Widnes announce managerial plans after resignation of Michael Ellison
Widnes captain Steven Irwin has taken charge of the club on an interim basis following the departure of previous manager Michael Ellison, it has been confirmed.
Ellison recently made the decision to resign from his role at the club, less than a month after guiding them to promotion to the Northern Premier League's top division.
Irwin has already spent two-and-a-half years at the club as a senior player, making 97 appearances in all competitions.
Of those games, 39 came last season as the Whites were crowned champions of the NPL West Division on the final day of the season, defeating Trafford 1-0 in front of a club-record home crowd of 882.
Confirming Irwin's interim appointment, the club said: “With planning for pre-season already underway, the interim appointment provides stability during an important period for the team as we prepare for the step up to the Northern Premier League Premier Division.”
Photo credit: Darren Murphy
In a statement confirming Ellison's surprise departure last week, Widnes said that they were unable to offer their former manager a specific playing budget for the 2025/26 season.
The news also came just days after a planning application for the redevelopment of the former Corpy Club had been withdrawn.
Widnes currently play their home games at the DCBL Stadium but have long sought to move to a permanent, club-owned stadium.
The ambitious redevelopment plans, which were first brought to the table more than six years ago, have been shelved due to "rising building costs" which led to the scheme being deemed "unviable".
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