Annan in no rush to replace Harry Cairney

ANNAN Athletic chairman Henry McClelland has advised that the Third Division side will not be moving quickly to find a new manager following Harry Cairney’s resignation on Thursday evening.

Cairney called time on his six-and-a-half year second stint at the club due to difficulty in juggling the demands of his full-time job as a high school teacher, his family and his role at Galabank. McClelland said, “Harry has been a huge part of this club over recent years. He has helped us through a remarkable journey from the East and South of Scotland Leagues to being top of the Third Division and playing at Ibrox the other night.

“Harry’s last game as our manager was rather fittingly at Ibrox as that is where he made his senior debut as player [for Airdrie] so he has completed a fantastic journey. He is an absolute gem of a person.”

Names such as the club’s head of youth and former Gretna manager, Rowan Alexander, and one-time player/manager David Irons have been mentioned but McClelland said the board will not even discuss the future until after Christmas.