the step into management is the one he has wanted from the start. “It’s something I’m really excited about,” he said. “The opportunity to get a crack at first-team management – especially at Gateshead as well.”
He also made clear that the work will not be instant. “My vision for the team is going to take time, it’s not going to be quick,” Cattermole said, while adding that he wants to learn the club’s identity, understand what Gateshead wants to keep hold of, and build “something together.”
For Gateshead, the immediate change is simple: the club now has a full-time first-team manager in place before the 2026/27 season, and Cattermole begins with a contract that runs until 2028. For him, the next step is turning a long-promised move into a senior managerial debut under real pressure.
