Danny Searle will continue at the helm of Waterford FC for next season.
The 44-year-old Romford native joined the club in June of this year when Ian Morris departed. At the time the club were fifth in the first-division table.
Searle retained the coaching staff who were already in place and together they guided the side back to challenging for the first-division title. Ending the campaign in second place behind Cork City the Blues faced into the playoffs where they beat Treaty and then Galway.
The promotion/relegation play-off was where the journey ended at the hands of UCD. Narrowly beaten in Richmond Park the club's new owner Andy Pilley reasserted his commitment to the club while Searle had said that he would need to sit down and speak to Pilley before making any decision.
Those conversations have now happened and Searle has signed "a new long-term contract".
He's told the club website that "The potential at the club is huge and that’s what we’ll be looking to reach over the coming years. This is a long-term project for the club and I, so to get this contract sorted means that securing a squad for 2023 is now our main focus. I’ve had great support from the club owner Andy and from everybody at the RSC since I arrived here. The fans have been outstanding; and I feel like Waterford is the place to be for me now. Roll on 2023.”
Meanwhile, Pilley has expressed his excitement for what's to come next year.
"This is a really exciting era for the club as we aim to get back into the Premier Division, and we feel Danny is the first of many pieces we intend to put in place in the coming weeks."
