Management duo sign new two-year deals with Widnes

Joint managers Kev Towey and Steve Akrigg have committed their futures to Widnes by signing new two-year contracts.

The deals will keep the management duo at the helm until the summer of 2020 as they continue to oversee the First Team.

Towey and Akrigg took charge in October 2017, and have since gone on to achieve remarkable success.

The duo secured a second consecutive promotion to the Evo-Stik League Division One West at the first attempt after a sensational end to the season, winning 23 of their last 25 fixtures.

Widnes would then go on to win the North West Counties League Challenge Cup last month with a 2-1 win over Burscough at Fleetwood Town's Highbury Stadium.

Both Towey and Akrigg will continue to combine management with their roles as players.

First Team Coaches Andy Burgess and Paul Jones, Goalkeeping Coach Gaz Hartley and Physio Ron Cook will all remain on the management team.

Towey said: "I'm delighted that the club have shown this faith in us. We are both very happy with how last season panned out and we're eager to have a crack at the Evo-Stik League.

"We're learning all the time as managers and we're consistently open to new ideas. It was important that we maintained both Andy Burgess and Paul Jones as both play a massive part in what we're doing.

"Even we need telling sometimes so their input and experience from the dug-out is invaluable."

Akrigg said: "I'm delighted that we have agreed new deals with the club.

"The lads in the squad and everyone at the club has given us their full backing from day one which has made it easier for myself, Kev, and the rest of the management team.

"The run the team went on towards the end of the season was incredible and to end the season with promotion and Macron Cup victory was an excellent achievement.

"The club is going through an exciting stage in it's development and it'll be great to lead the side into the Evo-Stik League for the first time in the club's history."

Chairman Ian Ross added: "What Kev and Ste have achieved since their appointment has been nothing short of sensational.

"We held a board meeting at the end of the season and the main item on the agenda was to reach an agreement with the two lads.

"It was a relatively short meeting. Both the board and the management team are extremely ambitious and we were on the same page straight away.

"The impact they've had on the club from top to bottom has been incredible and we're now looking forward to many more seasons like the one we've just had."