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Paynter Made Permanent Linnets Boss |
Billy Paynter has signed a two-year contract to continue as manager of Pitching In Northern Premier League Division One West club Runcorn Linnets. |
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Monday 15 May 23 I 09:36:52 |
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The move comes just over a week after the experienced former Football League striker led Linnets into the play-off final in only his ninth game in charge.
The 38-year-old initially joined the Linnets in the summer of 2022 as first team coach and was promoted to the boss's chair at APEC Taxis Stadium after the March dismissal of Dave WIld.
The Liverpudlian regalvanised the squad with results emphasising their character and recovery powers after the turmoil of Wild's departure.
Performances showed that the players were backing theinew manager 100%.
This solidarity underpinned an unbeaten league run, which cemented a fifth-place finish.
The only blemishes on the way to a second successive appearance in the play-offs were two county cups defeats, both to higher-ranked sides.
Linnets took NPL Premier outfit, Marine AFC to penalties in the Liverpool Senior Cup final.
Fans bought into feelgood factor, which followed the managerial change - 1,500 crossing the River Mersey for the tie at Widnes.
In the play-off semi-finals, Runcorn convincingly defeated league runners-up Leek Town, away from home, before coming up just short at third-placed Workington in the final.
Linnets took an early lead before eventually succumbing to the Cumbrian hosts 2-1, after extra-time.
The club had refrained from labelling Paynter a `caretaker` boss - the Trust Board always envisaging a longer-term arrangement.
Linnets chairman, Peter Cartledge told https://www.runcornlinnetsfc.co.uk: "We felt we had the right man for the job already at the club.
"We were conscious of how ambitious Billy was to get into management and knew his abilities from the work he had carried out.
"We viewed naming Billy manager as the natural step and now agreeing with him the two-year deal, as the first contracted manager in the club's history, is confirmation of the confidence we have in Billy and the faith he has in us.
"Preparations for next season start here and we are really excited about the future on and off the pitch.
"Billy has given us an indication of his recruitment plans and what he has in store for pre-season.
"The club and our supporters have much to look forward to."
Paynter, who made 529 appearances with 131 goals for EFL clubs in a 17-year playing career, is a UEFA A coach.
Having represented clubs with the calibre of Brighton & Hove Albion, Leeds United and Sheffield United, he upon retirement from playing turned to coaching - working in the academies at Everton and Port Vale.
He was Professional Development Phase lead coach at Vale Park from November 2020 to May 2022.
Paynter admitted to having no hesitation in accepting the new deal.
He wants now to make his own mark on Linnets' recruitment and playing style.
"This summer's going to be a lot of ins and outs," he said. "I want to try to get my own players in and to play exciting football. I felt we lacked a bit of quality in the final third, so I want to try to strengthen in that area.
"Seeing how we missed out last season - with the disappointment of losing on penalties in the (Liverpool Senior Cup) final and getting beaten in extra time (in the play-off decider at Workington) - I want to go one further next season.
"I want to give the fans something to cheer about, a bit of joy towards the end because the fans for me, since I've arrived, have made me feel really welcome and I want to try to repay their support".
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Copyright Non League Today. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to the Non League Today website as the source and a link back to the Non League Today website. |
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