David Jeffrey has committed his immediate future to Ballymena United after agreeing a new two-year contract extension at the Showgrounds.
Jeffrey, who was appointed to the post in March 2016, is the longest serving manager in the 94 year history of the Warden Street club.
The 59-year-old’s current deal was set to expire next year, but his new contract now keeps him with the Sky Blues until at least 2025.
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Jeffrey said: “I am absolutely delighted, honoured and privileged to be offered an extension to my existing contract here.
“I have always said from the day and hour that I came, that I want to serve our club for as long as those at the club thought that I could do a job. That hasn’t changed.
“I am here because the club has put their faith in me and I count it as a privilege to serve here.
“I want to say thanks in particular to Chairman John Taggart and Vice Chairman Don Stirling for the guidance I have received, and also to the likes of John Torrington and David Blair and rest of the board who have been most supportive.
“The support infrastructure that I enjoy at Ballymena United has been of the highest standard, with my staff team along with the likes of Jonathan Irwin and Iain Black.
“Over the six years we have enjoyed great successes and also experienced some challenges, but it is always clear that we work through everything together in a united way.
“I am very thankful to God for blessing me with this opportunity to further serve Ballymena United.”
Ballymena chairman John Taggart, who lured Jeffrey to the Showgrounds in March 2016, said: “David has had a successful six year term and the stats speak for themselves in comparison to any previous manager.
“We are confident in David and his staff team to lead us into the next era at the Showgrounds”.
Since succeeding Glenn Ferguson in the Warden Street hot seat six years ago, Jeffrey has been at the Ballymena helm for almost 300 games.
The former Linfield boss has recorded several notable firsts with the Sky Blues, including lifting the League Cup for the first time in the club’s history in 2017.
He also secured United’s first top six finish in the current 12-team league in 2017 and also led them to a runners-up finish in 2019, the club’s joint-highest ever league finish.
Jeffrey twice qualified Ballymena for Europe and led the club through a round of European competition for the first time in the Europa League in 2019
He has also taken the Braidmen to more finals - one Irish Cup, three League Cup and two Shield showpieces - than any other manager in the club’s history.
Ballymena missed out on a top-six finish this season, but are chasing a European play-off spot and have an Irish Cup final looming next month.
Jeffrey recently confirmed last week that he is retiring from his post as a senior social worker after almost 30 years with the Northern Health Trust later this week.
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