Caretaker boss Dean Austin has landed the Northampton Town job on a permanent basis after signing a two-year deal with the Cobblers.
The former Tottenham defender stepped into the caretaker role after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s departure last month.
Austin won two of his five games in charge as Northampton suffered relegation from League One after finishing 22nd in the table.
He will now be set the target of an instant bounce-back by getting promotion from League Two next season.
"The supporters can expect us to play in an aggressive way and on the front foot,” said Austin. “We will not be afraid to be brave or to take chances but I also want us to be horrible to play against.
"Our first priority is to try and get the club back to League One as soon as possible and to give the supporters some fun and entertainment along the way.
"We have an important summer ahead and we have a lot of work to do.
It’s a second taste of management for Austin after a spell at non-league Farnborough, and Northampton chairman Kelvin Thomas says the 48-year-old was the best man for the job at Sixfields.
"We have taken a lot of time over the last few weeks to carry out a detailed process of reviewing our position and where we need to be and looked at all the options available and Dean stood out to us as the best candidate for the role,” said Thomas.
"Dean inherited a difficult situation and a squad that lacked confidence but we think he handled things very well and has earned this opportunity.
"He has overseen an improvement in the results and importantly, performances, and really connected the team back with the supporters.
"He managed to get the team playing in a very positive manner and on the front foot from a difficult starting point.
"He knows what is required and we think he is the natural choice at this point.
"We believe Dean can instil a philosophy and a strategy around recruitment and player development that can take us forward."
