STEVE BURR has made a swift return to management with National League North side Stalybridge Celtic following his sacking from Southport.
Burr was relieved of his duties as Sandgrounders boss at the end of January but he is back in the dugout with his former club Celtic.
Staybridge, struggling and second from bottom in the National League North, parted company with joint-bosses Steve Halford and Paul Phillips this morning.
The pair left Evo-Stik NPL Premier side Ashton United to replace Liam Watson at Bower Fold in early September but they have been unable to get the club climbing up the table.
Celtic are already 12 points adrift of safety and have turned to a familiar face in Burr with hope that the former Kidderminster and Chester boss can keep them up.
Burr, who left Southport after an indifferent run of results in Non-League’s top tier, has signed a deal until the end of next season at Bower Fold.
He previously managed the club from 2007-2010, taking them to the Conference North play-off final in 2008 where Celtic were narrowly beaten by Barrow.
Now his first task will be to try and keep Celtic at Step 2 and Burr said: “I can’t wait to get started and try to keep us up.
“Long term, the aim is to start winning matches and get back to pushing for honours. Hard work, determination and everyone pushing in the same direction will bring us success. I very much look forward to working back at a club that I have very fond memories of.”
Chairman Rob Gorski added: “I’m absolutely thrilled that we have secured Steve’s services. He is a Conference Premier manager and it’s only his love of Celtic that brought him back here.
“Our objective short-term is to very much stay in this league. We have some very winnable games in the next six to eight matches.
“If we do go down, then we will be giving Steve the budget to get us back up at the first time of asking. We are not prepared to go backwards.
“We have some fabulous longer term plans that we are working on, but in the short-term, we need to either remain in this league, or return immediately next season.”
On the departure of Phillips and Halford, Gorski said: “I would like to put on record my thanks to both Steve and Paul.
“They had the toughest of times in that a lot of the previous squad went on to play two leagues below, yet they did a brilliant job of upgrading the quality of the squad.
“They also had the worst list of injuries in many a year and still managed to increase the attractiveness of the football and the commitment of the players.
“They go with our very best wishes and the board them every success in their future careers.”
Good appointment although a bit late in the day for this season. Club and Manager go well together.