Alloa Athletic appoint Danny Lennon as new manager

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Alloa manager Danny LennonImage source, SNS
Image caption,

Danny Lennon has agreed a deal until the summer of 2016

Alloa Athletic have confirmed the appointment of Danny Lennon as their new manager on a one-year contract.

The news came hours after the Scottish FA announced that the 46-year-old's spell as interim national under-21 coach had come to an end.

"I was very, very eager to get back in," Lennon told BBC Scotland.

"I had one or two opportunities that didn't feel right at that particular time, but this one certainly fits me well."

The former St Mirren boss has agreed a deal to take charge of the Wasps, who are ninth in the Scottish Championship, until the summer of 2016.

Alloa chairman Mike Mulraney

"Danny had a mix of attributes that we really, really wanted. He's managed full-time very successfully; he's managed part-time very successfully; his enthusiasm; he's prepared to play kids; he's prepared to take a chance and he just seemed to tick every box that I had."

It follows the resignation of Barry Smith on 7 March and Lennon will watch from the Tynecastle stands when Alloa visit Hearts on Wednesday night.

"It's six or seven years since I first became a manager at Cowdenbeath," added Lennon.

"I certainly have a vast bit of experience and I'm a better manager now than I was all those years ago.

Image source, SNS
Image caption,

Alloa chairman Mike Mulraney (left) and Danny Lennon

"Coming in with five games to go, we're looking to go out there and win as many games as we possibly can, put ourselves safe and make sure we're playing Championship football next season."

Lennon, who left the Buddies in May 2014, stood in as Scotland Under-21 boss for a 2-1 friendly victory against Hungary following the departure of Billy Stark.

He guided the Paisley side to winning the Scottish League Cup trophy in 2013 - a 3-2 victory over Hearts - which was St Mirren's first silverware since 1987.

Alloa chairman Mike Mulraney

"The difference between being in this league and the one below is fantastically huge. It's hundreds of thousands, not tens of thousands. It's as big as the difference between the Premiership to the Championship - it's enormous. So yes, you've got to try and be here. But if at some stage we go down, we'll just come back up and start again."

However, at the end of the 2013-14 season, his contract was not renewed.

Assistant manager Tommy Craig took charge but was sacked in December.

Paddy Connolly had been interim manager of Alloa, who currently occupy the relegation play-off in the second tier and are two points behind Cowdenbeath in eighth.

Connolly's last game in charge was Sunday's 4-0 defeat by Livingston in the final of the Petrofac Training Cup.

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