Stephen Henderson appointed Longford Town manager for 2023

The former Cobh Ramblers manager will take charge of the midlands outfit for the 2023 season.

Thu, 24 Nov, 2022 - 14:15

Shane Donovan

Stephen Henderson has been appointed as the new manager of Longford Town FC, the club announced on Thursday.

Henderson will take charge of the team for the 2023 First Division campaign, having previously managed both Cobh Ramblers and Waterford in the League of Ireland.

He takes over the managerial role from Gary Cronin, who left the Longford dugout last month.

The 56-year-old led Cobh to their greatest league finish since 1999 with a third place in the First Division table in 2005. The next season, they finished fourth, and in 2007, they won their first ever trophy as Henderson led the side to the First Division title.

In December 2008, Henderson took up the Waterford United's manager. In 2009, he guided the team to the League Cup final, the FAI Cup semifinals, and the promotion play-offs the following year. He departed the club in 2011 and returned to Ramblers in 2015 where he brought them to their first ever league cup final in 2018, narrowly losing out to Derry City.

Upon leaving Cobh in 2019, he took up a role as Head of Youth Development at Shelbourne where he worked until April 2021.

“I am delighted and grateful to Jim (Hanley, Chairman) & the board of Longford Town FC for this tremendous opportunity to manage a fantastically run football club with a number of exceptional people on and off the pitch,” said Henderson.

“Gary Cronin laid the foundations of a very attacking, exciting and committed group of players which I am extremely excited to work with. The process of re-signing our best players and adding to the group begins immediately and I promise everyone at Longford Town that I will give my heart & soul to the club as we embark on what I hope will be an exciting and successful journey together.”