Following an impressive spell as interim manager, which yielded 15 points from a possible 21, Paul Donnelly has been appointed into the Stotfold hot-seat on a permanent basis.
As a member of the backroom staff since 2021, Donnelly has been part of the club’s rise from Step 6 to Step 4 in successive seasons.
He stepped up to replace his cousin, Brett Donnelly, at the helm following his departure to Hitchin Town, and has secured a top ten finish for the club in their first season in the Pitching In Southern League Division One Central.
“I’m over the moon to be given the opportunity to manage Stotfold,” Paul Donnelly told us. “It’s the perfect job for my first venture as a number one as I know exactly how the club is run and don’t need to worry about building new relationships.
“I am extremely proud of how we have done since we took over. The lads have been brilliant for me in some difficult circumstances; we’ve had to deal with a lot of injuries, but we haven't made any excuses, we’ve just got on with it and to finish in the top ten is no less than we deserve.
“I think the season as whole has been a good one; of course, staying in the division was always the top priority going into this campaign, but within the group we’ve always had belief that we could push on and maybe get around the play-off places.
“We’ve come up a little short with that, but it’s been a great achievement to get to where we are. This is a strong division; we knew at the outset that we would be coming up against some more physical opponents than we have been used to, with players that look after themselves better.
“It’s been a funny season in the sense that everyone has been beating each other and it only emphasises exactly how competitive it is.”
Attention has already turned to next season and being able to build upon what they have done this time around.
“Our aims and targets moving into next season will be to be better what we have done this season,” added Donnelly. “We will aim as high as possible, but we’re also realistic about where we are and where this club has come from.
“It will be only our second season at this level, so we’ll be managing expectations but with a belief that on our day, we can beat anyone in this division.
“Our philosophy will always be to be hard to beat and work harder than the opposition. I want us to make sure we play in the right areas; we won’t be over playing in our defensive third that’s for sure.”
The season concludes with a home game against Leighton Town on Saturday.
IMAGE: Peter Short
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