SLIGO ROVERS HAVE appointed ex-Accrington Stanley boss John Coleman as manager on a rolling contract.
Coleman and long-time assistant Ian Bell replace Ian Baraclough and Gary Stevens who parted ways with the Bit O’Red earlier this week.
Coleman, 51, is best known for his 13 years in charge at Stanley where he guided the minnows from non-league football to League Two.
He has also managed Rochdale and, most recently, Southport.
The new management team are due to meet the media and fans tomorrow as they get to work on turning around Sligo’s fortunes. The 2012 Premier Division champions are currently 17 points behind league leaders Dundalk.
“Sligo Rovers have had unbridled success over several seasons and I see an opportunity to try to keep the club at that high level,” Coleman said.
“The first target is to try to get up the table and challenge for the European places because that is paramount.
We have to get impetus. Sometimes a season can hit a flat spot and I firmly believe that with hard work we can grow during this campaign and also achieve things as well. We have good players here and I want to get the best out of them.
“It’s a well-run club and it’s run by the town. The people care about the club and you want them to feel it and get behind you. That has attracted me to Sligo Rovers.
“I feel I will bring passion, good coaching, organisation and a style and ethos to play on the front foot that I hope the fans will enjoy.”
Coleman’s first game in charge will be on Friday night, 27 June, away to Drogheda United who are on the hunt for a new manager themselves to replace Robbie Horgan.
The following week, the Bit O’Red begin their European campaign in the qualifying rounds of the Europa League.
“We don’t just want to play in a round of Europe,” Coleman insisted.
“We want progress and an extended period of time in European football for the town to savour with big games in The Showgrounds.”
