John Simpson to join Nottinghamshire

Sussex Cricket can confirm that wicket-keeper John Simpson will join Nottinghamshire after a three-year stay at the Club.

Leading the Club as captain back to Division One in his first year with Sussex in 2024, Simpson has since played an integral role with both bat and gloves across all three formats since his arrival.

The left-hander spent 16 years with Middlesex, accumulating over 13,000 runs and taking 866 dismissals with the gloves, prior to his move south to Sussex, where the now 38-year-old has continued to flourish both with the bat and gloves.

Recording the third-most runs in Division Two of the County Championship in his first full season at the Club with 1,197 runs at an average of 74.81 - including scoring five centuries with a High Score of 205* - Simpson was also an key part of Sussex's route to Vitality Blast Finals Day.

The following year, Simpson again struck over 1,000 First Class runs, ending the season with 1,086 runs and guiding Sussex to a highly commendable fourth-place finish in the Club's first season back in the top flight since 2015.

Simpson has accumulated 2,864 First Class runs in his time at Sussex, with 11 centuries and 147 dismissals from behind the stumps.

To date, Simpson has made 96 appearances for Sussex - 42 in the County Championship, 39 in the Vitality Blast and 15 in Metro Bank One Day Cup.

Speaking on his departure from the Club, Simpson said: "The three years I have spent in Hove have been some of the most enjoyable and rewarding of my career.

Promotion to Division One in 2024, a place at T20 Finals Day, followed by fourth and then a third-place finish, under challenging circumstances, are a deserved reward for the hard work, commitment and belief of all the players, coaches and staff.

Sussex is a great club, and a big thank you to all the loyal supporters for your incredible backing throughout my three years. I feel privileged not only to have played here, but also to have had the opportunity to captain the team.

Thank you, lads, for all your support. I’ve loved playing alongside you all.

Lastly, to Paul Farbrace, thank you for believing in me and giving me the opportunity. It’s been a wonderful three years."

Paul Farbrace, Director of Cricket and Head Coach, said: "I would like to thank John [Simpson] on behalf of everybody at Sussex Cricket, and I mean everyone, players, staff, members, supporters, partners and sponsors.

John is one of the best professionals I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with at any level. Quite simply we could not have done what we have done on the field at Hove over the last few years without him.

John captained the team to winning Division Two and coming fourth in Division One, and then this year as Club Captain third in Division One. His weight of runs have been phenomenal along with the fantastic and enjoyable array of shots.

Keeping wise, he is still as good as any keeper in English cricket, and his catch off of the inside edge against Notts in our last home game was simply world class. We would have loved to have kept John at Sussex for a few more seasons, but our financial situation meant it just couldn’t happen.

From a personal point of view I have loved our brilliant working relationship, building, nurturing and developing a fantastic team, spirit and culture here at Sussex.

John will always be welcome back at Hove, and in three seasons on and off the field has been a fantastic professional, a great bloke and a real credit to himself and his family.

Simmo, we will all miss you, mate." 

All at Sussex Cricket thank Simmo for his dedication and contribution to the club across the last three years, and wish him good luck in the next chapter of his career.