New contract for AFC Fylde boss Challinor

Manager Dave Challinor has put pen to paper on a new two-year deal at AFC Fylde.
Challinor (left) and HaythornthwaiteChallinor (left) and Haythornthwaite
Challinor (left) and Haythornthwaite

Challinor was appointed Coasters boss in November 2011 from Colwyn Bay and has guided Fylde to three promotions during his 313 game.

The 41-year-old, who was named Manager of the Year for the National League North after leading his side to title glory, has lifting four trophies and boasts a 60 per cent win ratio.

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Challinor is now relishing next season, the club’s first in the National League. He said: “This has been in the offing for a while and I’m delighted to get it sorted. I always wanted my future to be here.

“It wasn’t a difficult process and now we can fully focus on what will be a really exciting season for us.

“When we came up to National League North it was a step into the unknown but we competed straight away.

“We would have liked to have climbed out of the division sooner than we did but sometimes things work out for the better.

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“Had we gone up 12 months ago, during a huge transitional period for the club, it may have been difficult. We had a lot of new fans and had we been losing games we wouldn’t have developed that winning feeling we have.

“To have a season at Mill Farm as a full-time club and settle in before getting promoted will probably prove beneficial in the long run.

“We still have some big challenges next season in a new league against a lot of teams we haven’t played before, but I feel we are well prepared.

“We have had that winning feeling throughout my six seasons here and I don’t want that to change next season. I think the two extra play-off places in the National League are great for the teams coming up and give us something to really focus on.

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“How you start the season is really important and you always need a bit of luck. We will be a bit of an unknown quantity next season, although the higher you get the more teams do their homework.

“We have to continue improving, and if we do I firmly believe we will more than compete. We will have to show resilience and the ability to grind out results.

“We have a younger group than last season but we won’t be overawed because we have lads who can certainly play at this level, if not higher. They have been given the opportunity to do that here.”

Chairman David Haythornthwaite said: “Dave is probably one of the longest-serving managers in football, which is some achievement in this day and age. I’ve had a great relationship with him ever since he walked through the door.

“We’ve entered a very exciting period, and with Dave at the helm I’m sure we will have a fantastic first season in the National League.”