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permanent boss

Drogheda United have turned to Irish football veteran to get them back to the top-flight

Pete Mahon had been in temporary charge at the end of last season.

PETE MAHON HAS been announced as the new manager of Drogheda United.

The Dubliner had been in temporary charge after taking over from Mark Kinsella at the tail-end of the campaign but was unable to prevent the club from suffering relegation to the First Division.

Kinsella, a former Republic of Ireland international, will remain at United Park though, as a member of the first-team coaching staff.

John Gill will serve as Mahon’s assistant.

Best-known for the five and a half years he spent in charge of UCD, with whom he achieved promotion to the Premier Division in 2004, 68-year-old Mahon is acutely aware of the size of the challenge in front of him.

It’s the first time in over a decade that Drogheda have been outside the top-flight.

“We need to sweep away the cobwebs of the past and start afresh,” Mahon said.

Whether the players from last season stay on next year is largely up to them. We’ve had a couple join Bray Wanderers already and there are a number that have made it clear that they won’t play First Division football next season and that’s absolutely fine with me.

The squad of players that I want at Drogheda next season will be players who are proud to play for the club and will give everything I ask of them on the pitch. You only have to look at the FAI Cup Final last Sunday to see what two fully committed teams can achieve.”

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