Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce the appointment of John Russell as the new Senior Men’s Team Manager on a contract until the end of 2023.
The 37 year-old had taken the team on an interim basis for our previous two fixtures with a win over Derry City and a draw with UCD last Friday night in Dublin and will take the team in an official capacity as Manager this afternoon at training as the team begin preparations for the remainder of the season.
Russell’s first competitive game in charge will take place against Finn Harps on June 18th at The Showgrounds at 7.45pm.
The Galway native enjoyed an 18 year-long playing career in which he made over 130 appearances for the Bit O’ Red in three spells starting in 2010, signing for Paul Cook from Galway United. The signing proved to be a major part in the club’s success in his first two seasons at the club, with Russell winning The FAI Cup & EA Sports Cup in 2010 and another FAI Cup in 2011.
Russell then departed for St Patrick’s Athletic at the end of the 2011 season, going on to win a league title in 2013 before returning to Rovers in the 2014 season under then manager Ian Baraclough. John played for four seasons, winning The Setanta Sports Cup in 2014 and being part of the team which won away to Rosenborg on a famous night in Trondheim in The Europa League later that summer. He departed at the end of 2017 to take up a full-time coaching and development role with the FAI as Regional Development officer for Sligo/Leitrim.
Russell became First Team Assistant Manager before the start of the 2019 SSE Airtricity League season, a position he has held until today.
